Stu Pagdin is a tattoo artist working from his studio, Meiji Tattoo, in Adelaide, Australia. With over 19 years of experience, he’s built a reputation for his Japanese tattooing. Alongside his tattoo practice, Stu explores a range of creative projects while travelling throughout Australia and internationally for guest spots and tattoo expos.
Vault Editions caught up with Stu to learn more about his creative practice, which spans tattooing, skateboard graphics, art toys, and much more.
Vault Editions caught up with Stu to learn more about his creative practice, which spans tattooing, skateboard graphics, art toys, and much more.
1. Hi Stu, you’ve been tattooing for 19 years now, and you have built a strong reputation for your Japanese-style / irezumi tattoos. What first drew you to this visual language?
Hello! Next year marks 20 years tattooing. It's crazy because it only seems like half that time has passed. Tattooing is so great that time just disappears, I guess that's the beauty of doing something you love every day. I started my career in a small walk in studio on the seaside coast of south-east England, apprenticing under Dave Foxely. Not having any booked appointments and just relying on walk ins, I got to try every style of tattooing from script, to realism, to tribal and geometric styles. Japanese and irezumi style resonated with me the most out of all of them, the imagery is so bold and powerful, and the flow of the tattoos with the body fascinated me. Little did I know at the time that it was the style I would be doing 99% of 20 years later haha.
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
2. You began your tattoo apprenticeship in the UK at the age of 22. If you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Being so young and starting in the tattoo industry at the time I did, it was a fantastic era of tattooing, and some might say it was the golden era. A lot has changed in the industry now, with the advent of social media and AI, and it was a lot more relaxed (in ways) in the 2000's. The competitiveness was not so predominant back then. If I could go back in time and give any advice, it would probably be to study my preferred style more thoroughly from the very start. As I mentioned, I did tattoo all styles for the first 5/8 years of my tattoo career, but if I had studied the Japanese style and culture more, I feel it would reflect a lot in the work I am doing now. But, saying that I really enjoy the journey of learning, and I don't think I will ever stop educating myself. Every day brings knowledge, and I enjoy the process 100%.
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
3. In other interviews, you’ve said you used to work in a Neo-Traditional style, but today you’re firmly established in the visual world of Japanese tattoo. How has your artwork style evolved over the last 20 years? Are there any new ideas or visuals that you’d like to incorporate in your work?
I did have a secret love for Neo Traditional tattooing (and I still do haha), and I focused on that style predominantly at that time in my career. Being situated in the UK, Europe in mid 2000's was a power house for Neo Traditional artists (like Lus Lips and Xam) and I was subjected to and influenced by this style being around it so much. Friends were on these artists' waiting lists for up to 2 years to get a piece from them, and I wanted to be at that level. The quality of the work coming out of Europe was off the charts, and it pushed me to be better, and my style naturally morphed into that genre purely from influence. I was still practicing Japanese style tattoos at the same time (but not as much), and I feel Neo Traditional style had an influence on that side of my tattooing as well, somewhat to this day still.
I feel my artwork has evolved in a totally different way in the last 2/3 years due to studying more traditional aspects of Japanese style, and trying to keep in line with the values and looks of the older master Japanese tattoo artists. But in saying that, I still like to try and incorporate other ideas into my work and I feel the Split Head style imagery plays a big role in that.
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
I feel my artwork has evolved in a totally different way in the last 2/3 years due to studying more traditional aspects of Japanese style, and trying to keep in line with the values and looks of the older master Japanese tattoo artists. But in saying that, I still like to try and incorporate other ideas into my work and I feel the Split Head style imagery plays a big role in that.
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
4. Over the course of your career you have created so many unique and compelling tattoo designs - is there a tattoo you'd love to do that no one has asked you for yet? Or one that especially resonated with you?
I am very lucky with my clientele and having so much freedom in what I do. A lot of the time I get asked to do what I think will look best, with some very loose ideas from the client themselves, which helps me to explore different ideas and looks I want to achieve in my large scale work. A large percentage of my work is large areas/full body suits, and I am very appreciative of the opportunity I get presented with and the commitment from the client to offer most of their body to be completed by myself. Some ideas I have for future projects would be a full bodysuit of dragons, and a suit of just water. These projects would be very exciting, and I am currently on the lookout for someone willing to go ahead with these!
5. You’ve created work inspired by the iconic skateboard graphic, the Santa Cruz Screaming Hand. What drew you to re-interpret such a classic piece of skate art, and how did you approach putting your own spin on it?
