Apprentice Spotlight: From Tattooing Friends at Home to Real Training, Why Megan Hostetler Started Over

When Megan Hostetler went looking for a tattoo apprenticeship, she knew what she didn’t want: months of taking out the trash at a tattoo shop before anyone taught her anything. She’d already tried teaching herself, and it hadn’t gone well. Three or four years earlier, she’d bought a pen machine online and started tattooing friends at home, often after they’d all been drinking. 

Today, the mom of three from Dallas has finished Phase One of Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship and is moving into Phase Two. We sat down with Megan to talk about why she stopped, started over, and chose to learn the right way.

Who Is Megan Hostetler?

Megan Hostetler is an Ink Different apprentice in Dallas, Texas, and a mom to kids ages six, four, and one. She’ll train with BillyJack Gunter at Artistic Encounters.

She’s a self-taught artist. Her older sister always loved art, and Megan grew up watching her and thinking, “That looks cool.” Apart from a high school drawing class, she never went to art school. She learned a lot from watching artists on social media.

She tried college, too. Megan changed her major four times and dropped out. Also, she felt she could read the material much faster at home. She says college makes sense for some careers, like becoming a doctor, but hands-on learning suits her far better.

Why Doesn’t Tattooing Friends at Home Lead to a Real Career?

Because, as Megan learned, you don’t know what you don’t know.

She calls her idea “not a good” one. Megan and her friends were drinking when she bought a pen machine and supplies from a tattoo supply website. She’d tattoo four or five friends a night.

The problems showed up fast. Her machine was decent, but far from tattoo shop standard. Some friends said she wasn’t even touching the skin. When she pressed harder, they said she definitely was. She tattooed herself, which she says “was not lovely.”

She also tattooed a few people’s hands, which she now calls a silly idea. Megan went over them three times before they finally stuck, and one spot blew out a little.

She did have sanitation down, and no one got an infection. But she realized she had no foundation, no way to judge depth, and no one to tell her what she was doing wrong.

What Made Megan Decide to Start Over?

An elderly man getting his very first tattoo.

He wanted his wife’s name, and Megan thought, “How cute, let’s do it.” Since it was his first tattoo, he couldn’t tell her whether it was supposed to hurt. When the needle touched his skin, his whole body flushed with heat. He’d been drinking, which she says was usually when she tattooed people, and he bled excessively. She wondered if it was just older skin. And she called it a nightmare.

That’s when she decided to stop until she had a solid foundation. Megan wanted her future clients to get precise, safe work.

So she started searching for in-person tattoo apprenticeships and found Ink Different. Megan liked that she’d learn real skills, like sketching, cleanup, white space, and tattoo history, rather than spending months doing chores. And she liked that it ends with a job.

Mentor Tip: Megan’s story shows that stopping isn’t failing. Stopping to learn the right way is how you build a real career.

How Is Real Training Different From Teaching Yourself?

Teaching herself, Megan was guessing. In training, she has instructors showing her exactly what to fix.

Phase One opened her eyes to things she’d never considered:

• Line weight: Different styles call for different line thicknesses. She’d get mixed up switching between American traditional and neo-traditional.
• How skin ages: Her old doodles never accounted for that. Now she spaces lines so they won’t blur together over time.
• White space: She’d never noticed it before. Now she knows it can make or break a tattoo.

She also learned to accept feedback. Her main instructor, Matt, had her redo her first American traditional piece about six times. He kept her focused on one fix at a time instead of overwhelming her. When she was ready, he told her she was good and to move on, and her confidence grew. Martin, she says, was the most humbling. Sometimes he’d tell her to start over.

She’s seen classmates push back with “but” every time they get feedback, and she thinks it holds them back. “You’re hiring them to teach you,” she says.

How Can You Make the Same Leap Megan Made?

Step 1: Be honest about what you don’t know. Megan recognized her gaps after one bad session.

Step 2: Look for training that teaches real skills. She wanted to learn, not just sweep floors.

Step 3: Get past your fear of competition. Megan worried about how many phenomenal Tattoo Artists exist. Then she remembered she’s had bad tattoos from people who are still working. You can be the best at what you do, and there are plenty of clients for that.

Step 4: Just apply. Her advice for anyone on the fence about sending a portfolio: “Why not?” The worst that can happen is a no.

Step 5: Read every word. She missed the instructions in her very first Ink Different email and couldn’t sign up for classes for a couple of days. Now she reads every assignment three times.

Step 6: Learn safety. Every Tattoo Artist must follow the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard.

Step 7: Get licensed. Learn your state’s requirements, like how to get your tattoo license in Texas.

Before you start, read about the mistakes aspiring tattoo apprentices should avoid and the tools every beginner Tattoo Artist should know.

What Does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship Involve?

Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is an 18 to 24 month, four-phase tattoo apprenticeship built for beginners. Ink Different has trained Tattoo Artists for 15 years.

• Online foundations: Phases One and Two happen online, with classes at different times of day.
• In-studio training: Phases Three and Four take place in a tattoo studio under a Mentor’s supervision.
• Beginner-friendly: No prior art experience required.
• Licensing support: Guidance through your state’s requirements.
• A guaranteed job offer: You’ll receive a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios.

For Megan, Phase One covered American traditional, neo-traditional, new school, and Japanese. She asked to make her new school piece more “bubbly” and happy, and ended up with a donut, an ice cream cone, and a Pop-Tart. Megan drew her Japanese piece on paper to push her drawing skills, and she’s proud of the shading.

Her Mentor for the in-studio phases will be BillyJack Gunter at Artistic Encounters. He’s been tattooing for almost 30 years, has multiple tattoo studios, including a new one in The Colony, and used to run the Bloodapalooza convention.

A Career That Comes With Confidence

This is a career that comes with confidence. You’ll finish with job-ready skills, licensing support, and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios. The Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is available at 60+ tattoo studios nationwide.

What Is the Master Mentorship Program?

Once you’ve built your foundation, Ink Different’s Master Mentorship connects you with Master Mentors, including Al Fliction, Liz Cook, Kyle Dunbar, Boneface, Jordi Pla, Marcel Oliveira, and Kara Gutierrez.

Megan already has a favorite style: American traditional. She loves how a small square can hold a whole world of emotion and history. And in Texas, she says, traditional tattooing never went away. Master Mentorship is one way Tattoo Artists go deeper into the style they love.

How Is Tattoo Training Made Accessible for Everyone?

Ink Different’s online early phases make tattoo training possible for parents like Megan.

She took classes midday, while her older two were at school and the baby napped, or at 9 p.m. after bedtime. Megan tried 6 p.m. a couple of times, but the kids kept running in.

She sees tattooing as a career that fits her family long-term. She can work while the kids are at school. On weekends, they’re with their dads, and grandparents sometimes help. Megan can even sketch at home and let her kids weigh in. She hopes they’ll be proud of her career someday, or at least want a tattoo from her.

Ink Different also offers Spanish-speaking locations in Denver, Orange County, New York City, Miami, San Antonio, and San Diego.

Remember: Seats are limited, with only two apprentices per tattoo studio per Mentor.

Ready to Start Over Like Megan?

Megan Hostetler went from tattooing friends after a few drinks to finishing Phase One of real training. Now she’s ready to learn machine depth with experienced eyes watching. She already has one rule for her future clients: no drinking beforehand.

She expects Phase Two to humble her, maybe with an assignment she has to redo 12 times. She’s ready for it.

Ready to become a Tattoo Artist? Apply now to Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship and start building an AI-proof career with licensing support and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios. Prefer to test the waters first? Fill out our quick questionnaire to see if it’s right for you.