tattoo school Vs apprenticeship..???

dublininked

hey all, long time lurker but this is my 1st post!!
iv'e been trying to get into the industry for a long time now {6+ months} but only to be met with refusals from every studio i've tried. i've encountered flat out refusals to down right arrogance trying to get a tattoo apprenticeship and my patience has started to run out.
right now i'm finishing off a year of twice weekly drawing classes, and last year i completed a PLC in art. i have quite a large portfoilio of drawings built up and i try to do most course assigments with a tattoo related theme when i can :pac:
ok, back to business. i've recently been looking at attending a tattoo school. i've got some funds put aside from working part-time jobs the last couple of years, so as a last resort i'm thinking of biting the bullet and just paying outright to learn how to tattoo. i've come across a few tattoo courses in the uk here http://www.thetattooacademy.co.uk/index.html [full 2 week course is 2500 sterling]
and here
http://www.bluesteeltraining.co.uk/ [course consists of 43 modules!!]
and i've also found a place here in ireland http://livingarttattoos.net/index.html it's a lot closer to home and i wouldn't have to relocate to the uk. and their course is 2 months, but i'm guessing the price reflects that! i was looking through their tattoo gallery and the work seems ok [???]
anyway, is there anyone that can lend me some advice?? is this a good way of breaking into the industry in ireland? or is this a cop-out waste of my hard earned cash..????
at this stage it wrecking my head and i really want to just start learning how to tattoo. help me!!

Gauge

Total waste of hard earned cash IMO. 2 months is not enough, not even going to comment on two weeks- £2500 sterling for that is insane!

I really don't think you should be giving up on finding an apprenticeship so soon. Six months is not a long time to be looking at all, especially in an industry like this where it's tough to break in. Given the way things are in the economy at the moment, that also has an effect on people being willing to take apprentices on. You have a body of work behind you, in the meantime keep working on and improving your skills and saving money. If it's truly your dream it'll be worth waiting for, but definitely don't let yourself get scammed out of money for a useless two week tattoo course.

Will

Don't give up, keep improving your art skills. maybe try get enrolled in an art degree? people will take you more seriously with that in your paw. Keep hassling studios, you gotta let em know you are serious and not just some blow in, that your willing to put in the hours and learn.

Just keep at it

Raze_them_all

Dont give up so soon, I spent two years trying to get a piercing apprenticeship, finally got a yes and the shop closed down within 2 weeks, Put me off for a while but I'm back searching. 6 months is nothing!

Will

phoenixlipo wrote: »

HI,

Fortunately, the options have opened up with the popularity of the tattoo industry. You now have alternative options although some shops still apprentice people the old fashion way. This will usually take months or possibly exceed a year of cleaning the shop, stocking, and pretty much helping the artists with whatever menial help they need.

<removed your spam link>

It's called earning your way, I would be highly suspicious of any place that lets an apprentice tattoo or pierce for that matter straight away without learning how the studio works, how to use an autoclave, clean grips, tips etc.

Star Lord

They were just posting to spam Will and trying to make it look like their post belonged...

Will

Either way I sure told em :pac:

A racy brainrot

I'm the same, not spamming btw. : )
But, i'm looking into the piercing world as opposed to tattooing.
As well, the british piercing school all of those are there, but the courses are so short

So are those courses just not valid enough and an apprenticeship is the way to go?

Star Lord

Yup, an apprenticeship is the only way to go to be honest, as you need loads of time and observation and 1-1 tutoring and practice to be proficient and capable of properly piercing members of the public.

RazielDoomgate

whats a autoclave ?? ha aprentership is only way to go!

ha will does does smoking my type of cigerets with the tattooist and some of the customers count as earning my way?

Will

uhm yeah maybe :pac:
whatever your into