Being such an iconic image, I wanted to put a twist on it to challenge myself within my art style. Applying some of the Split Head style to this image was something that naturally worked. I haven't tried painting translucent style imagery before, so trying to figure out how to paint it was the initial stage to figure out. Once I had tried a couple of methods, I settled on using an airbrush to create softness and smoothness to make the hand semi see-through. I am happy with the outcome, but I learned a lot while painting that image. I have figured out the method to apply this to another painting in the future, which is in the pipeline, and it will be 10x better!
Illustration by Stu Pagdin
6. Working with so many clients, you’ve seen firsthand how important tattoo aftercare products are. You and your partner, Jade, have your own aftercare brand, Bamboogoo. What inspired you to create it, and how does it improve the aftercare experience for clients?
We’ve seen countless products marketed as the "best way to heal your tattoo" over the years, but more often than not, they fall short. They even do more harm than good. Many of these products are created by individuals outside the industry, which only adds to the confusion and frustration. We grew tired of unreliable options, so we decided to create our own solution, Bamboogoo. With the combined expertise and experience of Jade and myself, we formulated a truly effective aftercare product. Years of real-world testing on clients (who generously volunteered) and on ourselves have provided us with invaluable insights into what a great tattoo aftercare product should look, feel, and perform like. We designed a product with genuine knowledge and a passion for helping tattoos heal beautifully.
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
7. Can you tell us about your art toy project Splitheadz?
Splitheadz has been a project I've been working on for quite a few years now (the first tattoo I did was around 2015). It started with some cool flash, and quickly gained popularity and I took the idea and expanded it into many different art directions. I've done paintings, prints, tattoos, stickers, enamel pins, clothing and other merchandise. The most recent project is the 3d art toy I have been working on. From the initial drawings to the design process, colour ways, packaging, and production, I've learnt a lot from this and depending on how it goes on release, will dictate where I continue with the Splitheadz project. It's been a lot of fun and it's an idea I've had for some time, and seeing it come to life has been a great journey. I am planning on releasing this early next year so join the mailing list to keep an eye out for that!
Splitheadz toy by Stu Pagdin
8. You’ve completed a bodysuit for your client Kye, which looks amazing. How did you approach planning and executing this project? What were the most important things to consider when doing a project like that?
Kye is a legend and one might say the perfect client (also known as a unicorn). He came to me with 0 tattoos and wanted to do the suit from the very start. This is rare, and I am still so humbled that Kye chose me to complete this project for him. We started with the right leg first, and chose to finish that piece, and then moved onto lining the torso out completely, leaving the right leg until last. There is no protocol for me to follow as I don't do traditional style tattooing, but for my next bodysuit, I will choose to line the entire body first, then work at the colour and background. I think I approach each one differently, as some clients don't know they want a bodysuit until they have been getting so many tattoos, that I kind of just turn it into one at the end, which is also really cool. Unlike Kye completing his suit from the get-go over the course of 3 years, some of my regulars that have been getting tattoos for 10+ years also arrive at body suit status but with a different journey. Either way, it's a great feeling to have completed such artwork with one client!
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
9. You are often travelling for guest spots or tattoo expos. Do you have a favourite city or country you’ve visited for tattooing, and what made it stand out?
Over the years, I have travelled to a lot of countries, and each place has something magical that makes it stand out. Having great company when travelling makes every experience and place memorable, and I've had some cracker trips in the past, hanging out, tattooing, sightseeing, and partying. Tattooing has given me so much, and I am very grateful for the opportunities it continues to give. Travel is a massive part of character building and experience as a young up-and-coming tattoo artist. It's necessary to make connections and learn from as many people as you can!
Tattoo process by Stu Pagdin
10. And finally, is there a book (art-related or otherwise!) that's had a lasting impact on you or your creative process?
One book that has been a standout for me is the Illustrations of Birds for John Gould by Edward Lear, signed and introduced by David Attenborough. This book is full of amazing bird lithographs and has been a treasured item. I look through it from time to time to gain inspiration, not just for tattoo-related art but just art in general. A book well worth checking out (if you can find a copy!) for its detailed depictions and also just a wonder to hold in your hands.
Tattoo by Stu Pagdin at Meiji Tattoo, Adelaide, Australia
Thanks for the great conversation, Stu. We’re excited to see where your work goes next!
