Chrysanthemum · neo-traditionalGraduate Tattoo01
Floral sleeve · large scale, colorGraduate Tattoo02
Sea turtle · new school, colorPhase 3 Apprentice Tattoo03
Bird · black and grey realismGraduate Tattoo04
Koi · traditional, colorPhase 3 Apprentice Tattoo05
Skeletons and roses · illustrativePhase 3 Apprentice Tattoo06
Feathered piece · black and greyPhase 4 Apprentice Tattoo07
A Tattoo Artist tattooing a client's arm in an Ink Different partner studio, gloves on and machine baggedIn the studio08

New York City · Midtown Manhattan

Tattoo Apprenticeship in New York City

Get Hands-on Training with experienced Tattoo Mentors. Start with Mentor-led virtual classes; finish your training in a professional studio!

Structured learningSchedule flexibilitySupplies includedFree application process 1-855-600-4465

The work

Tattoos created by our Apprentices

Drag to see more.

What it is

What a Tattoo Apprenticeship in New York City is

A Tattoo Apprenticeship with Ink Different in New York City is 18 to 24 months of guided mentorship with experienced Tattoo Artists. Our structured curriculum is divided into four phases, beginning with virtual, Mentor-led instruction and progressing to hands-on training in a professional studio, where Apprentices gain real-world experience through supervised tattoo sessions with actual clients.

A Tattoo Artist tattooing a client's arm in an Ink Different partner studio, gloves on and machine bagged
A Mentor at work in an Ink Different partner studio

The old way of learning the craft, open to people who don't know a studio owner.

When searching for a Tattoo Apprenticeship, many people find two options: a short ticket that hands you a certificate in a short period of time, or a shop that says, “Come back later.” This is neither. You learn from Tattoo Mentors who have the skills, knowledge, time and dedication to teach, and you follow a structured, step-by-step curriculum designed to guide you through every stage of mastering the craft.

Apprentices come in from all five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester and North Jersey. Because the first two phases are virtual, where you live only matters once you are ready for the studio.

18–24month apprenticeship
60+nationwide locations
15years supporting aspiring Tattoo Artists

What you get

  • Hands-on training with experienced Mentors
  • Your schedule, your progress: the flexibility to learn at your own pace and on your own time
  • Your training supplies are included
  • 18 to 24 months of structured education
  • A guaranteed job offer after you complete the apprenticeship
  • Access to 60+ studios nationwide

What it isn't

  • Not a weekend ticket or a short tattoo class. It runs 18 to 24 months because that is what the craft takes
  • Not sweeping floors in a shop for a year hoping somebody teaches you
  • Not a traditional classroom experience. No lectures, no semesters, no group work

How it works

Four phases, in a fixed order

The apprenticeship runs in four phases over 18 to 24 months. You begin with live, virtual, Mentor-guided sessions that you can access on your own schedule. The last two phases happen live in the studio, with real clients and a Mentor. Nobody touches skin before their Mentor says the set-up and linework are ready.

Flash sheets and pencils on a drawing desk
Phase 1 · Live, virtual, Mentor-led

Art & Design

  • Drawing tattoos: linework, shading and color theory
  • Traditional and digital flash, in Procreate
  • Design and stencil fundamentals
  • Tattoo history and symbolism
  • A portfolio in three tattoo styles
Supervised tattoo session in the Midtown Manhattan studio
Phase 2 · Live, virtual, Mentor-led

Machine Mastery

  • Setting up and breaking down your machine and workstation
  • Lining, shading and gradients, solid color packing
  • Hand strength, control and endurance
  • A final project your Mentor approves before Phase 3
A Tattoo Artist tattooing a client's arm in an Ink Different partner studio, gloves on and machine bagged
Phase 3 · In the Midtown Manhattan studio

In-studio training

  • Supervised tattoos on real clients
  • Every piece approved before you tattoo it
  • Safety, sanitation and client communication
  • A portfolio of your 50 best tattoos
Inside an Ink Different partner studio
Phase 4 · Earn while you learn

Junior Artist Externship

  • Tattoo clients in a professional studio and earn an income
  • Consultations and custom designs
  • Pricing, scheduling and time management
  • Weekly feedback from your Mentors

Where you train

Your studio and Mentor in New York City

Phases 1 and 2 are live and virtual. Phases 3 and 4 happen in a working studio, next to a Mentor who tattoos every day. In New York City you finish at one of two studios.

