Apprentice Spotlight: How Mom of Three Megan Hostetler Finished Phase One in a Couple of Months
Three or four years ago, Megan Hostetler and her friends were drinking at home when she had what she calls “not a good” idea. She bought a pen machine and supplies from a tattoo supply website and started tattooing her friends, sometimes four or five people a night. Then she tattooed an elderly man getting his very first tattoo, after he’d been drinking. He bled so much that she called it a nightmare. That’s when she knew she needed to stop and learn to do it right.
Today, Megan is a mom of three in Dallas, Texas. She finished Phase One of Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship in just a couple of months and is moving into Phase Two. We sat down with Megan to hear how she did it.
Key Takeaways
Her start: Megan began by tattooing friends at home with a pen machine, without any training.
Why she chose real training: She wanted a solid foundation so her clients would get precise, safe work.
Her speed secret: She read every assignment three times, submitted one step at a time, and showed up to classes even for 10-minute reviews.
Her schedule: With kids ages six, four, and one, she took classes midday during naps and school, or at 9 p.m. after bedtime.
Her mindset: She’s open to criticism and expects to redo assignments as many times as it takes.
Who Is Megan Hostetler?
Megan Hostetler is an Ink Different apprentice in Dallas, Texas, and a mom of three. She’s training toward Artistic Encounters, BillyJack Gunter’s tattoo studio.
She’s completely self-taught as an artist. Growing up, she watched her older sister, who always loved art, and thought, “That looks cool.” She never went to art school, aside from a high school drawing class. She also learned from watching artists on social media.
When she started tattooing her friends, she began researching art more seriously. But she quickly learned how much she didn’t know.
What happened when she tattooed without training
Megan is honest about her early days. Her pen machine was decent, but nowhere near tattoo-shop standard. Some friends told her she wasn’t even touching the skin. When she pushed harder, they said she definitely was. She tattooed herself, too, and says that “was not lovely.”
She tattooed a few people’s hands, which she now admits was a silly idea. She’s gone over them three times, and they finally stuck. But at first, she wasn’t sure if she’d gone deep enough, and one spot blew out a little.
Then there was the elderly man. It was his first tattoo, so he couldn’t tell her whether it should hurt. When the needle touched his skin, his whole body flushed with heat. He’d been drinking, which she says was when she tended to tattoo people. He bled excessively. She wondered if it was just older skin. He wanted his wife’s name, and she thought, “How cute, let’s do it.”
She’s grateful she always had sanitation down, and no one got an infection. But she realized she had to stop until she had a solid foundation.
What Is Phase One of a Tattoo Apprenticeship?
Phase One of Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is art and design. Apprentices learn to draw for tattooing, including American traditional, neo-traditional, new school, and Japanese, on paper and in Procreate.
For Megan, it was a whole new level of education. She learned things she’d never considered, like line thickness. She’d get mixed up switching between American traditional and neo-traditional, which can have three different line weights.
Her biggest lessons
Think about skin, not paper. Her doodles never considered how a design would age. Now she spaces lines so they don’t blur into a mess over time.
White space matters. She never paid attention to it before. Now she knows it can make the difference between a good tattoo and an okay one.
Sketch in layers. She sketches in red, refines in blue, then does a clean hard line. That extra step transformed her drawing. Martin once passed her messy red sketch but told her to clean it up in the next round.
Keep it simple. An American traditional snake doesn’t need 90,000 scales. Fewer, bigger scales with the right highlights look much better, especially on a forearm.
Safety comes later in the training, too, including the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard.
How Did Megan Finish Phase One So Fast?
Megan finished Phase One in about a couple of months by being extremely detail-oriented and using her instructors constantly.
She learned to read every word
Her first email from Ink Different had a little yellow box asking her to read it and reply. She missed it, and couldn’t sign up for classes for a couple of days. After that, she promised herself she’d never skip instructions again.
Now she reads each assignment page, then reads it again, and again. Then she goes one step at a time, reading and doing each part before moving on. She noticed classmates skipping steps, even when the answer was right there on the page.
She submitted one step at a time
Instead of jumping five steps ahead, she submitted each step for feedback. If something needed fixing, it was a quick fix, and she moved on. She says that saved her from having to redo huge chunks of work.
She showed up to classes, even short ones
Even if a class was just a 10-minute review, she’d join so she could get approved and move on. When she was confused, she’d hop on and ask for help. Sometimes a single suggestion completely changed a piece.
She also clicked every extra learning link in her assignments and kept reading.
She took feedback well
Her main instructor was Matt. She redid her first American traditional piece about six times. Matt kept her focused on one thing at a time instead of overwhelming her. As she improved, he’d tell her she was good and to move on, and her confidence grew.
She also had Julian once or twice. Martin was the most humbling. She says he’d sometimes tell her to just start over.
