Our Story

Alchemy Tattoo Apprenticeship was created through Alchemy Tattoo Collective, an established St. Louis tattoo studio founded in 2015.

After years of training artists, mentoring apprentices, and running a working tattoo shop, we saw a consistent problem in the industry: tattoo education is often informal, inconsistent, inaccessible, or hidden behind gatekeeping. Many aspiring artists are left trying to piece together information on their own, while others are brought into apprenticeships without clear structure, expectations, or support.

We believe tattoo education should be serious, ethical, and transparent.

Tattooing is a skilled trade, a visual art form, and a responsibility to the people who trust us with their bodies. Learning it properly requires strong drawing foundations, technical discipline, sanitation knowledge, client communication skills, professional standards, and supervised hands-on experience.

Our program was built to create a more structured path into tattooing while still respecting the seriousness of the craft.

Alchemy Tattoo Apprenticeship is not a shortcut, and it does not guarantee that every student will become a professional tattoo artist. Instead, it gives students a clearer understanding of what tattooing requires, helps them build foundational skills, and offers a pathway toward further training for those who show the commitment, growth, and professionalism needed to continue.

We believe mentorship should be more accessible, but accessibility does not mean lowering standards. It means making expectations clearer, education stronger, and opportunities more transparent.

The apprenticeship program operates alongside Alchemy Tattoo Collective, allowing students to learn from the standards, systems, and experience of a real tattoo studio. Select students who complete the appropriate phases of training may be eligible to apply for further in-person apprenticeship opportunities or future resident artist positions with Alchemy Tattoo Collective.

Our goal is not to rush people into tattooing. Our goal is to raise the standard of tattoo education so future artists are better prepared, better supported, and more responsible when they enter the industry.