Inside an Ink Different partner studio

Ink Different studioPhases 3 & 4

Ink Different Tattoo

265 W 37th Street, Unit 1409
New York, NY 10018

Supervising Instructor

Luis Pavia

Luis works across anime and gaming, watercolor, black and gray and cover-ups, with a strong focus on custom design work. His teaching centers on helping Apprentices develop their own creative voice through hands-on, project-specific instruction.

Affiliate studioPhases 3 & 4

Jose Tattoos NYC

9107 Jamaica Avenue
Woodhaven, Queens, NY 11421

Supervising Instructor

José

Leading your Queens Tattoo Apprenticeship is José, the Tattoo Artist and founder behind Jose Tattoos NYC and a name that has become synonymous with quality custom tattooing in the Woodhaven community.

His work spans some of the most in-demand styles in tattooing today: color, black and grey, portraits and cover-ups.

Spanish-speaking Mentors are available at the Midtown studio.

Compare

Comparing Ink Different Tattoo Apprenticeships with Tattoo Courses and Unstructured Shop Apprenticeships

Three ways people try to learn the craft, side by side. Cost is off this comparison on purpose: an Advisor walks you through it on the first call.

Ink Different Tattoo Apprenticeship compared with tattoo courses or short classes and unstructured shop apprenticeship
Ink Different Tattoo Apprenticeship Tattoo courses or short classes Unstructured shop apprenticeship
Length18 to 24 monthsA weekend to a few monthsUndefined length, often years
Who teaches youExperienced, knowledgeable Tattoo MentorsOne instructor, a room of peopleWhoever is free when the shop is quiet
Real skinHands-on training in professional studios, supervisedRarely includedDepends who is in that day
Where you learn60+ studios nationwide, with schedule flexibilityA classroom or a rented roomOne shop, if they take you
Licensing prepBuilt in, for your stateSometimesNo
Business trainingConsults, pricing, booking, portfolioRarelyNo
When you finishA guaranteed job offer after completionA certificate, then your own searchA chair only if that shop has one

Also with Ink Different: structured curriculum · supplies included · schedule flexibility.

Licensing

How to get a tattoo license in New York City

To tattoo in New York City you need a Tattoo Artist License from the NYC Department of Health. The Health Code requires every applicant to complete the Department's Infection Control Course for Tattoo Artists and pass the written exam given at the end. The license application and the course registration are filed together, online or at the Citywide Licensing Center.

  1. Learn the craft firstThe license covers infection control, not skill. The apprenticeship is where you learn to tattoo; the city exam is a formality you prepare for along the way.
  2. Take the Infection Control CourseA short course run by the Health Department's Health Academy, with a written exam at the end. Your Mentor covers the same material during the apprenticeship, so the exam is a review.
  3. File the license applicationThe city asks you to submit the Tattoo Artist License application at the same time you register for the course. Pass the exam and the license is issued.
  4. Work in a permitted studioStudios need their own permit. Ink Different's Midtown Manhattan partner studio is a working, permitted studio, which is where you finish and build a client history.

Read the full New York licensing guide

Outside the five boroughs, New York State's Article 4-A regulates tattooing, and some counties issue their own artist permits. If you plan to work on Long Island, in Westchester or in New Jersey, tell your Advisor and the licensing prep is adjusted to that jurisdiction.