She pushed through her challenges
Copying vs. creating: At first, she drew her American traditional piece exactly like the example sheet. Then she saw classmates put their own spin on theirs and realized she could too.
Procreate: Her first circles-and-lines worksheet was wiggly because she zoomed in too close. She learned to slow down and steady her hand.
New school: She found many new school designs too rugged. She asked if she could make hers more bubbly and happy, and her instructors said yes. The result was a donut, an ice cream cone, and a Pop-Tart.
Japanese: She chose to draw it on paper instead of Procreate to improve her drawing. She was really proud of the shading.
For her Phase One final, she chose a heartbreak theme for her three-styles assignment.
How Do You Balance Family Life and Tattoo Training?
Megan’s three kids are six, four, and one. She found class times that worked with their schedules.
When the older two were at school and the baby was napping, she’d take a midday class. She also took 9 p.m. classes after all three were asleep. She tried 6 p.m. classes a couple of times, but the kids kept running in, so she stuck to midday and late night.
She sees tattooing as a career that fits her family. During the week, she can work while the kids are at school. On weekends, they’re with their dads, and sometimes grandparents help. Tattooing often happens late at night, too. She can sketch at home with her kids and even let them weigh in.
She also hopes her kids will be proud of her career, and maybe follow it someday, or at least get a tattoo from her.
Pro Tip: Megan says to find the class times that actually work for your life, then commit to them.
How Can You Start Your Own Phase One Journey?
Step 1: Just apply. Megan’s advice for anyone on the fence about sending their portfolio is simple: why not? The worst that can happen is a no.
Step 2: Don’t let competition scare you. Megan worried about how many phenomenal Tattoo Artists are out there. Then she remembered she’s had horrible tattoos from people who are still working. You don’t have to be the best in the world. You can be the best at what you do, and there are plenty of clients for that.
Step 3: Read every word. Read your assignments carefully and follow every step.
Step 4: Submit one step at a time. Get feedback early so fixes stay small.
Step 5: Show up fully. If you’re going to give it your time, give it your full effort.
Step 6: Take the feedback. Megan says you’re hiring instructors to teach you, so let them. She’s noticed classmates who push back with “but” every time, and it holds them back.
What Does the Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship Include?
Ink Different’s Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship is an 18 to 24 month, four-phase tattoo apprenticeship built for beginners.
Megan was searching for in-person tattoo apprenticeships when she came across Ink Different. She liked that she’d learn real skills, from sketching and cleanup to white space and tattoo history, instead of just taking out the trash at a tattoo shop. And she liked that it ends with a job.
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, like how to get your tattoo license in Texas.
A guaranteed job offer: You’ll receive a guaranteed job offer at one of Ink Different’s own tattoo studios.
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. Ink Different has trained Tattoo Artists for 15 years.
Megan will train with BillyJack Gunter at Artistic Encounters. BillyJack has been tattooing for almost 30 years, has multiple tattoo studios, including a new one in The Colony, and used to run the Bloodapalooza convention. He’s taught many Tattoo Artists and even mentors his kids through mixed martial arts.
What Is Master Mentorship?
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, and Marcel Oliveira.
Megan already knows where she wants to grow. She loves American traditional, even though she doesn’t have any on her own skin yet. She loves how a small square can hold a whole world of emotion and history. And in Texas, traditional tattooing never went away.
Who Can Join and Where?
Anyone motivated to become a Tattoo Artist can apply, including beginners, parents, and career changers.
Megan went to college briefly, changed her major four times, and dropped out. She felt she could read the material at home much faster. She says college makes sense for some careers, like becoming a doctor, but hands-on learning was a much better fit for her.
Ink Different 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 Become a Tattoo Artist?
Megan Hostetler started by tattooing friends at home. Now, after finishing Phase One in a couple of months, she’s ready to learn machine depth the right way. She can’t wait to tattoo on skin with experienced eyes watching her, and with one rule from the start: no clients who’ve been drinking.
She expects Phase Two to humble her, maybe redoing an assignment 12 times. She’s okay with that.
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. Want to know if it’s right for you first? Fill out our quick questionnaire for personalized guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did it take Megan to finish Phase One?
About a couple of months. She read every assignment carefully, submitted one step at a time, and joined classes often.
Did Megan have art experience before her tattoo apprenticeship?
She’s self-taught, with only a high school drawing class. No prior art experience is required to apply.
Can I do a tattoo apprenticeship while raising kids?
Yes. Megan took online classes midday and at 9 p.m. around her three kids’ schedules.
How long is the full Traditional Tattoo Apprenticeship?
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.
Why shouldn’t you learn to tattoo at home?
Megan tried it and struggled with depth, blowouts, and a client who bled heavily after drinking. She decided to stop until she had proper training.
Who is Megan’s Mentor?
She’ll train with BillyJack Gunter at Artistic Encounters in the Dallas area.
