Apprentice Spotlight: How Military Veteran Joe Kendall Found Tattooing Through His Shipmates’ Ink
Joe Kendall won his first art competition in sixth grade. Years later, while serving in the military, he found what he wanted to do with that talent: tattooing. Going out on liberty around the world, he saw all kinds of tattoo styles. On the ship, his shipmates’ bold American traditional pieces really got ahold of him. As he puts it, “I can do art. Why wouldn’t I try and gravitate towards that?”
Today, Joe works two jobs, helps raise his kids, and is nearly finished with Phase Two of Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship. He lives in Massachusetts and trains with Ink Different’s Rhode Island location. We sat down with Joe to hear his story.
Key Takeaways
The spark: His shipmates’ American traditional tattoos and the styles he saw on liberty around the world.
His art background: A sixth-grade art competition win, then art college after his service, where his work made the student show.
His hustle: Two jobs, in the plumbing industry and driving a forklift, plus four days a week of tattoo practice and time with his kids.
His biggest growth: Patience. He learned to slow down his hand speed and focus on precision.
His goal: “I want to do it all,” so he never has to turn a client away.
Who Is Joe Kendall?
Joe Kendall is a military veteran and Ink Different apprentice. He lives in Massachusetts and trains with J Breeze at F.I.N.A.O. Ink Tattoo Company, Ink Different’s location in North Providence, Rhode Island.
Art has been part of his life since he was a kid. He won his first art competition in sixth grade. After his military service, he went to college for art. During his freshman year, a charcoal piece and a digital self-portrait were featured in the student show.
Today, he works two jobs. One is in the plumbing industry, and the other is driving a forklift at a distribution center. He works those for about three days a week. The other four days, he practices tattooing and takes care of his kids.
He found Ink Different through an ad online, and his wife pushed him to apply.
How Did His Shipmates' Ink Spark the Idea?
Joe says the pull toward tattooing really hit while he was in the military.
Going out on liberty, he saw art and tattoos from different parts of the world. In San Diego, he fell for Chicano-style tattoos, especially the portraits. But American traditional, which he saw on many of his shipmates, stood out most.
He loves its vibrant colors and bold lines. “Like pieces that make a statement,” he says. He also loves how readable it is: “It’s sticker almost. You know what I mean? It’s very readable, and I really like that.”
Still, he doesn’t want to limit himself. “I don’t really have like a set style that I would gravitate towards more just because all styles are art and I love art.”
Lesson from Joe: Pay attention to the art that grabs you. For Joe, it was right there on his shipmates’ arms.
Why Does Tattooing Fit So Many Military Veterans?
For Joe, the work ethic carried over. He’s balancing two jobs, kids, and his tattoo apprenticeship, and he’s still on track to move into Phase Three.
He also brings a mindset that tattooing requires: patience and openness to feedback. He says his biggest growth since day one has been his patience. “Taking my time, really trying to slow down and pinpoint where I need to put what needs to go where.”
When he started Phase Two, his hand speed was a little too fast. He didn’t realize how much time it would take to learn patience. Now he loves the precision of tattooing: “I love the precision of tattooing and just having to be precise, you know?”
What Held Joe Back From Starting Sooner?
Not much, Joe says. He describes himself as open-minded and likes to keep quiet with his ears open.
His biggest nerves were about being in front of professional Tattoo Artists and hoping his work would be good enough. But the feedback, whether positive or a suggestion to try a different approach, has all been helpful. “That’s the key,” he says. It’s helpful, not just someone telling you your tattoos are bad and to give up.
He actually enjoys being critiqued. “Anything art related is fun for me.” When a seasoned Tattoo Artist tells him he did a great job, it’s an awesome feeling. When they suggest something to work on, he agrees and gets to work.
How Can You Follow Joe's Path Step by Step?
Step 1: Find your spark. For Joe, it was the tattoos he saw in the military.
Step 2: Build your art skills. Joe drew and worked in charcoal for years. He also tried new tools during his training. Colored pencils were new to him in Phase One. He drew a rose with them that looks like he’d been using them for years.
Step 3: Learn to design for tattooing. In Phase One, Joe designed in American traditional, neo-traditional, new school, and Japanese. One assignment had him take a single subject, an anglerfish, and draw it in three styles. He thought that was really cool. Adding color and flair in neo-traditional surprised him: “This is pretty tight.”
