Meet Seiji @seiji_tattoo | Tattoo Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Seiji @seiji_tattoo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Seiji, how do you think about risk?
Quitting my nice, good paying job as a product designer at a reputable design agency to become a tattoo artist was an extremely difficult and scary decision, but after years of working in the design industry it became the clear move for me. I used to enjoy trying to prove myself to the higher ups and meet client/ user needs with flying colors. Years later I found myself tired of the corporate environment, which felt increasingly inauthentic. I did not enjoy having a company control when I could take time for myself or determine my value. I did not enjoy having to report to a manager, or impress people with portfolio reviews. And I wanted to create my artistic vision, not design for theirs.

I had taken professional risks before. After graduating with a Product Design degree from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, I had my eyes set on my dream job (the one I ended up quitting years later). I wanted to design for good, and the design agency doing that at the highest level is IDEO.org, the non profit arm of design agency IDEO. I made my thesis (an affordable housing project) specifically to appeal to them, and had begun the interview process with them for an Industrial Designer position. I turned down job offers at Nike, NASA and a tech company that was going to pay me tons of money, just for the chance to continue the interview process with IDEO.org. It ended up paying off; I got the dream job and had an incredible experience there where I traveled to Nigeria, Uganda, India and around the US designing healthcare, brith control access and financial mobility services for marginalized communities. It was amazing and the risk payed off. Now I’m working hard to make this new risk pay off too.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a tattoo artist, coming from a career in design. I began my career studying to be a concept artist at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. I did this for 3 years, freelancing on video games and a feature film, before changing my major to Product Design, which I have a Bachelors of Science in, with a Minor in Social Innovation. I worked as a designer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Austrian industrial design agency Kiska, and non profit design agency IDEO.org.

In this new chapter as a tattoo artist, I try to employ everything I’ve learned from my diverse career. I use my drawing and painting skills from my concept artist chapter. I apply industrial design principles of making decisions through a systematic and logical line of thinking, and I try to create a clear, enjoyable user experience for my clients, from discovering my work, to the design consultation, to getting tattooed and beyond.

Visually, I always try to simplify. I believe that less is more, and when things are simpler they have to be more refined and iconic. I am torn between the worlds of contemporary illustration, which deals more with form and perspective, and traditional Japanese art, which is very flat and graphic. My work is the balance between these two artistic philosophies that I love very dearly.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
El Matador Beach in Malibu for some nature, dinner at Lasita in Chinatown, a show at the Fonda, and a tattoo at SashaTattooing Gallery in Highland Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The biggest and most sincere shoutout to my mentor, Misha @fkmtattoo, and my shop owner Sasha Masiuk @sashatattooing. Misha is a truly masterful tattooer and an outstanding mentor. He’s always real with me, pointing out what is working, what could be better, and what I could do differently. Misha pushes me to be better through tangible feedback and guidance and offers up excellent technical and design knowledge. Sasha has also been such a wonderful host, creating a creative space that’s great to work in and a culture that feels both welcoming and very high level in technique.

Website: https://seijitattoo.com

Instagram: @seiji_tattoo