Sky is currently the Artist-in-Residence at Kingston College’s Creative Industries Centre, continuing a journey that began with the BTEC Level 3 in Art & Design. Building on that foundation, Sky progressed through the HNC and HND Tattoo Illustration (Fine Art), developing a distinctive visual style and a strong professional portfolio.
Passionate about tattoo art from the start, Sky used the programme to deepen technical skill, explore personal artistic identity and gain the knowledge needed to pursue a career within the tattoo industry. Now, as an Artist-in-Residence, Sky is expanding that practice further - supporting other students, refining her portfolio and preparing for the next step: securing a tattoo Apprenticeship.
Why did you choose to study Tattoo Illustration at Kingston College?
“I chose to study the HNC and HND Tattoo Illustration (Fine Art) at Kingston College because I wanted to continue my education here after completing the BTEC Level 3 in Art & Design. I’ve always had a real passion for tattoo art - I wanted to continue exploring that passion while creating a strong portfolio that I could take to tattoo studios when applying for Apprenticeships.”
What were the highlights of the course for you?
“Some of my favourite memories was meeting new people and seeing the art that they produced which helped inspire my own designs. We also had weekly group discussions where we shared our work, talked about what we liked and explored ways to develop our ideas further - this really helped me develop my own tattoo designs. We also went on many trips where we visited London art galleries which was super fun and inspiring.”
What are your future career goals, and how has the course helped you work towards them?
“My main goal is to gain a tattoo Apprenticeship so I can begin tattooing my designs on clients. I am currently an Artist-in-Residence at Kingston College which is providing me with resources and experience to help me find a career path that suits me. The HND Tattoo Illustration has helped me with my career by showing me how to make a tattoo portfolio and helping me identify my strongest pieces for studio interviews. The course also provided talks with people who started off as apprentices who gave us advice on how to get an Apprenticeship and answered any questions we had.”
What would you say to someone thinking about enrolling on the Tattoo Illustration course?
I’d highly recommend it. The course has helped me develop good art skills, communication skills and motivation to pursue a tattoo Apprenticeship. Looking back, I can see how my art has gone from loose ideas to my own strong creations that I can feel proud of and present to other people. Overall, it’s been an amazing experience that has really helped shape my future in tattooing.”
Student Profile: Sky – Artist-in-Residence, Kingston College
Sky is currently the Artist-in-Residence at Kingston College’s Creative Industries Centre, continuing a journey that began with the BTEC Level 3 in Art & Design. Building on that foundation, Sky progressed through the HNC and HND in Tattoo Illustration, developing a distinctive visual style and a strong professional portfolio.
Passionate about tattoo art from the start, Sky used the programme to deepen technical skill, explore personal artistic identity and gain the knowledge needed to pursue a career within the tattoo industry. Now, as an Artist-in-Residence, Sky is expanding that practice further - supporting other students, refining personal work and preparing for the next step: securing a tattoo Apprenticeship.
