Our veteran tattoo apprenticeship stories start with Joe Kendall, a military veteran training with Ink Different at our Rhode Island location who’s nearing the end of phase two. In his own words, he walks through what each phase has really been like, from his first day in the tattoo studio to the lines that tested his patience.

This page follows Joe’s tattoo apprenticeship step by step: how he found us, what he worked on in each phase, the hardest part so far, and what’s next. You can also watch Joe’s full Apprentice Spotlight interview.

Why do veterans make great Tattoo Artists?

Habits like steady focus, follow-through, and working well with all kinds of people give anyone a head start in tattooing, and service can build all of them. But the craft also asks for a full set of technical skills you’ve probably never touched, and Joe’s experience shows what learning them actually looks like.

Joe came in with a strong art background. But, as you’ll see below, he still had to learn everything about working with a machine and skin, one phase at a time.

If you’ve left the military or you’re getting ready to, and you’re seriously weighing a tattoo apprenticeship, Joe’s experience gives you an honest look at the day-to-day training from someone going through it.

What does the transition from service to the studio look like?

For Joe, it started with an online ad. “I saw an ad online,” he says, “and my wife pushed me in the direction to do it.”

He trains at our Rhode Island location under J Breeze, and his first day there set the tone. “I felt oddly at home, to be honest,” he says. “I didn’t walk in there with a sense of imposter syndrome… Everybody was super friendly. It’s a clean establishment, great artists.”

He’s quick to give his Mentor credit, calling J Breeze a “great person all around.”

That doesn’t mean he wasn’t nervous. Joe admits he was “a little nervous about being in front of professional tattoo artists,” thinking, “Hopefully I’m good enough.” What helped was the feedback: “Getting that positive feedback, and getting any kind of feedback… it’s all helpful.”

Which military skills transfer into tattooing?

Discipline and focus help, but Joe’s story is a good reminder that the habit that matters most in training is staying teachable.

“You have to have an open mind with this, or you’re not going to be successful,” he says.

He actually looks forward to critique. “I enjoy being critiqued,” he says. “Especially from having seasoned tattoo artists say, ‘Hey, that was a great job.’ That’s awesome feeling.” And when the feedback is about something to fix, he takes it the same way: “I’d be like, ‘Yeah, I should work on that.’”

Safety habits carry over too. Tattooing follows bloodborne pathogen practices based on OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard, and following protocol every time is part of the job.

How can a veteran start a tattoo apprenticeship?

Here’s what each phase looked like for Joe, followed by how you can take your first step.

Phase one: Learning to design a tattoo

Joe worked through different tattoo styles, including American Traditional, neo-traditional and Japanese, learning to draw them, make stencils, and understand how designing a tattoo differs from just drawing. That included the steps between digital work and pencil, red pencil and blue pencil.

One assignment stuck with him: taking one anglerfish design and redrawing it in American Traditional, neo-traditional and new school. “It was really cool to take one piece and turn it into three different styles,” he says. Even as “a big American traditional guy,” he liked what neo-traditional opened up: “I gave it a little more color and I gave it a little more flair, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is… pretty tight.’”

Phase one is also where he picked up colored pencils for the first time. He’d always drawn and worked in charcoal, but colored pencils were new. “I was just messing around with them,” he says, “and I was like, ‘I’m going to see what I can do with these.’” One of the results was a colored pencil rose.

Phase two: Learning the machine

In phase two, Joe learned his machine and what it can do, then practiced lettering, shapes and lines. His favorite assignment so far: the roses and carnations he’s working on now.

The hardest part? “Those lines,” he says, and he expects that to be true for everyone. “If you can’t run a straight line, either you’re going to learn or you’re not.”

It’s not just about a steady hand. It’s “the weight of your machine… pressure, and depth, and speed, and how far to hang your needle out.” Sometimes lines that look perfect turn out to be too deep, or spaced out, and you have to adjust. “But once you get it, you get it,” he says. “I love the precision of tattooing.”

