I agree - I've got a friend who's been a tatooist for years, and never served as an apprentice, and i also know his apprentice - back before there were apprenticeships, people had to learn somehow - now I'm not saying that every idiot who'd like to carve something into someone else should just go for it, but if someone loves art, has practised their skills as an artist, and slowly develops their talent towards tattooing, that person should be supported rather than harrassed. If the person's taking the time to learn about hygiene, sterilisation, aftercare, and technique, then fair play to them I say - best of luck and i hope you have a rewarding career. I don't think it's so much about whether someone's had an apprenticeship or not as it is about how talented someone is as an artist, and how willing they are to learn all the various things that go into being a professional tattooist.