Step 4: Respect the new medium. Joe’s biggest challenge has been adapting his art background to skin. “A pencil is much different than a needle,” he says. “You have to be open. You have to be willing to learn a new skill set on top of your skill set.” He adds, “You can’t come in and be like, I’m the best painter in the world, I’ll be the best tattooer. That’s not how it works.”
Step 5: Master line work. Joe says lines will be the hardest part for everyone who starts. You’re learning your machine’s weight, pressure, depth, speed, and how far the needle hangs out, all at once. Sometimes you think your lines are perfect, then realize they’re too deep or too spaced out. The key, he says, is not to quit.
Step 6: Learn safety. Every Tattoo Artist must follow the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard.
What Does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship Offer?
Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is an 18 to 24 month, four-phase tattoo apprenticeship that takes beginners to job-ready Tattoo Artists. The Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is available at 60+ tattoo studios nationwide. Ink Different has trained Tattoo Artists for 15 years.
Here’s how Joe describes the phases:
Phase One: Drawing, stencils, and designing in different styles, on paper and digitally, including the red pencil and blue pencil process.
Phase Two: Online classes with instructors. You learn your machine and its capabilities, then practice lines, lettering, and shapes on synthetic skin. Joe is now working on roses and carnations, his favorite assignments so far.
Phase Three: Heading into the tattoo shop under a Mentor, doing free and then paid supervised tattoos. Joe expects to start within a month or so.
Phase Four: Building independence and preparing for licensing.
Joe says the curriculum is well done, and the videos are easy to follow. If you’re nervous about keeping up, he says there’s no need to be.
He compares it favorably to college. In college, you’re one of many in a class. With Ink Different, he gets one-on-one feedback. Instructors message him on Telegram, asking him to send a photo when he finishes something so they can review it together, right away.
He also attended a seminar with Janine Pearson, Ink Different’s director of curriculum. She has three degrees in art education, including a master’s in curriculum development. She’s part of a team of about 14 or 15 people who support apprentices and make sure trainers are both caring and committed.
When Joe first walked into F.I.N.A.O. Ink Tattoo Company, he says he felt “oddly at home.” He didn’t feel any imposter syndrome. Everyone was friendly, the tattoo studio was clean, and the Tattoo Artists were great.
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.
Who Is the Master Mentorship For?
Ink Different’s Master Mentorship connects Tattoo Artists with Master Mentors, including Al Fliction, Liz Cook, Kyle Dunbar, Boneface, Jordi Pla, Marcel Oliveira, and Kara Gutierrez.
Joe’s long-term goal fits right in: “I just want to get up there with the big dogs.” Master Mentorship is where Tattoo Artists keep growing toward that level.
Is Tattoo Training Accessible for Everyone?
Yes. Ink Different offers Spanish-speaking locations in Denver, Orange County, NYC, Miami, San Antonio, and San Diego.
Joe’s schedule shows how training can fit into a busy life. He works two jobs and helps raise his kids, and he’s still moving through each phase.
His advice to anyone thinking about it: if you’ve always wanted to be a Tattoo Artist but can’t get into a tattoo shop, or don’t want an apprenticeship where you’re stuck sweeping floors for six months, this is the way to do it. “If you want to get down on art, if you’re an artist and you want to do this, this is the way to do it,” he says. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Ready to Become a Tattoo Artist?
Joe Kendall wants to be able to tattoo anything. “I want to do it all,” he says. “I don’t want a client to come in and say, ‘Oh, I want to do this,’ and me be like, ‘Oh, it’s not really my thing.’ I want to be able to help everybody that comes my way.”
He also wants to help clients be more creative. If someone brings in a Pinterest image and wants it copied, he’ll gently encourage them to make it their own, something that’s “one of one instead of one of a million.”
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Joe Kendall get into tattooing?
He fell for tattooing in the military, inspired by his shipmates’ American traditional pieces and the styles he saw on liberty around the world.
Did Joe have art experience before his tattoo apprenticeship?
Yes. He won an art competition in sixth grade and studied art in college after his service. But no prior art experience is required to apply.
Who is Joe Kendall’s Mentor?
J Breeze at F.I.N.A.O. Ink Tattoo Company in North Providence, Rhode Island.
How long does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship take?
Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship takes 18 to 24 months across four phases, with licensing support and a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios.
Can I train while working full-time?
Yes. Joe works two jobs and helps care for his kids while training. Phases One and Two happen online.
What’s the hardest part of Phase Two?
For Joe, it was line work: learning machine weight, pressure, depth, speed, and needle hang all at once.