His biggest improvement has been slowing down. “When I first started phase two, I was a little fast, hand speed was a little fast,” he says. “Once you slow down and you really pay attention to what you’re doing, you’ll be just fine.”

Phase three: Supervised tattoos

At the time of his interview, Joe was about a month from phase three. That’s when he heads into the tattoo studio under J Breeze to do free and paid tattoos under supervision, and then, as he puts it, “when my work has shone through, then I get my license.”

How to Take Your First Step

Step one: Decide you’re ready. Commit to 18 to 24 months of steady training.

Step two: Expect the hard parts. Like Joe, expect early frustration, especially with line work, and plan to push through it.

Step three: Apply Now. Send in your application for Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship.

Step four: Stay open to feedback. It’s how you get better fastest.

It also helps to know the common early slip-ups, so take a look at the mistakes aspiring tattoo apprentices should avoid. For a full breakdown of each phase, read What a Tattoo Apprenticeship Is Like: Mentorship, Structure and Standards.

How can you pay for tattoo training?

Ink Different offers interest-free payment plans, so you can spread the cost of your training over time instead of paying all at once. Talk to an advisor to find out what options fit you.

If you’re a veteran, our Tattoo Apprenticeship for Veterans page has more about training with us and how to reach our veteran liaison.

Why choose Ink Different Tattoos as your guide?

Joe’s answer is the mentorship. “Way more one-on-one with Ink Different,” he says, comparing it to college. “If you’re in college… you’re in a class.”

He also points to how fast feedback comes. “It’s right there. It’s not going to wait.”

His advice to anyone thinking about it: “If you’re an artist and you want to do this, this is the way to do it.” And he’s honest about the effort: “It’s nothing to be scared of… It’s a lot, for sure. It’s a lot, but… Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Along the way, you’re part of our “Good Humans” community, where Mentors and other tattoo apprentices have your back through every phase.

What does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship include?

Joe’s path runs through Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship: four phases over 18 to 24 months that take you from first sketches to working Tattoo Artist. You get licensing support along the way and a guaranteed job offer once you complete it.

Ink Different has trained new Tattoo Artists since 2011. You can train in the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship at 60+ tattoo studios across the country, and you don’t need any art experience to begin.

• Phase one, Art and Design Principles: Learning how tattoo designs are built, on paper and digitally.
• Phase two, Machine Mastery and Practice Tattooing: Lining, shading and color packing, with practice at your own pace.
• Phase three, Supervised Tattoos: Your first real clients, with a lead Trainer right beside you.
• Phase four, Junior Artist Externship: Taking on your own clients and starting to earn an income as you keep improving.

Your pace depends on your own practice and progress, and how long licensing takes depends on your state. Joe hasn’t finished yet. Phase three and his license are still ahead of him.

What is the Master Mentorship program?

The Master Mentorship is Ink Different’s one-year, in-person intensive for experienced Tattoo Artists who want to master a style, grow their brand, and build toward owning a tattoo studio.

You train directly with celebrity and award-winning Master Mentors, including Al Fliction, Liz Cook, Kyle Dunbar, Boneface, and Jordi Pla. Most people start with the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship, and the Master Mentorship is where you can go once you’re working.

Is training available for Spanish-speaking veterans?

Yes. Ink Different has Spanish-speaking locations in Denver, Orange County, NYC, Miami, San Antonio, and San Diego, so language doesn’t have to stand between you and a new career.

Ready to trade the uniform for the Tattoo Machine?

Joe’s tattoo apprenticeship hasn’t been easy, especially the lines. But he’s learned to slow down, take feedback, and keep going, and he’s about to start tattooing real clients.

See Joe’s full Apprentice Spotlight video to hear his experience in his own words.

Ready to become a Tattoo Artist? Apply Now to Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship. Want to talk it over first? Our quick questionnaire gets you personalized support.

Keep reading in this series:

• Tattoo Apprenticeship for Veterans
• Apprenticeship Programs for Veterans: Trades That Train You on the Job
• What a Tattoo Apprenticeship Is Like: Mentorship, Structure and Standards
• Working With People From All Walks of Life