Who We Are

Training the UK's Next Generation of Fine Line Artists

Founded by a 40-year veteran of the UK tattoo industry. Built to break the gatekeeping cycle and give the next generation of artists the training they deserve.

Our Story

A Gap in the Market. A Course That Fills It.

"We looked for the course we needed. It didn't exist, so we built it."

Fine Line Tattoo Academy is the specialist fine line offshoot of Tattoo Academy London, founded by Dennis Lamey. Dennis has been tattooing since the early 1980s and established Tattoo Academy London to bring professional, accessible tattoo training to the UK. As fine line tattooing grew into one of the fastest-rising specialisms in the industry, he built Fine Line Tattoo Academy to serve that niche specifically, with courses designed entirely around the technique, precision, and aesthetic that fine line demands.

What started as a focused fine line programme has grown into the UK's only dedicated fine line training provider with a true national footprint. Six cities, two courses designed for two very different starting points, and 500+ students who have gone on to take real paying bookings. CPD accredited, Tattoo Safe recognised, and the only UK tattoo academy to include IPC Level 2 as part of a beginner course.

Fine Line Tattoo Academy studio environment
6 UK Cities
500+ Students Trained
2 Specialist Courses
40+ Years Founder's Experience
The Person Behind It

Meet the Founder

Founder 40+ Years Tattooing 7 UK Studios

Dennis Lamey

Dennis has been tattooing since the early 1980s. In 1987 he opened Viped Studio in Ilford, one of the earliest dedicated tattoo studios in East London, and has spent the four decades since building one of the largest independent tattoo studio operations in the UK, now spanning seven locations. He also founded Tattoo Academy London, which has been training tattoo artists across the UK for years.

His specialisms are old school tattooing and realism, but his influence on the UK tattoo industry goes far beyond his own work. As fine line tattooing grew rapidly in popularity, Dennis saw an opportunity to create something dedicated to that style. Fine Line Tattoo Academy is the result: a specialist offshoot built entirely around fine line, with courses that go deeper into the technique, tools, and aesthetic than any general tattooing programme could.

The motivation was the same as it was with Tattoo Academy London: too many talented people were being held back by an industry culture that gatekept knowledge. Dennis built both academies to break that cycle. If you want to become a fine line tattoo artist, you should be able to get the training, the qualification, and the confidence to do it, without spending years trying to find an apprenticeship that may never materialise.

Industry Entry Early 1980s, over 40 years tattooing
First Studio Viped Studio, Ilford, opened 1987
Also Founded Tattoo Academy London
Current Studios 7 studios across the UK
Our Mission
"To make world-class fine line tattoo training accessible to anyone in the UK, whether you're starting from zero or transitioning from another discipline."

We believe the best training is hands-on, small-scale, and delivered by people who are actively working in the industry. Every element of our curriculum, from machine setup to live model sessions, is designed around one goal: getting you ready to work with real clients as quickly as possible.

What Drives Us

The Principles Behind Every Course

Hands-On First

Every session is practical. You learn by doing, on practice skins and, crucially, on live models. Theory supports the work; it never replaces it.

Small Groups Only

Small class sizes mean every person gets direct attention, real feedback, and the space to develop at their own pace.

Industry Relevant

Our curriculum is built by artists who are actively taking bookings. What we teach reflects what clients actually want and what the market rewards.

Long-Term Support

Completing the course is the beginning, not the end. Our lifetime support keeps us connected to every student long after they leave the studio.

Safe Practice

Our Commitment to Safe Practice

Tattooing is a skin procedure. Done correctly, it carries minimal risk. Done without proper training in hygiene and infection control, it can cause serious harm to clients. This is not something we treat as a footnote.

Fine Line Tattoo Academy is recognised by Tattoo Safe, the UK's leading body for safe practice standards in tattooing and body art. Tattoo Safe recognition is not automatic; it requires providers to demonstrate that their training meets defined standards for hygiene, sterilisation, and infection control.

We are also Pierce Safe certified, which means our safety standards extend to all skin-penetrating procedures carried out during training. Our 10-Day Complete Beginner Course includes full Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Level 2 certification, a nationally recognised qualification that covers cross-contamination prevention, PPE protocols, sharps handling and disposal, and client skin assessment.

Everything we teach, from single-use needle policy to clinical-grade surface sterilisation to proper sharps disposal, reflects the standards your future clients' safety depends on. That is not box-ticking. It is the foundation of a sustainable tattooing career.

Read our hygiene standards →
Single-Use Needles, Always Every needle used in training is single-use and disposed of immediately after each session into an approved sharps container. No exceptions, no re-use, no compromise.
Clinical-Grade Sterilisation All reusable equipment is sterilised using clinical-grade processes between every use. Surfaces are disinfected with hospital-grade solutions before and after each student session.
PPE & Skin Prep Protocols Instructors and students follow full PPE protocols during all live model sessions. Proper skin preparation, barrier protection, and aftercare instruction are built into every practical session.
IPC Level 2 Included (10-Day Course) Students on the 10-Day Complete Beginner Course leave with a nationally recognised Infection Prevention and Control Level 2 certificate, a legal and professional requirement for tattooing in many UK jurisdictions.
Tattoo Safe & Pierce Safe Recognised Our accreditation from Tattoo Safe and Pierce Safe means an independent body has assessed and confirmed our safety standards, not just our course content. Students can present these credentials to clients and licensing authorities with confidence.
Accreditations

Recognised. Trusted. Certified.

CPD Accredited

Both courses carry full CPD accreditation, recognised across the UK professional training landscape.

Tattoo Safe accredited
Tattoo Safe

Recognised by Tattoo Safe, the UK's leading body for safe practice standards in skin procedures.

IPC Level 2

Infection Prevention & Control Level 2 certification is included as part of our 10-Day Complete Beginner Course.

Ready to Book Your Place?

Courses run monthly across all six UK locations. We keep our class sizes small.

View Courses Get in Touch