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Tattooists and body piercers create permanent artwork on customers' bodies and do piercings, so they can wear body jewellery.
You could work: evenings; as customers demand
There will be
1.4% more Tattooist and body piercer jobs in 2029.
In your local area
As a tattooist, you'll:
As a body piercer, you'll:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work in a creative studio or at a store.
You can get into this job through:
You could start as an assistant in a tattoo or body piercing studio. You would need to find a registered tattooist or body piercer, who is willing to take you on and train you.
You would learn alongside them in the workplace to get the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the job.
You'll need:
You might be able to start as a customer service assistant in a studio, answering enquiries and booking appointments. From there, you could look out for trainee opportunities.
You could take training courses offered by studios and private training providers. You should research these thoroughly to make sure they're right for you.
These courses do not mean you're fully qualified. For that, you'll need to get hands-on, supervised experience in a registered studio.
You'll need to:
Many tattooists have experience or qualifications in art and design and have a portfolio of work.
It's useful to know about the styles and history of tattooing across different cultures. This can help you understand the traditions and meaning of images and how they are meant to be used.
Networking is a good way to get your skills known. Look for online community forums that can put you in touch with experienced tattooists or piercers.
You can get advice about working in body art by speaking to tattooists in your local area, or by contacting registered members of the UK Association of Professional Piercers.
You can also learn more about working in the creative industries from Discover Creative Careers.
With experience, you could become self-employed. This could mean 'renting a chair' in someone else's studio. With a business plan and sufficient funds, you could open your own studio and employ other piercers or tattooists, or rent out space.