Whether you’re picking up a tattoo machine for the first time or looking to sharpen your skills with advanced techniques, online tattoo courses have made it easier than ever to learn from some of the world’s best artists on your own schedule.
To help you sort through your options, we’ve broken down five of the top-rated tattoo courses available online today, covering what each program offers, who it’s best for, and how to choose the right fit for you.
1. Tattooing 101 – Editor’s Choice
A complete tattoo education program from start to finish, Tattooing 101’s Artist Accelerator Program offers a structured roadmap for brand-new artists.
Students are guided through the entire tattooing process starting with sanitation, design, and picking up a machine for the first time all the way through tattooing their first clients and landing a spot in a studio.
Key Features:
Structure: Easy to follow 9-step curriculum
Mentorship: Access to a team of professional tattoo artists
Beginner-friendly: Content for artists of all levels
Weekly Live Calls + Active Online Community
The program also offers access to an encouraging online community where members can receive personalized feedback on their work from professional tattoo artists, join weekly live calls for advice on getting into the industry, and connect with other students on the same journey.
Bonus Portfolio Course
The Artist Accelerator also comes with a bonus course, the 30-Day Flash Challenge, which helps students build their portfolio and experiment with popular tattooing styles.
For Artists of All Levels
The Artist Accelerator contains hundreds of videos. Complete beginners can start at the very beginning to understand the basics of sanitation, working with clients, how to set up their tattoo machines, and more.
More advanced artists might prefer to skip right to the tattooing and design lessons to brush up on fundamental skills and improve their technique.
The Details:
Active online community to connect with current students and network with graduates
Access to professional tattoo artists for feedback and advice
$597 or 12 monthly installments of $59
Bonus portfolio course
Recently revamped with updated machines and techniques (updates are free for members)
Clear Next Steps: Exploring Styles and the Industry
Tattooing 101 offers a variety of style-specific courses and seminars including Neo Traditional, Realism, Blackwork, and Watercolor as well as career-builders like the 6-Figure Artist Blueprint marketing course and the 2-Week Studio setup course. Students can choose to also join a more intense mentorship option for additional hands-on help.
2. 10 Masters Tattoo School
Geared toward artists with some tattooing experience already under their belts, 10 Masters offers style-specific, on‑demand masterclasses taught by professional tattoo artists.
You can choose to purchase one of their individual classes breaking down realistic hands, eyes, portraits, and animals – or go with the master course, which discusses the realistic style as a whole.
Key Features:
Focused lessons: Individual classes stay dialed in on one element like eyes, hands, etc.
Style-Specific: Realism is one of the most-requested tattoo styles in the industry
Accessible: Content available in Spanish and English with subtitles in several languages
Studio Insights
The course shows multiple full-length tattoos filmed inside Coreh’s private studio—covering stencil placement, layering strategy, machine choice, and troubleshooting common issues during live tattoo sessions.
Bonus Workbook
Follow along with a complementary PDF study guide workbook to supplement the video lessons.
Color Realism Option
After the success of the original black and gray realism course, 10 Masters added a more in-depth course focusing specifically on color realism. This course is designed for intermediate to advanced artists who want to master color theory, shading, and multi-session techniques for professional-level results.
The Details:
Opportunity to reach out to a professional tattoo artist with questions via forum
Regular price for the Realistic Tattooing course is $349 (current promo $129)
Perfect for professionals who want to tackle realism
Regularly updated with new content
Expanding Collection
The original creator and realism specialist, Coreh López, has brought in additional artists to expand his course offerings. Artists can now also dive into other popular tattoo styles, Fineline and Blackwork.
3. Tattoo Method Pro
Tattoo Method Pro guides students from new artist to professional tattooer in 6–12 months. With over 30 lesson modules, it’s designed as a modern alternative to traditional apprenticeships.
Key Features:
Private Facebook Group: Students can get community support and expert guidance
Broad Exposure: Get a little bit of every style – Mandala, Trash Polka, Traditional, etc.
