JOEY PANG | INTERVIEW
Joey Pang, tatoo artist in Hong Kong, gave us the pleasure to answer a few questions about her work, her inspirations, and her vision of color.
S/Team: How & why did you start tatooing?
Joey Pang: I have liked drawing for as long as I can remember. It’s actually my first memory. I have always wanted to look for profession which was related to drawing. I tried to turn my passion into my profession. I started by going to school for design but found out that this kind of formalized training as well as the curriculum had nothing to do with art or drawing. If you were “designer” in Hong Kong this was more like an office job than anything related to the creative field. However from this I was able to get a solid foundation in color theory as well as graphic composition. Then I went to study makeup. This was a change to do something with colors and I stayed with this until I had an opportunity to try body painting. I enjoyed body painting so much yet it really upset me because the artwork would only last for a single day. From seeing this I moved to drawing on the body in a more permanent manner. And I see tattooing as a drawing tool or medium for my expression.
S/T: Where did you get that peculiar style, similar to painting?
JP: The traditional hand drawing graphic design training allowed me to develop my straight lines and fine details. You have to pay particular attention to all the points and symmetry. And the Chinese calligraphy along with Chinese painting / watercolor art is what allowed me to develop a flow. In Chinese we refer to this as the chi or energy, it is a kind of peace.
S/T: What kind of art form tattoo express to you?
JP: The main categories would have to be portrait art, brush styles (including painting and watercolor), Japanese art and of course, Chinese art.
S/T: How did you work the color, so important in your work?
JP: I see color as the language of emotion. And here less is more.
S/T: What / who are your inspirations?
JP: Felip Leu inspired me with the full body art concept when I first got into tattooing. And this gave me a life goal.
Thank you very much to Joey, Chris and Tattoo Temple.