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Miami Ink's Katherine Von Draachenberg, a.k.a. Kat Von D, 24, needled her way to the top.

"Tattooing is a really hard business to get into the right way. It's kind of like a secret society. You have to go through an apprenticeship, and that can last anywhere from a year until forever. It's the only way because there are no tattoo schools or places online that teach you how to do it. You learn everything, from sterility-which is probably one of the most important parts of tattooing-to making needles and pigments to making tattoo machines. To get an apprenticeship, get a portfolio of all your drawings together. Drawing is different, but it's the first step.

"You'll also have to get your license from the city, and then you'll have to take a cross-contamination exam. It's regulated by the health department, so it costs money and sometimes involves taking courses.

"For a client base, the best advertisement is word of mouth. You tattoo one person, they show somebody else your tattoo, and then those guys are friends with Bam Margera, and next thing you know, you're tattooing celebrities. I also socialize and network a lot because you definitely have to build relationships with people."
Home // STYLE // HOW TO // Tattoo Artist
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