Tattoo Courses in London, Austria & Ireland
Buddy has successfully been teaching budding tattooists since 1993, and in a classroom environment since 2001. He opened Limerick City's first studio in 1991 and is responsible for many of Ireland's top tattooists.
Buddy has an extensive amount of knowledge that you can only gain from years of experience and he loves to share this knowledge. You learn all the tricks of the trade that normally come from trial and error. During the course you will be tattooing synthetic skin before progressing to real skin. Yes, you will be tattooing yourself! (If you would rather not then that's fine too)This is almost a right of passage for any Tattoo Artists wishing to enter the industry. We have a back up service second to none so you never feel like you are doing it alone. Our teacher Buddy will make you feel instantly at ease.
We launched the London Tattoo Academy with one goal in mind: to give aspiring tattoo artists the opportunity to learn the right techniques from the very beginning. Our mission is to provide solid, foundational knowledge while emphasizing all safety aspects of tattooing—raising the standard across the industry.
Tattooing has evolved; it’s no longer a secretive world. It’s mainstream, accessible, and full of opportunity. With over 30 years of professional experience behind our teaching, we’ve created a structured, classroom-based environment that gives students the best possible start in this dynamic craft.
And now, we’re excited to announce that we’re expanding beyond London. Our professional tattoo courses are now available in Austria, just outside Graz. These courses are led by Raul—an experienced tattoo artist based in Austria—who now joins our expert team alongside Sabrina and Buddy. Together, we’re continuing to make high-quality tattoo education more accessible than ever.
Why should getting into the tattoo industry feel impossible? With the right training, it doesn't have to be. By teaching people the correct way from the start, we’re not just opening doors—we’re making tattooing safer and more professional for everyone.
You must be over 18 to attend any of our courses.
Our tattoo course is run over 10 days, Monday to Friday.
Start times: 10am - 5 pm (lunch 1pm-2pm)
UK Course Cost: £2000 **SPECIAL OFFER (ONLY FOR THE REST OF 2025 NOW ONLY £1500)**
Austria Course cost: €2000 (Introductory offer)
Ireland Course cost: €2750
What you will learn:
- Health and Safety
- Hygiene
- Cross contamination awareness
- We also present you with a separate tattoo infection control level 2 (VTQ) certificate (upon passing your online exam) from the accredited PRO TRAININGS.UK
- Understanding needle groupings
- How to choose your correct needle grouping - as this differs from one tattoo to another.
- Tattoo machine maintenance
- Difference between tattoo pens, coil and rotary machines etc etc
- Tattoo placement and stencil application
- Consent forms
- How to deal with nervous clients
- How to tattoo a straight consistent lines and pack colour in tight and bright
- How to approach a cover up tattoo
- How to mix your grey tones during tattooing (black and grey tattoos)
- How to get a watercolour effect that you would normally associate with canvas
- How not to cause scarring to the skin that you are tattooing
- Good bedside manner
- Troubleshooting
- Confidence building
- Correct aftercare
- Full back up service
- Full guidance on which suppliers to use, this should not be underestimated
- How to deal with people who faint
- How to run a successful tattoo business
- Certificate of completion- In compliance with most councils, governments and insurance companies worldwide.
Pro Training Infection control certificate for Tattooists
We are proud to be the first U.K. Tattoo Academy to introduce Tattoo Infection Control Level 2 (VTQ) as part of our tattoo courses.
Also included in our tattoo course is an online infection control course which upon passing you will receive a certificate for Infection Control especially for tattooists from Protrainings.uk.
Tattoo Infection Control Level 2 (VTQ) at a glance
*1-year nationally recognised certificate
* Video access for 8 months
*CPD time credit conformation
* Manual and other downloads
*Free weekly video refresher
* Evidence Based Training certificate

