Our Courses  /  10-Day Beginner Course

10-Day Complete Beginner Course

Start from zero. Leave with a tattoo kit, CPD and IPC Level 2 certificates, a portfolio of real tattooed work, and the skills to take your first paid bookings.

Price£1,599
Duration10 Days
Class SizeSmall
ExperienceNone Needed
Book Your Place, £1,599 View All Courses
About This Course

Starting with zero experience is exactly where this course begins. Over ten days, you will go from never having held a tattoo machine to tattooing real clients, with a tattoo kit in your hands, two certificates on your wall, and the practical knowledge to start building a client base immediately after completing.

What You'll Cover
  • Infection Prevention & Control Level 2, full certification included in the course
  • Machine anatomy, setup, and maintenance: understanding your equipment from day one
  • Needle types, cartridge selection, and skin theory: what happens beneath the surface
  • Progressive line work practice, building hand control, consistency, and speed on practice skins
  • Fine line shading, texture, and the principles of minimalist tattoo design
  • Stencil design using Procreate, creating and preparing designs for application
  • Live model tattooing, tattooing real clients under full expert supervision
  • Client consultation, aftercare, pricing, and setting up your business and Instagram
Everything That's Included
Tattoo kit
All needles & cartridges
Inks & consumables
Practice skins
CPD certificate
IPC Level 2 certificate
Live model sessions
Stencil materials
Procreate introduction
Free refresher training
Locations & Dates

Courses run monthly across all six UK locations. View all dates and book your place.

Manchester London Essex Birmingham Glasgow Dublin
Recommended
£1,599
10 Days · CPD Accredited · Small Class Sizes
+ Professional Kit Included
  • Zero experience required
  • Tattoo kit included & yours to keep
  • CPD + IPC Level 2 certificates
  • Live model tattooing session
  • Lifetime support
Book Your Place
Book with a Deposit. Secure your place and pay the balance before your course date. Contact us to arrange.
10-Day Complete Beginner Course, student at work
Is This Course Right for You?

Who Should Book On

This course is for you if…

You have never picked up a tattoo machine before and want to learn fine line tattooing from absolute scratch. You want a comprehensive, structured route into the industry, with health & safety certification, progressive skills development, and live model experience all included in a single course.

Wondering what the first six months look like after completing? Read our guide: From Zero to Fully Booked →

Already have machine experience?

If you are a working tattoo artist or PMU practitioner, our 4-Day Fine Line Masterclass is the more focused option. It skips the fundamentals and goes straight into the fine line techniques, needle knowledge, and specialisation you need.

The Curriculum

What Happens Each Day

Ten days. Zero to tattooing live clients. Here's exactly what that progression looks like, day by day.

1–2
IPC Level 2 Module

Days 1–2, Infection Prevention & Control Level 2 Certification

The course opens with your IPC Level 2 certification, the nationally recognised infection control qualification required to tattoo commercially across the UK. This is not a brief hygiene overview; it is a full certification programme. You will learn the science of pathogen transmission, the legal framework governing skin procedures, correct PPE use, sharps handling, waste disposal, and client contraindication screening. Assessment takes place on day two.

  • Chain of infection and how to break it
  • Standard precautions and PPE protocol
  • Bloodborne pathogens and exposure incident procedure
  • Waste management and sharps disposal
  • IPC Level 2 assessment and certification
3

Day 3, Machine Anatomy, Setup & First Lines

Day three is your first hands-on session with a tattoo machine. You will learn how the machine works, how to set it up correctly (voltage, stroke length, needle depth) and how those settings change for different styles of work, and how to handle and maintain your equipment. The afternoon session moves to practice skins: your first real line work, focusing on consistency, pressure, and hand positioning.

  • Rotary machine anatomy, and how setup changes by style
  • Cartridge and needle selection, and what each grouping is for
  • First line exercises on practice skins
4

Day 4, Line Progression, Pressure & Consistency

The entire day is focused on the muscle memory and control that every style of tattooing depends on. Line work is the foundation: get it right and everything else follows, whatever you go on to specialise in. You will work through progressive exercises, varying thickness, curve, and density, building the consistent hand control that separates work that lasts on skin from work that does not.

  • Curved lines, tight curves, and directional changes
  • Needle depth and its effect on healing
  • Identifying and correcting common hand technique errors
5

Day 5, Shading, Texture & Depth

Shading is where most self-taught artists struggle. Day five covers the techniques that create tonal depth: whip shading, stippling, gradient work, packing, and the use of negative space. These are the fundamentals behind black and grey, realism and illustrative work alike, so they carry over to whatever you go on to tattoo. Understanding how the skin heals and how to design for longevity is a core part of this session.