Sources: NYC Health, Tattoo Artist License and Infection Control Course · NYC Health Academy, infection control training · NY Public Health Law, Article 4-A · Tattoo laws by state

Why New York

New York is where the electric tattoo machine started.

  1. 1891

    December 8Samuel O'Reilly patents the first electric tattoo machine, built on Thomas Edison's electric pen.

  2. No.11

    Chatham SquareHis shop in Lower Manhattan, where the machine went to work on real skin.

  3. Today

    Midtown ManhattanWhere Ink Different Apprentices in the New York area finish, in a working partner studio.

Few cities have more working studios or walk-in clients, which matters when you are building a client history. Ink Different Apprentices in the New York area finish in a partner studio in Midtown Manhattan.

The first two phases are virtual, so where you live in the metro area does not matter until the studio phase. If Midtown is not the closest studio for you, an Advisor will tell you which partner studio is.

Source: Samuel O’Reilly, Wikipedia.

Word for word

Everyone told me I'd have to hang around shops for years just hoping for an apprenticeship. Then I found Ink Different, and the way everything was broken down just seemed like the right way things should be done.

Alex McLeanSt. Louis, MO · Apprentice, Phase 1

This was a structured system and I could see, okay, these are the steps, this is what's expected with me… I can put faith in this.

Kevin RymanPhiladelphia, PA · Tattoo Artist

You get trained by real Tattoo Artists… It is the most dreamy setup I think I could've found. It's been amazing.

Megan HostetlerDallas, TX · Apprentice, Phase 1

Quoted word for word from the Apprentice interviews on YouTube.

Read before you decide

Guides for people in New York

Written for people weighing a career change into tattooing: how the city's licensing works, how to get clients once you are licensed, what parents ask, and why some people pick an apprenticeship over college.

Questions

Tattoo Apprenticeship in NYC, answered

Anything else, ask an Advisor at 1-855-600-4465 or read the full FAQ.

How do I get a tattoo apprenticeship in NYC?

Apply on this page with a few examples of your artwork, drawn by hand. An Advisor reads it and calls you to talk through the apprenticeship, the Midtown Manhattan studio and the cost. You do not need to know a shop owner, and you do not need tattoo experience.

How long does a Tattoo Apprenticeship take?

18 to 24 months. The first two phases are live, virtual and Mentor-led. The last two happen in a professional studio. The pace depends on how much time you can put in each week, and the schedule is set around work or family.

Can I start from home?

Yes. Art & Design and Machine Mastery are live, virtual, Mentor-led sessions, from wherever you live in the New York area. You move to the Midtown Manhattan partner studio when your Mentor says you are ready for real skin.

Is there a tattoo school in NYC?

Short tattoo classes exist in New York, but no school is required or recognized by the city for a license. The NYC Health Department licenses Tattoo Artists after an infection control course and exam. Working studios hire from a portfolio, which is what an apprenticeship gives you.

Do you offer tattoo internships or short classes?

No. Ink Different runs one thing: an 18 to 24 month Tattoo Apprenticeship with a Mentor who tattoos for a living. There are no weekend workshops, no internships and no group classes, because none of them get you to real skin safely.

Do I need to be a good artist already?

You need to draw and want to make a living from it. Send what you are proud of, or your most recent work, as long as it is not all digital. Your Mentor needs to see your hand. Phase 1 is Art & Design, so you develop as you go.

Do I need a license to tattoo in New York City?

Yes. The city issues a Tattoo Artist License after you complete the Health Department's Infection Control Course and pass the written exam. License prep is part of the apprenticeship. See the licensing section above for sources.

Where in New York is the studio?

The New York City partner studio is in Midtown Manhattan. Apprentices also come in from Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and North Jersey, and there is a separate Brooklyn page. Exact addresses are shared by your Advisor once you are accepted.

What does the apprenticeship cost?

An Advisor covers cost and payment on the first call, based on your situation. Applying is free and so is that conversation. Nothing on this page commits you to anything.