Portrait Breakdown: Modules offer detailed breakdowns into each portion of the face
Bonus Lessons
While students are subscribed, they get access to two new weekly lessons, 10 bonus lessons to build their linework and shading skills before heading into style-specific modules, as well as tattoo business videos with tips about career and studio growth.
Real-Tattoo Transition Module
The final module focuses on applying learned skills to real clients covering setup, studio hygiene, design selection, session planning, and quality control.
Tiered Options
Students can choose what works for their budget and goals. The Pro plan includes the full tattooing course and bonus classes. The Master plan adds additional masterclasses covering Photoshop, Procreate, Photography, Facebook, Instagram, and habit-building for tattoo artists.
The Details:
Private Facebook Group led by artist Ben Fisher
One-time payment of $5000 or tiered plans (Pro $74.99/mo or Master $149.99/mo)
Good for beginners who want to test out different tattoo styles
Mini Tattoos Course
In the “Lite” version of his course offerings, students can get 2 weekly lessons with small follow-along tattoos to test their skills for $14.99/mo.
4. Tattoo University
An all-in-one online tattoo education program by celebrity artist Daniel Silva, Tattoo University is built to take artists from foundational skills to advanced techniques, as well as help them with marketing and social media growth.
Key Features:
Course Feedback: Daniel and his team offer feedback in the course’s comments section
Celebrity Exposure: Chosen students get reposted on social media to Daniel’s followers
Business Help: Modules like Photography 101 and Social Media Strategy help students build an online presence
All-Around Coverage
From technical tattooing skills to marketing, this is a great option for artists wanting a holistic approach.
The package includes several sets of lessons including “Tattooing 101” all about what to draw, getting an apprenticeship, etc., a “How to Series” covering basic skills, “Technique” and “Portrait” full tattoo walkthroughs, as well as “Photography 101” and “Social Media” series.
Celebrity Instructor
Daniel Silva is well-known for his time on popular tattooing TV show, Ink Master, allowing him to build a large following, where he will shout out selected students for their work. This opportunity can be helpful to new artists looking to grow their own social media.
The Details:
Full tattoo walkthroughs (realistic portraits, animals, mandalas, micro tattoos, etc.)
One-time payment of $3000 ($997 during promo) or $79.99/mo
Good for new artists who want a look at different styles
Individual Class Option
Artists who only want a specific part of the package can purchase them individually. For example, artists only looking for marketing help can purchase the social media lessons or professionals looking to expand their realism skills can buy just the portrait classes.
5. WeMakeArtists
An online tattoo education platform offering high-quality workshops from artists across the globe. Designed to level up your tattoo skills, workshops are available for artists at every stage, ranging from foundational techniques to specialized styles.
Key Features:
Consultations: Students can apply for 1-on-1 consultations with artists for advice.
Choose Your Level: Artists can choose which classes or styles they want to explore
Behind-the-Scenes Content: For a deeper understanding of what tattoo sessions entail
Immersive Experience
Inside the membership with access to all the artists’ content, you’ll find award-winning artists in realism, portraiture, black & grey, illustrative, and abstract styles covering advanced professional techniques.
With a blend of theory and practice, WeMakeArtists offers both foundational training (hygiene, tools, stencil prep) and advanced workshops taught via real live tattoo sessions in studio settings.
Easy Accessibility
WeMakeArtists’ content is subtitled in 27+ languages to help artists worldwide. All workshops begin with over-the-shoulder tattoo demonstrations on real clients, revealing workflow, problem-solving, tool choices, and live technique
The Details:
Live tattoo demos with 15 mentors
Lifetime access to all material for $2899 ($1349 promo price) or $249 per single workshop
Great for artists looking to expand their skillset with specialized skillsets
Additional Support
Interactive live sessions for group learning and real-time Q&A with mentors are available, as well as sessions for 1-on-1 feedback upon accepted application.