  • Whip shading technique, how to produce clean gradients
  • Stippling, dot work and texture
  • Designing for skin healing, what fades, what lasts
6

Day 6, Procreate Design & Stencil Preparation

Day six introduces the design workflow every working tattoo artist uses. You will learn to create your own designs in Procreate, scaling, adjusting proportions for real skin placement, and preparing transfer-ready stencils. This session dramatically reduces the time between client consultation and tattooing.

  • Procreate for tattoo design, tools and workflow
  • Scaling designs for accurate skin placement
  • Thermal stencil preparation and application
7

Day 7, Composition and Style Range

Day seven applies the techniques across styles: botanical and floral work, geometric composition, lettering and script, and black and grey illustrative designs. You will produce several completed compositions on practice skins, building the portfolio pieces you will carry forward. The point is not to lock you into one style but to show that the same fundamentals carry across all of them.

  • Botanical and floral technique and design principles
  • Geometric line work and symmetry
  • Lettering, script and black and grey approaches
8

Day 8, First Live Model Session

Day eight is your first live model tattooing session. You will tattoo a real client under one-to-one expert supervision. The focus for this session is a relatively simple composition with clean linework, allowing you to experience the full difference between practice skins and real skin without being overwhelmed. Preparation, consultation, consent documentation, and aftercare are all covered in the morning session before you begin.

  • Client consultation and consent documentation
  • Setting up your workspace for a real session
  • Supervised live model tattooing
  • Skin prep, session management, and aftercare
9

Day 9, Advanced Practice, Portfolio Work & Business Module

Day nine builds on your live model experience with more complex compositions on practice skins, followed by the business module: how to price your work, how to build your Instagram presence, how to handle enquiries and convert them into bookings, and how to register with your local authority to tattoo commercially. This is the information you need to actually use what you've learned.

  • Complex compositions across styles
  • Pricing strategy, how to charge correctly from day one
  • Building and growing your Instagram portfolio
  • Local authority registration and licensing process
10

Day 10, Second Live Model Session & Certification

The final day includes your second live model tattooing session, this time with a more complex design, reflecting the skill level you have reached over ten days. After the session, certificates are presented: your CPD certificate of completion and your IPC Level 2 certificate. You leave with a portfolio of real tattooed work, a tattoo kit, two certificates, and lifetime support.

  • Second supervised live model session, more complex composition
  • CPD and IPC Level 2 certificate presentation
  • Lifetime support explained
  • Your next steps, what to do in the first four weeks
Included in This Course

What Is IPC Level 2, and Why Does It Matter?

IPC Level 2 stands for Infection Prevention and Control Level 2. It is a nationally recognised qualification that certifies you have been formally trained in the hygiene and infection control standards required for regulated skin procedures, including tattooing.

In most UK jurisdictions, you are legally required to demonstrate infection control competence before you can register with your local authority to tattoo commercially. An IPC Level 2 certificate is the most widely accepted form of that evidence. Without it, you will struggle to get licensed, regardless of how good your tattooing skills are.

The 10-Day Complete Beginner Course is the only fine line tattoo course in the UK that includes IPC Level 2 as a built-in part of the programme. Other providers offer it as an add-on (at additional cost), or don't offer it at all. We include it because we believe it is foundational, not optional.

Your IPC Level 2 certificate is issued after assessment on day two and will be available to present to licensing authorities alongside your CPD certificate from day ten onwards.

What it covers The chain of infection, standard precautions, PPE protocol, bloodborne pathogen risk, sharps handling, waste disposal, and client contraindication screening.
Why it matters legally Local authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland require evidence of infection control training before issuing a tattooing licence. IPC Level 2 is the most widely accepted standard.
Where it's accepted Accepted by local authority licensing teams across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Also accepted by Environmental Health Officers in the Republic of Ireland.
Included at no extra cost The IPC Level 2 programme is fully integrated into the 10-Day Course at no additional charge. The £1,599 fee covers everything, no hidden extras.
Changing Careers

From Any Background to Fine Line Tattoo Artist

The majority of students who complete the 10-Day Complete Beginner Course are not coming from a tattooing background. They are career changers, people from healthcare, beauty, finance, hospitality, retail, and the arts, who have decided that tattooing is what they actually want to do, and are taking the most direct route to making that a reality.

Fine line tattooing is a particularly good fit for career changers because the skills it demands (precision, patience, aesthetic judgement, and client communication) are skills that many professionals already have in other forms. Healthcare workers understand sterile field discipline. Beauty therapists understand skin and client relationship management. Artists understand composition and negative space.

What the 10-Day Course gives you is the specific technical foundation you don't have yet: machine control, needle knowledge, and the hands-on practice hours that turn technique into instinct. By day eight you are tattooing real clients. By the end of day ten you have two professional certificates and a portfolio of real work.

