Naoki is a real nice guy, a gentle family man, a beloved father and, of course, a talented tattoo artist based in Osaka, the third biggest city of Japan, after Tokyo and Yokohama. I met Naoki in 2010, in his actual studio, in Osaka, during one of my several journeys in Japan. I was so curious to see him and his place, because of the global feelings from his work such as tattoos and paintings. Naoki was one the tattoo artists I have selected for the Vol.2 of the tattoo art book Tattooisme. There was a reason for this choice. We kept contact since and we also briefly met in Paris during his honeymoon with his wife. Also, Naoki was always agree to share his work when I asked him to send me some materials for some projects. Seeing Naoki’s rich work, it’s like entering a specific world where everything is sweet and pretty, full of warm and pastel colors and where some nice characters took place, even if some of them came from a more dark and popular universe such as movies, comix, manga... and of course, animals, many many animals, some freaks colorful parade full of sweet animals! Naoki is a happy, generous and non stop working hard man in his lovely cherry studio in a quiet place outside the tumultuous giant city of Osaka. His name is running far out from Osaka’s area and Japan, a quiet but solid reputation made his work known and loved by worldwide customers. C’mon, let’s take a walk into the wonderful and colorful world of this unique place. Welcome to TNS, Tattoo Naoki Studio.
When did you start tattooing? What were at that time the first tattoos you made? Did you start to tattoo on your friends? On customers? On yourself?
I started around 1990. But the real first tattoo I did was the letter “M” on myself, in an old English font, using a sewing needle and calligraphy ink. That was my first tattoo ever. At that time, I was tattooing only my friends just for fun and I didn’t have any idea of wanting to be a tattooist.
What gave your the desire to be a tattoo artist? It was difficult to open a street shop at that time in Japan?
I travelled to the United States around the age of 20 years old. There, I saw the colorful, traditional American style tattoos and its blew my mind. I hadn’t seen that in Japan at that time. That mades me truly want to be a tattoo artist and I started buying all the tools to start my career in this particular way. At that time, many landlords wouldn't want their building to be a tattoo shop. It was really difficult to find a place to open a tattoo shop. So I started my own studio in a small rented appartment.
Your work mixed cute/kawaii designs with some others with an imagery from horror and death, but there is nothing agressive, gore or dark, how did you go to that style and why? What are your favorite horror movies or movies characters?
I think that my style was defined using the customer's world view and images that they wanted and ask me to create for them. I don't really watch horror movies, and I don't like aggressive or cruel things either.
Lowbrow have a great place in your work. Who are the artists that inspire you? And out of lowbrow, what kind of artistic trends do you like?
I have a lot of favorite artists, but the one I've been most influenced by is Mark Ryden. I also like overseas vintage toys and posters, as well as Japanese retro toys and posters from the Showa period (Showa period: 1926-1989).
All your customers are Japanese only, from Osaka’s area, or from all Japan? Do you have some foreigners customers, if yes, from which countries they come from?
Thankfully, my customers come to get tattooed from all over Japan as well as abroad, including Australia, the United States, Europe, etc... I’m really lucky to have the opportunity to work for and with customers from so different places and countries.
Even when you do some Japanese patterns, in a more traditional Japanese way, there is always a nice and friendly creativity, it’s all sweet and gentle, could be a dragon, a yokai, a daruma or so... what is your artistic approach of traditional Japanese tattoo?
There are many old Japanese figures and good-luck charms with cute designs. I get inspired by those when designing Japanese style tattoos. I am working on creating a new, distinctive Japanese style that is my own, which is different from traditional Japanese tattoos.
In your tattoos and in your paintings, everything becomes kind of a cartoon, with full of solid colors, many details, fat lines, big eyes, faces expressions or manga... do you watch and do you like cartoons and/or anime? Do your read comics and/or manga? Which ones?
Many of the customers who come to my shop like anime and manga, but in reality, I don't watch anime or read manga myself. My customers are great fans of all these images from manga, comics, anime and so on.
What are your favorites colors? And why?
I like red, which gives me energy when I see it. I incorporate something red into my daily routine. For example, I've been wearing red socks every day for the last few years! Other than red, I like pink and pastel colors such as lavender purple and mint green.
Girls and cats are a big part of the characters you made in your art, could be in your tattoos and in your paintings, can you tell us why?
Even though I love cats, I actually have an allergy to them. I think I design cats a lot from that conflict of feelings. The more I draw cats, the more the cat lovers come to book in to get a tattoo... of a cat! It was Mark Ryden's influence that brought me to drawing girls. These designs became popular through media and among my customers so I continued drawing them more and more!
You made also a lot of goodies, all the time, we can see many t-shirts, stickers, key-chains etc etc... All these goodies are like an artistic and creative extension on somme different supports of the TNS style?
Making goodies is just my hobby. In Japan, there is still a prejudice against tattoos and it is not well accepted by Japanese society, so there are many people here in Japan who cannot get tattooed. I want such people to know about my art, and I would be happy if they could wear it as merchandise even if they couldn't get it as a tattoo. All the goodies are mostly out of my own pocket through, I have a lot of fun to made them, lol!
Did you go to many international tattoo conventions all over the world? And also in tattoo events in Japan?
I have participated in many tattoo events in Japan. I have also participated in overseas conventions in the United States and Europe. By attending these events I could interact with many artists, this would therefore influence and contribute to my own skills. For these reasons, I would like to continue participating in tattoo events.
Last words to you...
I am really grateful to my family for understanding and supporting me. Also grateful to the customers who choose me and ask me for exciting tattoos. I will continue to honor my skills and look forward to meet your expectations. And... Thank you so much, Chris, always. Instagram : tns_naokidz
