I want to become a tattoo artist. how to i go about doing that and how old do you have to be?

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I am 15 years old. I am a current graffiti artist. I am one of the best drawers in my school. And thats what i wish to do as a adult, draw. And i figure since i want tattoos of my one love, graffiti, i figured why not give other people tattoos of what they love.
What education is needed?
Average Salary of a tattoo artist?
What state is paying the most money as a tattoo artist?

I am only fourteen. My mother has a few tattoo artist friends and said i can have my first tattoo on my seventeenth birthday. I would like to learn everything possible about tattooing and figured it would be best to start at a young age. How would i go about asking and/or finding an apprenticeship?