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Featured Artist Interview - Junichi Tsuneoka
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Junichi Tsuneoka
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Junichi Tsuneoka was born and raised in Japan and, upon graduating Waseda University in Tokyo, arrived in the U.S. at the end of the 20th Century. After five years as a graphic designer, he established a style often recognized as ‘California Roll Stylie,’ the result of both a visual and conceptual fusion of Japanese pop culture and American urban culture.
Tsuneoka founded studio Stubborn Sideburn to broaden his visual communication and to employ his visual language in art, illustration, and design. His pieces possess highly communicative, assertive graphics, and contain clear signs pointing back to his strong design background.
TAXI>>Hi Junichi, welcome to the Front Seat today with TAXI . Let’s start with telling us what you do and how you got started.
Junichi>> I am a graphic designer/illustrator and founded Studio Stubborn Sideburn as my own design business. I was originally working as a graphic designer at Seattle based company called Modern Dog Design for five years, and I decided to take another challenge and I became an independent artist.
TAXI>>Your style is defined as ‘California Roll Stylie,‘ could you explain to us what that is?
Junichi>> It is both conceptual and visual fusion of Japanese pop culture and U.S. urban culture. California Roll's idea came from Japan, but it is customized for the U.S. audience. That is just like my art.
TAXI>>You’ve got quite a collection of characters from your work, could you share with us who was the most memorable client to illustrate?
Junichi>> There are many but Seattle Weekly gave me an opportunity to work with the Obama caricature before the election. That was actually the first time I did caricature incorporated into my style of work, so it was a new challenge which gave me a new perspective. And of course, Obama won the election after the issue came out so it was very memorable for me.
TAXI>>What do you do to sustain your passion for this career?
Junichi>> Nothing special. I like what I do, so it is very easy for me to sustain my passion. I actually think about my work 24/7.
TAXI>>Now that you’ve accumulated quite a bit of work, which do you consider your best and favourite? And why?
Junichi>> I usually like the most recent work and it is rare that I like something I did long time ago. I guess I always try to do better than the last one I did.
Even if something is very subtle, I try to do some new things every time. It is not like the latest one is better than the previous one necessarily, but I get more excited about my recent works
TAXI>>What would you say was the most important lesson you learnt when you first started out?Conversely, if you could do away with one thing in all that you have learnt, what would that be?
Junichi>> No matter how small the job is, I have to do my very best every single time. I learnt that this actually pays off.
TAXI>>Here’s a fun question we have for you. You're at a restaurant where you are served a meal of burger, fries and a sushi platter, which would you eat first? Does sushi go well with ketchup?
Junichi>> It's a tough question. Sushi definitely doesn't go with ketchup so I can't imagine eating a burger and fries with a sushi platter. So could I just eat the sushi platter and not the burger and fries?
TAXI>>Could we take a peek into your workspace?
Junichi>> Yes, please take a peek.
TAXI>>Before we end, tell us where you would like a TAXI to take you!
Junichi>> To the next level please.
© 2003 - 2009 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.
Tsuneoka founded studio Stubborn Sideburn to broaden his visual communication and to employ his visual language in art, illustration, and design. His pieces possess highly communicative, assertive graphics, and contain clear signs pointing back to his strong design background.
TAXI>>Hi Junichi, welcome to the Front Seat today with TAXI . Let’s start with telling us what you do and how you got started.
Junichi>> I am a graphic designer/illustrator and founded Studio Stubborn Sideburn as my own design business. I was originally working as a graphic designer at Seattle based company called Modern Dog Design for five years, and I decided to take another challenge and I became an independent artist.
TAXI>>Your style is defined as ‘California Roll Stylie,‘ could you explain to us what that is?
Junichi>> It is both conceptual and visual fusion of Japanese pop culture and U.S. urban culture. California Roll's idea came from Japan, but it is customized for the U.S. audience. That is just like my art.
TAXI>>You’ve got quite a collection of characters from your work, could you share with us who was the most memorable client to illustrate?
Junichi>> There are many but Seattle Weekly gave me an opportunity to work with the Obama caricature before the election. That was actually the first time I did caricature incorporated into my style of work, so it was a new challenge which gave me a new perspective. And of course, Obama won the election after the issue came out so it was very memorable for me.
TAXI>>What do you do to sustain your passion for this career?
Junichi>> Nothing special. I like what I do, so it is very easy for me to sustain my passion. I actually think about my work 24/7.
TAXI>>Now that you’ve accumulated quite a bit of work, which do you consider your best and favourite? And why?
Junichi>> I usually like the most recent work and it is rare that I like something I did long time ago. I guess I always try to do better than the last one I did.
Even if something is very subtle, I try to do some new things every time. It is not like the latest one is better than the previous one necessarily, but I get more excited about my recent works
TAXI>>What would you say was the most important lesson you learnt when you first started out?Conversely, if you could do away with one thing in all that you have learnt, what would that be?
Junichi>> No matter how small the job is, I have to do my very best every single time. I learnt that this actually pays off.
TAXI>>Here’s a fun question we have for you. You're at a restaurant where you are served a meal of burger, fries and a sushi platter, which would you eat first? Does sushi go well with ketchup?
Junichi>> It's a tough question. Sushi definitely doesn't go with ketchup so I can't imagine eating a burger and fries with a sushi platter. So could I just eat the sushi platter and not the burger and fries?
TAXI>>Could we take a peek into your workspace?
Junichi>> Yes, please take a peek.
TAXI>>Before we end, tell us where you would like a TAXI to take you!
Junichi>> To the next level please.
© 2003 - 2009 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.