We surveyed 566 tattoo artists to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical tattoo artist. Here are the results.

How much intelligence is required as a tattoo artist?

Low

High

Working as a tattoo artist typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.

Can I learn to become a tattoo artist?

Intrinsic Talent

Acquired Talent

A career as a tattoo artist typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.

Is it easy to get a job as a tattoo artist?

Easy

Hard

It’s typically difficult to find a job as a tattoo artist.

Info

Do tattoo artists work full-time or part-time?

74% of tattoo artists work in full-time roles while 26% work part-time.

Is being a tattoo artist stressful?

Low

High

Stress is not uncommon amongst tattoo artists, with daily work sometimes being quite demanding.

Is being organized important as a tattoo artist?

Low

High

Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being a tattoo artist.

How competitive is the workplace for tattoo artists?

Low

High

Tattoo artists tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.

Does being a tattoo artist require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?

Low

High

Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for tattoo artists.

Are tattoo artists allowed to express themselves creatively?

Low

High

Creativity is intrinsic to being a tattoo artist, and a highly valuable part of the career.

Do tattoo artists have control over the direction of their work?

Low

High

Tattoo artists have high flexibility in the direction of their work, allowing them a lot of freedom in how they accomplish their goals.

Is being a tattoo artist physically demanding?

Low

High

Being a tattoo artist may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.

Are tattoo artists exposed to a wide variety of work?

Low

High

Tattoo artists tend to have a monotonous work routine, with little variety in their day-to-day tasks.

Does being a tattoo artist require attention to detail?

Low

High

Attention to detail isn't necessarily required to be successful as a tattoo artist.

Does being a good tattoo artist require compassion and empathy?

Low

High

The ability to be compassion and empathetic isn't considered fundamental to success as a tattoo artist.