Check Out Leandy Wu’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leandy Wu.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been drawing since I can remember. Even learning numerals through imagery I related them with! Like the number 5 looks like a nose and brow haha. Growing up in New Zealand, I was outside playing a lot. Always active. Around 17, I came across pictures of tribal and traditional tattoos in a magazine on the street and was immediately fascinated by the compositions, colours, boldness, art style and how eccentric everyone looked. I got my first tattoo on my wrist when I turned 18 (which was a small drawing I did and had my tattoo artist retouch). I got hooked right after that. I went back to the same artist and started a half sleeve as my second tattoo. I even began designing tattoos in my sketch book but I never shared them with anyone. I was obsessed with the local shop. From the harmonic humming of the machines, the smell of green soap, the tattoo beds to the pile of stencil art next to the light box, there were always something I was so intrigued by. I kept collecting tattoos after that, going to different shops and different artists. I even started bringing my own drawings to get them tattooed (which thinking about it now, that must’ve been annoying haha). My fascination and excitement for the art and practice only grew. Deep down, I wanted to belong to a part of the community. It’s as if a bulb switched on in my brain. I need to tattoo.
I was in the middle of an architecture bachelors degree when I left to pursue an apprenticeship instead. Back then, you had to walk into a shop with your portfolio, which can be intimidating considering everyone there was dominantly cis white macho men and here I was, a small young Asian woman. My first apprenticeship didnt go as exactly as expected, which hindered and discouraged me. I had no friends and family who had tattoos or any connections to that world so I felt isolated in my journey. I actually ended up putting that dream on a back burner as the pressure from my parents built with endless questions of ‘what are you going to do now that you’ve dropped out of uni?’ ‘Are you going to find a job?’ ‘You can’t just sit around at home drawing all day.’

I moved out here to Los Angeles in 2016 and a few years later, quit my job because no matter what I did, tattooing was always on my mind. So I decided I wasn’t getting any younger and it was time I listened to and followed my instincts. This time, I seriously committed to pursue tattooing full time. I was again, met with resistance and rejection multiple times. One apprenticeship even told me to just go on YouTube to learn. I didn’t give up. I feel like that paid off because soon enough, I got to meet some wonderful, gifted, passionate tattoo artists along my journey who inspired and propelled me forward. My relationship with tattooing deepened. It felt like there were no limits to the craft. Through peers, I was able to learn even more about tattooing such as how to refine and translate my illustrations into tattoos, technical education, cultural significance, and efficiency – just to name a few- which all shaped me into the tattoo artist I am today. I can only be grateful for everything that did and did not work out for me on my path and I am always open to learn and grow as a human and a tattoo artist. Currently, I co own a private collective with artists I admire and respect. Although we are a team of three, it has enabled us to create an environment energized with intention and agency we resonate with and to be able to share that with our clients and friends has been exciting! I love that we all have our own art styles and came from different backgrounds and disciplines. It is refreshing and inspiring! I am humbled by the love and support I have received and I look forward to more adventures ahead.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not! I’ve been discerned with parental disapproval (in most asian cultures, its quite important and common we choose a career our elders approve and can respect.) racial discrimination and misogyny (just like most industries). Judgment from friends and relatives that could influence my decision making. Lack of self esteem and confidence. The lack of confidence to make a choice that truly spoke to myself despite what others wanted for me and worried for me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I tattoo full time. My art style is Illustrative, ornamental, detailed, bold and contrasting. It is a melting pot of my life so far. Themes usually revolve around fantasy, Asian motifs and imagery, animals, femme fatales, nature etc I’ve been told my tattoos seem to have a story behind them, like you could conspire a narrative depending on the viewers’ imagination!

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
As a kid I loved Pokémon, Digimon, Yugioh, Tomb Raider, The Lion King, dogs etc (I still love these things). My best friend in primary school and I used to play pretend a lot outside and would fantasize about our own versions of these subjects. After school, we would make up and draw our own yugioh cards, Pokémon/digimon characters and their evolutions etc so naturally, I love and appreciate illustrators, painters and character designers like yasushi nirasawa, katsuya terada and yoshitaka amano etc I could flip through their books all day for endless inspiration and be in awe. Sometimes, I use tattooing as a venue to character design and it’s so much fun.

Inspiration can be drawn from anything and everything on a daily basis. A walk in nature, a funny looking dog I saw last week, a conversation I overheard, a solo drive across the desert plains, an educational video on the end of the ice age at the LACMA, dinosaurs, anything!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chilli0il/?hl=en