Tattooing is an intense job, but sometimes - through no fault of our own - we have to deal with periods of inactivity. By diversifying your revenue stream you can create a cushion against disappointment and rake in that passive income!

Tutorials and Masterclasses

If you’re experienced in a particular style or technique, why not film a masterclass? All you have to do is film yourself tattooing and talking through it - you could even talk over the video at a later date, if you find it easier to speak without concentrating on tattooing.

Apprentices and tattoo artists looking to expand their skills will gladly pay for a master to show them how it’s done, and you can sell your videos on your website or through social media.

Some of the most famous tattoo artists in the world make a little extra money on the side by monetising the skills they’ve worked so hard to develop!

Write a Book

Get out there and get published! As a tattoo artist, you probably have a life that other people would think is pretty exciting, so you could put together a book about your life and advice for others, just like Chris 51 did with Alpha Geek!

Or if writing isn’t really your style, you can put together a coffee table book of art! Anrijs Straume’s book documents the previous 10 years of his tattoo career with a selection of stencil designs, finished photos and other artwork, and it’s a beautiful piece.

A good book on the subject of tattooing never really goes out of style - sell it at conventions, in your studio and on the Killer Ink shop for an ongoing source of income.

Make Merch

If people love your art enough to have it permanently etched into their skin, they’ll probably like it enough to wear it on a t-shirt!

Your previous designs can be used for clothing, mugs, posters, popsockets, phone cases, temporary tattoos… you’re limited only by your imagination! These are the perfect items to sell on your website or Instagram, or in real life at conventions and in your studio.

Loads of our sponsored artists make their own clothing, which doubles up as a wearable advert for your work! And if clothing feels out of your comfort zone, there are few who can resist a really nice enamel pin.

Sell Your Designs

People love tattoo art, and will gladly pay for it - and not just your clients, either!

You can choose to make physical products like we’ve mentioned above, or you can sell the designs directly as PDFs or other vector files. This allows other people to use your art for a whole host of different purposes! Some artists will sell the rights to one of their designs, meaning customers can ethically take their work to a tattoo artist of their choosing and have them create it.

So what are you waiting for? You’ve got a unique and valuable skill set that goes beyond tattooing - find your own way to supplement your income and watch the money roll in!