Today we’d like to introduce you to Jainai Jeffries.
Hi Jainai, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Final Fantasy 7, two years or so after it came out, I finally played it myself, then looked in the pamphlet and saw “character designer”: That was the first time I had a specific career goal to aim for. Before then, I vaguely knew it would be in some form of art.
I’d say my career started around 2008-2009: freelance artist. Concept artist, then illustrations, comics, fashion, etc.. So, I’ll try my best to break that down in a vague timeline:
2004-2005: lived in Tokyo, Japan as a university student.
2008-2009: Freelance with a few companies: concepts and games.
2009: Started freelance illustrating for individuals: my “day sketch” service, where I did the sketch and delivered within 24hrs.
2009: Tattoo apprenticeship/ tattooer at a street shop in LA, Feb. – Oct.
2009-20??: Various services offered through the next 14 years
..in order, more or less: day sketch – livestream sketch (discontinued 2016) – overnight sketch (discontinued 2016)- characo – egg adopt – tailor-made (fashion design (and ref sheet) service, mostly for people’s OC) – iron sketch (discontinued 2018?) – 1hr sketch – iron page.
So about 11 different art commission services (a few comic anthologies and company gigs as well), totaling about 4500 commissions, over the span of 13 years.
2014 (April): Lived in Koh Phangan, Thailand for a full month.
2016: Set up the “benefit program”
2016: Moved to Vancouver, WA to open my private tattooing.
2017: Established ‘fydbac,llc’
2019: Opened ‘fyd mi ink: tattoo boutique’
2021: Tattooing became my main bread and butter (I still offer other commissions and such tho)
2023 (August): Moved back to LA, especially for tattooing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’d say my career is a miracle: Being able to maintain full independence, afford a livelihood, (rent, bills, etc.) buy a motorcycle, go to Thailand for a month, move across states twice, all financed through a career 98% fueled by individual clients (not studios), and BARELY ever gaining solid traction online despite my efforts? A miracle.
I finally acknowledged it was… challenging, when I realized I was burned out in 2018. Where I was probably two years late on: 4500+ commissions/gigs in about 11 years (at the time), with only about 112 being personal work.
A short layout of my main challenges:
- My main challenge has always been getting my name out there. I know hustle, been there, breathed it to the point I didn’t realize I was even hustling that hard. I always felt I wasn’t doing enough. My confidence in myself and my skills never faltered tho. It was always, “how do I reach more potential clients without jeopardizing who I am?”. I don’t put up fake “I’m everyone’s friend” tactic, I naturally don’t care to share my thoughts unsolicitedly (the one instance I go against my nature sometimes), I’m not, as some folk put it, ”overtly friendly’. I did a survey a couple of times between 2016-2018 I think, and the main thing people said on why they don’t commission me, “You’re intimidating”, and “You’re too professional”.
- Also, I suspect people do not believe that I am the sole artist behind my work, no matter how well I present myself. A majority of the time, when I’m doing leg work (randomly meeting people and promoting), they seem too surprised that the work is actually mine. Even at past events, where I had some pre-mades on display, AND I was actively drawing something, folk would be flabbergasted that I’m the artist. Incredibly disheartening to consider I’d probably get more bookings if I was not Black and woman appearing. (I’ve heard other black femme-appearing artists doing conventions, have too many instances where visitors initially assume their non-black booth helper is the artist.).
- One of the reasons that inspired me to put “black” and “she/her/they” on my IG is from how a person came in, and it took two tries before I convinced them I was the artist: 1st I corrected that I was the designer, then I had to correct them that I was the tattoo artist as well. They thought I was an Asian man.
- One thing that may be simultaneously a positive and a negative, is my unorthodox ways. Even before I added tattooing to my services, I never operated the same as most; and that was a real surprising problem in the beginning, most folk would compliment how I wasn’t like most commission artists. And now it’s the same for tattooing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in eradicating the mediocre through my own creative voice.
I’d say my career is, “storyteller”: in which I use various mediums: character design, comics, illustration, fashion design, concepting, tattooing, and etc. My main artistry for over 10 years was NSFW (erotic art). Currently, my main bag at the moment is tattooing, in which I’m always told by clients that they never experienced my ways before, including my ‘Benefit Program’.
To keep it short, here’s just 7 aspects I’ve been told stand out about my methods:
– ‘Benefit program’: which helps clients save for their tattoo/commission, among other benefits (for everyone wanting or not wanting a tattoo): lowers the hourly/day rate, acts as an art fund, even better deals during tattoo events, priority access to pre-made designs (‘flickers’), lower flat rate for pre-made designs, Monthly and Annual memberships options, seven membership levels, and so much more: http://fydbac.com/benefits
– Multiple concepts (sketched live in front of the client) for the client to choose from, not just ONE.
– Exclusively freehand, I don’t use stencils (thankfully, some others do this too!).
– One don’t even need an idea before coming to me: they just need genuine love for my work, genuine desire for a tattoo from me, and full trust! I LOVE full freedom on a project: I’m very quick with my imagination.
– When one chooses to finalize a concept before tattooing: I finalize the design as its own wall art version, in which the client may take home after their final tattoo session.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
All the big laughs: To share just one that comes to mind: Like when my brother was driving this hooptie we were in, and it broke down yet again. He was PISSED, and I was trying to hold said laugh in for what seemed like forever.
Pricing:
- Non-Benefiter: $250/hr OR $1,400/day
- Benefiter: Basic levels: $200/hr OR $1,300/day
- Benefiter: Royal levels: $180-$160/hr OR $1,300-$1,000/day
- Sketch commissions: $60-$200+
- Flickers (flat rate wall art, where the tattoo version is optional): $400-$3,000+
Contact Info:
- Website: Main: http://fydbac.com | Tattooing: http://fydmi.ink | Comics/artbooks: http://fydtales.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/fydbac
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/fydbac
- Other: http://tiktok.com/fydbac