Do you help with a job afterwards?

You finish with a portfolio of real work, a client history and placement support across 60+ partner studios. What happens next depends on your work and the studios' needs, so we describe it as support rather than a promise.

Serious applicants only

Apply for the New York City Tattoo Apprenticeship

Applying takes a few minutes. Send your details and a link to a few examples of your artwork, drawn by hand. An Advisor reads every application and calls the ones that fit to talk through the apprenticeship, the Midtown Manhattan studio and the cost.

  • 1. Send your artworkUse the form. A link to Instagram, Google Drive or photos is fine.
  • 2. Talk to an AdvisorA call within a few working days. Applying is free, and so is the call.
  • 3. Start in live sessionsIf it is a fit on both sides, you meet your Mentor and start Foundations from home.

You hear from an Advisor, not a sales queue. Prefer to talk first? Call or text 1-855-600-4465.

The long read

More about becoming a Tattoo Artist in New York City

Everything we have written about tattooing in Midtown Manhattan, kept in one place. Open a chapter to read it.

Why become a Tattoo Artist in Midtown Manhattan?

Have you considered changing careers and becoming a tattoo artist in New York? We’re now in Midtown Manhattan!

Let’s talk a little bit about why the best moment to change careers and become a tattoo artist in NYC is now!

Midtown Manhattan

Yes, we’ve all heard about the towering skyscrapers and legendary hustle of Midtown Manhattan, but there’s so much more than just Times Square and corporate offices. This part of the city is not just a tourist hotspot or a business district—it’s a place where creativity thrives, blending New York’s iconic history with modern inspiration.

Did you know that Midtown Manhattan played a key role in the history of tattooing? In 1891, Samuel O’Reilly patented the first electric tattoo machine in New York City, based on a design by Thomas Edison.

The city’s connection to tattoo culture runs deep, and Midtown remains a powerful source of inspiration for artists of all kinds.

For those seeking inspiration, Midtown Manhattan offers much more than meets the eye. The cultural richness here is unmatched, with landmarks like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where you can dive into the world’s most celebrated collections of contemporary art, or St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a stunning example of gothic architecture standing tall among the city’s skyscrapers.

The magic of Midtown Manhattan lies in its ability to be both fast-paced and serene. While the hustle and bustle of Times Square will energize anyone passing through, you can find peaceful retreats in places like Bryant Park, where artists, writers, and thinkers can recharge and find inspiration. From iconic buildings like Rockefeller Center to the unique shops and studios tucked into side streets, there’s always something new to discover.

Sure, Brooklyn may have earned its reputation as the “center of arts and culture,” but Midtown Manhattan continues to be a creative force of its own. The blend of history, art, and daily energy offers endless opportunities for those looking to find inspiration in the city. It’s the perfect place to explore the old and the new, and many who live or work here wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else!

Art in Midtown Manhattan

The art scene in Midtown Manhattan is a unique blend of historic institutions and contemporary creativity, making it one of the most vibrant cultural hubs in New York City. One of the most famous destinations is the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), home to some of the world’s most important pieces of modern and contemporary art. Artists and visitors alike are drawn to its vast collections, showcasing works from visionaries like Van Gogh, Picasso, and Warhol. MoMA is not just a museum; it’s an evolving space where new ideas and groundbreaking artistic expressions constantly find a home.

But Midtown Manhattan is more than just grand museums—it’s an ever-evolving canvas of creativity. The area is dotted with smaller galleries and public art installations that often go unnoticed by the average tourist. For instance, Rockefeller Center frequently features outdoor art installations and sculptures, blending art seamlessly with the city’s architecture. Public spaces like Bryant Park offer artists and creatives a place to gather, sketch, or simply be inspired by the energy around them. Art is not confined to galleries in Midtown—it spills out into the streets, transforming the urban environment into an open-air gallery.

