Jingxi Gu is originally from Shanghai, China where she graduated from the top art program in Asia, Tsinghua University.
She specializes in Chinese Painting and Asian Traditional styles, both of which are rooted in ancient Chinese Art and translated into today’s most visible and intimate canvas: the human body.
She is the owner and lead artist at Patch Tattoo Therapy in Tarzana, CA which offers custom tattoos and tattoo training workshops for aspiring tattoo artists.
Success Story
Reflecting on Jingxi Gu’s perspective of success as a renowned tattoo artist, she believes it’s not about the number of clients or annual income. She argues that an artist might be doing well financially, but if they are unable to craft a distinct personal art style for their clients, they essentially become just tattoo workers.
These individuals earn their living from tattoo execution, as clients usually approach them with reference images, wanting them to make a few adjustments before creating the tattoo. While Jingxi acknowledges there’s nothing wrong with this role and commends their ability to build a career out of tattooing, she doesn’t see it as a successful trajectory for a genuine artist.
After seven years of crafting tattoos, Jingxi finds herself in the unique position where clients specifically choose her for her personal art style, happily granting her creative freedom to deliver her best work. A testament to her reputation is that most of her clients are willing to wait at least a year on her waiting list and travel from out-of-state to book an appointment with her.
In her career journey, Jingxi’s biggest challenge has consistently been finding the balance between business and personal art. She’s often faced with the dilemma of whether to create tattoos that are market-friendly and guaranteed to sell well and attract followers or to create art that is a true reflection of her personal style.
This conflict is particularly prominent when most potential clients prefer mainstream tattoos popular on platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. Recreating these designs with minor adjustments, Jingxi believes, offers very limited creative output.
Like many tattoo artists, Jingxi faced the harsh reality of needing to pay bills and support her family. She was grappling to make ends meet, and in an attempt to build a following, she took on too many projects that didn’t enhance her skills as an artist but brought in the money. Looking back, she sees this as a waste of time in relation to her long-term goals.
Her turning point came when she decided to prioritize personal growth, even if it meant sacrificing years of high income. She poured her savings into her future, investing in herself.
Instead of indulging in vacations and fine dining, she spent thousands of dollars traveling from city to city, attending classes on the construction of tattoo machines, improving her tattoo techniques, and learning how to market herself better.
Jingxi opted to spend more time studying and honing her art and skills rather than accepting every client for the sake of income. Instead of taking on more profitable bookings, she began to share her own art online and offered significant discounts for her tattoo work.
She started thinking beyond the present day, considering how her actions today could shape her future. This approach enabled her to gradually rebrand herself as an expert tattoo artist rather than a tattoo worker and build a following that appreciated her for her art and expertise, not just her tattoo execution.
Many artists have approached Jingxi, curious about her journey. Even those who have been tattooing for years and earning a decent income struggle to attract clients who appreciate their genuine art. Her advice remains consistent: commit to long-term improvement, even if it means downsizing your lifestyle for a few years.
If Jingxi could turn back time, she believes she would have benefitted from finding a mentor and learning in an artistic environment for at least five years before launching her own studio. A lot of her knowledge was gained through trial and error, a process she thinks could have been five times faster with a great mentor.
In conclusion, Jingxi firmly asserts that there are no magic shortcuts. She advises everyone to think about their goals and the steps needed to achieve them. After weighing whether the necessary sacrifices are worth it, she encourages committing to the path without looking back.
For Jingxi, the journey was long and arduous, but the choice was straightforward.
If you would like to get in touch with Jingxi Gu or her company, you can do it through her – Instagram
