question about tattoo apprentiship

I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice on what kind of art class i should take before i go out and find an apprentiship i mean i can draw pretty darn good and all but i just kinda want to go out and learn a little bit more about everything i am gonna need to know about shading and shadowing and transitions and all of that just so i can have that down better than i do now so i will have a better chance at getting in an apprentiship and to make myself a better artist later on unless yall think there is no reason to take a class then thats cool to i just thought it would be something to help me grow more as an artist and help my tattooing later on when i am doing it any help would be great Thanx

I think it is great that you want to further your education in art! I would start by looking into some community college classes first-during the summer they have more special interest classes and you could get them slightly cheaper. I would also go to the library and check out their books-there are some great ones out there that go into details on drawing, shadows and transitions. Also the internet is a great resource with videos on youtube etc that have lessons on drawing. Above all just practice, look at everything around you in details-study the way light reflects and casts shadows. I wish you the best of luck!

thanx yea i thought about the community college and i live in a small town and we do have one but i cant find anything but an art appreciation class so far but im gonna keep looking around and hopefully i can find something and if all else fails i have two friends that are tattoo artist one that owns his own shop and im sure they would help teach me or it would just make and apprentiship take longer i just figured any artist anywhere i went would like to see that i took the time and learned about all of that so it would be a little less they would have to teach me so much about and it might also look good and get me a better chance at getting an apprentiship if i decide to go to jax and try and get one instead of here in the town i live cause i know how that friend teaching friend thing usually works out

haha i am both ufgator121222 and abritt121222 forgot which name i used cause it didnt save it for some reason sorry for the confusion

Oh and another question i have i got a book that i am reading to the ultimate tattoo bible 2nd edition anyone know of this book and is it a good book for a beginner to read? it seems to be a pretty good book as of what i have read but i dont know much about tattooing so i really wouldnt know if it is good or not