Beyond the visual arts, Midtown Manhattan is also a haven for performing arts. The Theater District, with its world-renowned Broadway, continues to be a mecca for actors, playwrights, and performers. This fusion of fine arts and performance gives Midtown an unmatched energy that has inspired countless creatives. The area’s artistic diversity makes it a place where every corner holds potential for discovery, ensuring that Midtown Manhattan remains a critical part of New York’s rich cultural tapestry.

Culinary art in Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan is not only a hub for culture and business, but it’s also a culinary destination that offers a rich variety of gastronomic experiences. From high-end dining to hidden gems, this part of the city has something for every palate. For those seeking the finest dining experiences, Midtown is home to some of the most renowned restaurants in the world, including the Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, famous for its exquisite seafood, and the iconic Daniel, where French cuisine meets artistic presentation. These establishments have helped cement Midtown Manhattan as a go-to destination for food lovers from around the globe.

For a more casual but equally delicious experience, Midtown also offers a plethora of international cuisine options, reflecting New York’s diverse population. Whether you’re craving authentic Japanese ramen, like that at Ippudo, or classic Italian at Carnegie Deli, you’ll find flavors from around the world within just a few blocks. Food halls like UrbanSpace Vanderbilt bring together local chefs and food vendors, allowing you to sample different cuisines under one roof, from artisanal pizzas to creative fusion dishes.

Of course, no conversation about Midtown Manhattan’s food scene would be complete without mentioning the street food culture. Whether it’s grabbing a hot dog from a classic New York City cart or indulging in gourmet food truck offerings, the streets of Midtown provide quick and tasty meals for those on the go. The food options here are as diverse and exciting as the city itself, making Midtown Manhattan a must-visit for any food enthusiast looking to explore both fine dining and street eats.

Music in Midtown Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan may be known for its iconic and historic music venues, but it’s also home to a thriving modern music scene with contemporary spots that cater to today’s diverse musical tastes. One standout venue is Terminal 5, located just west of Midtown. This multi-level concert hall has become a go-to spot for indie, rock, and electronic music fans, hosting performances from rising stars to established artists. With its industrial vibe, large capacity, and three levels of balconies, Terminal 5 offers a modern, immersive concert experience perfect for music lovers looking for a high-energy night.

For those looking to experience live music in a more intimate setting, Sony Hall is a hidden gem in the heart of Midtown. Nestled in the basement of the Paramount Hotel, Sony Hall combines cutting-edge technology with a cozy atmosphere, making it ideal for both emerging artists and well-known performers in genres ranging from electronic to hip-hop. The venue’s state-of-the-art sound and LED lighting systems create a fully immersive experience for concertgoers, bringing a futuristic edge to the Midtown music scene.

Another notable venue in Midtown Manhattan is The Cutting Room, which blends music, art, and performance in an upscale, yet laid-back environment. Known for its eclectic lineup, the venue hosts everything from rock to folk and even acoustic singer-songwriter sessions. It’s a spot where both local talent and international acts take the stage, making it a hotspot for those looking to discover new sounds in an intimate and modern setting. These venues keep Midtown Manhattan’s music scene fresh and vibrant, ensuring there’s always something exciting happening for music fans of all tastes.

How to become a Tattoo Artist in Midtown Manhattan

Our New York Tattoo Apprenticeship is designed for those serious about making a career change and transforming their lives to become exceptional Tattoo Artists. We’re proud to have a select group of talented Tattoo Artists who are ready and able to mentor future apprentices in a safe, structured, and supportive environment.

Once you join our Manhattan studio, you’ll be trained to create flawless tattoos for clients. This hands-on experience will equip you with the skills, work experience, and professional growth necessary to launch your career as a Tattoo Artist. The Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship takes 18 to 24 months to complete.

Our mission

To ensure excellence in the craft and community of tattooing.

Behind the words: tattoos by Ink Different Apprentices.