Welcome to Gaia! ::

I would suggest you go to college and get a degree in art. That will prove that you have some skill. Then you can make yourself known to some tattoo artists and ask for an aprrenticeship.

You are very welcome. *bows*

Art school is not NECESSARY, but it certainly helps. Just start hanging around a shop you like and ask questions. Form a loose friendship with a senior artist and then you could start inquireing about apprenticing. That way the artist is already comfortable with you and knows you're dedicated.

s**t i hated college, and I didn't pursue art in it anyway (tried learning stuff to get a 'real' job) and look where it landed me.

Tattooing is just a different artistic medium, just like painting, or sculpting, or whatever. Most people who can paint/draw, can't tattoo though. There are some really good technical tattooers who, on the downside, have no artistic talent.

Like jadedxkitty said, you just need to build up a portfolio and go to different shops in your area and start talking to artists about getting an apprenticeship. That is the biggest step you need to take.