“Tattoos are our second skin. Respect them, and cherish every inch of it.”
Jin Wei continues to expand internationally through guest spots and conventions, he remains grounded in this core belief: Tattoos are not images placed on the body, but a second skin, something to be respected, studied, and lived with. Approaching tattooing with the eye of a filmmaker and the discipline of a craftsman, the former film producer brings a strong sense of composition, pacing, and narrative into his work. His practice centers on creative realism infused with Japanese cultural elements, executed with a clear awareness of anatomy, movement, and long-term aging.
Rather than pursuing density for immediate impact, Jin Wei prioritizes structure, negative space, and visual rhythm, particularly in large-scale projects such as full sleeves and legs. His perspective reflects an artist who values clarity over excess and process over shortcuts, drawing subtle parallels between contemporary realism and traditional Japanese tattoo principles.
Hello Jin Wei! For the readers who are not familiar with you, how would you introduce yourself?
I’m a Chinese tattoo artist currently based in Tokyo, Japan. At the moment, I mainly focus on creative realism, with a strong emphasis on Japanese-themed designs. My work blends realism with cultural elements, always considering how the tattoo interacts with the body and how it will age over time.
Where did your fascination for tattoos come from?
My initial fascination with tattoos came from seeing ink on singers and basketball players. Tattoos felt powerful, expressive, and closely tied to personal identity, which naturally drew my interest.
At what point in your life did you become a professional tattoo artist?
Before tattooing, I worked as a film producer. Even during that time, I already had many tattoos myself. Out of personal interest, I decided to learn tattooing. Friends began asking me to tattoo them, and because I wanted to give them quality work, I constantly pushed myself to improve. As my skills developed, tattooing gradually became my main profession.
How do you balance creativity with the client’s personal vision?
First, I confirm whether a client comes to me specifically because of my style. If that’s the case, it gives me more freedom to use my imagination. I also make sure to explain my design choices clearly, why certain elements are placed a certain way, because my designs are based on technical experience, visual impact when fresh, and how the tattoo will heal over time.
How would you describe the tattoo scene in your country these days?
In Japan, tattooing is still in a relatively early stage of development. The scene is mainly dominated by Old School and traditional Japanese tattoo styles. While other styles are slowly emerging, the overall environment hasn’t yet reached true stylistic diversity.
How would you define your current tattoo style and how did you end up focusing on it?
I focus on creative realism, often using highly saturated shading to achieve strong realism. I place great importance on how the tattoo looks after healing, which has some similarities to traditional Japanese tattoo principles. Thanks to my earlier experiences, I’m comfortable using many techniques, Japanese traditional shading, single-needle work, 3RL Asian traditional shading, as well as different magnums and curved needles. I don’t limit myself to one tool; I choose whatever best serves the final result. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with combining realism with Japanese, Chinese, ink wash, and graffiti elements to create more dynamic and interesting compositions.
Please walk us through your process when you start a new tattoo for your customers.
I begin by confirming the style the client wants and asking them to share reference images. Then I discuss the elements they want, placement, size, and also confirm practical details such as height, weight, skin tone, budget, and available time. After creating an initial draft, we discuss it together and make adjustments until we reach the best possible result.
What’s the most challenging aspect of being a tattoo artist in 2025?
This year, I’ve started taking on more large-scale projects, such as full sleeves and full legs. Designing tattoos that flow naturally across an entire arm or leg and look strong from every angle is a new and demanding challenge for me.
What’s a tattoo project that challenged your skills the most?
When working on large-scale pieces, I avoid overly dense realism. Instead, I prefer clear shapes and symmetrical negative space. Finding the right balance between realism and breathing space requires constant experimentation directly on the client’s skin, which has been one of my biggest technical challenges.
What’s your experience at tattoo conventions so far?
In 2023, I attended a tattoo convention in Rome, which is the only convention I’ve participated in so far. Since my child was born shortly after, I haven’t traveled much. It was my first time attending a convention alone and in a foreign country, so I felt unprepared at times. Tattooing while people stopped to talk to me was challenging, but meeting many artists made the experience very meaningful.
Did you ever participate in any tattoo contest?
Yes, I participated in a micro tattoo competition during the Rome convention.
What’s your primary reason to attend a tattoo convention?
I want to meet more tattoo artists, observe how others work, and let more people get to know my style.
How do you think tattoo conventions could improve for the artists and the public?
It’s important to clearly define competition rules. For example, in the micro tattoo competition I entered, there were size limits, yet many works exceeded them. Another important point is that judges for specific styles should ideally be top-level artists in those styles.
What’s your favorite tattoo convention so far? And why?
Although I haven’t attended many conventions, the Rome convention remains a great memory for me. I met many people, exchanged ideas with fellow artists, and gained valuable experience.
What advice would you give to first-time artists attending or working at a convention?
Check everything in advance, entry times, required materials, competition rules. It also helps to talk to artists who’ve attended before and learn about local tattoo preferences.
What advice would you offer to someone considering a career as a tattoo artist?
I don’t believe everyone has natural talent for tattooing, nor that being good at drawing guarantees success. At the same time, someone who isn’t good at drawing can still become a great tattoo artist. My advice is to try learning tattooing first. If it doesn’t suit you, it’s okay to stop. But if it feels right, persist, experience and consistency will eventually lead to breakthroughs.
Who are the people you admire the most within the tattoo community?
Although I mainly work in black and grey, I really admire certain color tattoo artists, such as those at Sagma Tattoo Gallery and artists like Victoria Lee from China.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a tattoo artist?
For me, it’s not only about being recognized by clients, but also earning recognition from fellow tattoo artists within the industry.
How do you stay at the top of your game?
From time to time, I look for tattoo models. This allows me to work freely without client limitations and fully explore new ideas and techniques I want to experiment with.
What’s the most meaningful feedback you’ve ever received from a client?
I have a client who loves traveling. He often tells me that locals in different countries compliment his tattoos. Since tattoos are like a second skin, there’s a big difference between hearing “You have a lot of tattoos” and “Your tattoos are really beautiful.” That kind of feedback means a lot to me.
What are your goals or dreams for the near future?
This year, I want to travel abroad more for guest spots and learning opportunities, attend more tattoo conventions, and let more people see and recognize my style.
Do you have a sponsor? If so, what could you tell us about your sponsors?
Not at the moment.
Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
Tattoos are our second skin. Please respect them and cherish every inch of it.
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