Richard Shaw

The Tattoo Apprentice

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The Tattoo Apprentice: The Complete Guide

⚠ First Print Run  ·  Limited Hardback Stock Remaining
The Tattoo Apprentice hardback book by Rick Shaw
By Richard Shaw · The Broken Puppet

The Tattoo Apprentice

The Complete Guide

Everything I wish someone had handed me on day one. 352 pages on how to land a tattoo apprenticeship, survive it, and grow into the artist you're meant to be.

352 Pages Hand-Drawn Diagrams Full Colour Rick Shaw
Secure checkout Instant eBook delivery First print run
Selected £75

The Tattoo Apprentice: The Complete Guide

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✓352 pages, full colour. Hundreds of original hand-drawn diagrams, nothing AI-generated.
✓20 years of real knowledge. Written by a working tattooist who still tattoos and still teaches.
✓practice worksheets built into the book, printable or digital.
✓Bonus downloadable content for every verified copy.
What's Inside

352 Pages.
Nothing Generic.

Pg. 54
Portfolio: The Golden Ticket

What studios actually look for and what kills your chances before you open your mouth.

Pg. 77
Equipment & Machines

Coil vs rotary, stroke lengths, voltage, and the needle soldering logic nobody explains.

Pg. 103
Safety & Sterilisation

Cross-contamination, disposal, and why this protects your clients and your career.

Pg. 176
Apprenticeship Awareness

The mindset, discipline, and unglamorous realities nobody warns you about before you walk in.

Pg. 208
The Body as a Canvas

Placement, body flow, muscle movement, and designing for skin that stretches and ages.

Pg. 275
Art, Design & Theory

Composition, light, style theory, and the craft thinking behind every great piece.

See the full table of contents →
A Look Inside

Real Pages.
Not Mock-Ups.

These are actual pages from the book.

Portfolio pagePg. 54 · Portfolio
Ink Application pagePg. 138 · Ink Application
Posture pagePg. 264 · Posture
Design Theory pagePg. 282 · Design Theory
Light pagePg. 312 · Light
Practice worksheetBonus · Worksheet
Rick Shaw, The Broken Puppet
About the Author

Rick Shaw
The Broken Puppet

Nearly 20 years tattooing, two studios, and more apprentices trained than he can count. Rick started a YouTube channel to teach drawing and ended up building a community of people serious about the craft. This book is everything he knows, written down properly.

Not a collection of tips. Not a beginner's guide. A real, dense, honest account of what this career actually takes.

20 Years Tattooing Two Studios YouTube Educator Award-Winning Artist
Included With Every Copy

Practice Worksheets
& Bonus Downloads

Shading exercises, line practice and more, built into the book and designed to be printed and used directly or worked through digitally.

Every copy also unlocks additional downloadable content on this site — extra worksheets and resources that go beyond the book, with more added over time.

How the Unlock Works

Access uses proof of purchase, a couple of letters from a specific page in your copy. Simple if you own it, impossible to fake if you don't.

Practice worksheet
Before You Buy

Quick Answers

Get the Book

Every Great Tattooist
Starts as an Apprentice

Give yourself the best possible chance.

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