Tattooist Fuses Contemporary Freehand Techniques with Traditional Japanese Themes

Tattoo artist Gakkin produces delicate works on skin that are designed with a freehand approach. Opting to draw directly onto his client's body before tattooing an image, the Japanese artist forgoes a stencil and tailors each design to the specific person—other artists, in contrast, would create something beforehand, show it to their client, and then use transfer paper to place it on the skin.

Gakkin describes his tattoos as “a new approach to traditional Japanese themes.” He uses classic imagery and decorates his clients with flowers, leaves, and waves, while also incorporating contemporary styles. Gakkin covers the body in ink to create bold blackout tattoos or uses a hint of red for a striking accent. Never straying too far from his roots, however, he follows the wabori rules of Japanese tattooing, which dictates standards like cherry blossoms and maple leaves should never appear in the same design.

Gakkin: Website | Instagram | Facebook
via [RocketNews24]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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