The question most career changers have is not whether they can do it, it's how long it will take to replace their income. The honest answer: it varies. Artists who commit to building their portfolio and social presence in the weeks after completing typically take their first paid bookings within four to eight weeks. Reaching a sustainable income takes longer, most artists hit that point at three to six months of consistent work.

4–8 weeks Typical time to first paid booking after completing
£100–£180/hr Established fine line artist rate in UK cities
500+ Students trained at Fine Line Tattoo Academy
The Path Forward

Your First Three Months After Completing

Month 1

Build Your Foundation

  • Practice daily on practice skins, at least 2 hours per day
  • Set up your Instagram with a clear fine line focus
  • Post your portfolio pieces from the course
  • Register with your local authority to tattoo commercially
  • Set up your at-home workspace or identify a studio
Month 2

Take Your First Bookings

  • Open bookings at introductory rates (£60–£80 for simple pieces)
  • Tattoo friends and family to build your real-skin portfolio
  • Document every piece, before, healed, and detail shots
  • Use your lifetime support for feedback on your work
  • Start an enquiry management system
Month 3

Establish Your Practice

  • Raise your rates as your portfolio grows
  • Refine your aesthetic, identify your signature style
  • Build a waitlist for popular design types
  • Reinvest in professional photography of healed work
  • Review your positioning and audience on Instagram
Not Sure Which Course?

10-Day Beginner Course vs 4-Day Masterclass

Both are CPD accredited and include live model sessions and a tattoo kit. The 10-Day Course is for those starting from zero. The 4-Day Masterclass is for those who already have machine experience.

Feature 10-Day Beginner Course 4-Day Masterclass
Price£1,599£899
Duration10 days4 days
Prior experience neededNo experience neededMachine experience required
Suitable forComplete beginners, career changersTattoo artists, PMU practitioners
CPD Certificate✓ Included✓ Included
IPC Level 2 Certification✓ IncludedNot included
Professional Kit✓ Included✓ Included
Live Model TattooingMultiple sessions (days 8 & 10)Day 4
Mentorship Group Access✓ Included✓ Included
Business & Instagram Module✓ Included✓ Included

Already have machine experience? See the 4-Day Fine Line Masterclass → or call us on 0161 806 0501 if you're unsure.

Upcoming Dates

Book Your Place

View All Dates →
LondonMon 18 – Fri 29 May 2026
Sold Out Sold Out
LondonMon 1 – Fri 12 Jun 2026
Sold Out Sold Out
LondonMon 6 – Fri 17 Jul 2026
Sold Out Sold Out
ManchesterMon 20 – Fri 31 Jul 2026
Sold Out Sold Out
LondonMon 3 – Fri 14 Aug 2026
1 space remaining Book Now
ManchesterMon 17 – Fri 28 Aug 2026
1 space remaining Book Now
LondonMon 7 – Fri 18 Sep 2026
2 spaces remaining Book Now
ManchesterMon 21 Sep – Fri 2 Oct 2026
2 spaces remaining Book Now
LondonMon 5 – Fri 16 Oct 2026
2 spaces remaining Book Now
ManchesterMon 19 – Fri 30 Oct 2026
2 spaces remaining Book Now
LondonMon 2 – Fri 13 Nov 2026
3 spaces remaining Book Now
ManchesterMon 16 – Fri 27 Nov 2026
3 spaces remaining Book Now
ManchesterMon 7 – Fri 18 Dec 2026
3 spaces remaining Book Now
LondonMon 7 – Fri 18 Dec 2026
3 spaces remaining Book Now
Common Questions

10-Day Course FAQ

Yes. Zero prior experience required. The course starts from absolute basics and builds progressively to live model tattooing by day ten.
£1,599, which includes your professional tattoo kit (yours to keep), CPD certificate, IPC Level 2 certificate, all consumables, expert instruction across ten full days, multiple live model sessions, and lifetime support.
Two certificates: a CPD accredited completion certificate, and an IPC Level 2 (Infection Prevention and Control) certificate. Both are widely accepted by local authorities when registering to tattoo commercially in the UK.
Yes. Multiple live model sessions are included across the ten days. By the end of the course you will have a portfolio of real tattooed work completed under expert supervision.
Most students take their first paid bookings within four to eight weeks of completing. Speed depends on how quickly you build your portfolio and social media presence. We cover both as part of the business module on the course.
Monthly at six UK locations: Manchester, London, Essex, Birmingham, Glasgow and Dublin. Courses run weekdays, 10am to 5pm. Full venue details sent upon booking confirmation.

Taught by CPD-certified instructors with 5+ years of fine line specialisation, led by Dennis Lamey, founder of Fine Line Tattoo Academy and 40+ year industry veteran.

Meet the team →

Ready to Start From Scratch?

Ten days. Six UK locations. Everything you need to go from zero to taking paid bookings, included in one course price.

Book Now, £1,599 Read the FAQ