Hi I’m Jason Lu (jjjaylud).

Here’s some information about my tattoo career, background and way of thinking.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I’ve been painfully meticulous and obsessive for as long as I can remember. There have been moments in my life where this has severly weighed me down. Although a curse early on, it really has become one of the best blessings in my life. Along with other hobbies, my work is the perfect outlet for me to live happily.

 
 

In 2013-2014, I apprenticed under Kyung Oh and Soo Oh from Dragonfly3 in Jamaica Avenue, Queens. They were the first in their generation of Korean tattooers to immigrate and work in America, contributing to the transformation of this new age of tattooing we are witnessing today. Many early tattoo artists apprenticed, worked and “graduated” out of Dragonfly3 making them a well known establishment among our tattooing community.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

If Kyung wasn’t smoking a cigarette or cracking jokes, he was proactively running the shop. And if Soo wasn’t on her meal break or chatting with the regulars, she would be tattooing or drawing. The examples they set taught me so much.

 
 
 
 
 
 

I owe a great chunk of my strong work ethic, customer interaction and tattoo knowledge to Dragonfly3. It’s been a while since I left that studio and I always remember how they treated me; Like family. I still think about them a lot.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It took years to hone my tattooing and artistic skills but that was the easy part in hindsight. As a socially awkward kid, I had to work hard for my hospitality and social skills. I’m nearing my 30’s and I’m finally starting to truly feel comfortable in my own skin so I can be comfortable with others. With this, I can offer a satisfying experience for anyone of any walk of life.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I try to structure my life around having plenty of sleep, exercise and eating quality food to maintain a healthy body. I make time for the relationships with my family and the very few friends that I have. Having a stable social environment will help me maintain a healthy mind. With both a healthy body and mind, I maximize the capacity to do my best work and to continue improving it.

 
 
 
 
 

I was born in Brooklyn but grew up in Flushing Queens which is a rapidly growing Chinatown in New York City. The streets are dirty and dense with people, especially Saturday. It’s busy with merchants and businesses in every corner, even on the sidewalks. There’s no shortage of amazing food spots to try out too. I love it here.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I can open up a private studio in Manhattan or the other popular areas, yet I worked in these areas for years but it felt incomplete to me. I chose to open my private studio in Flushing Queens because I have a connection here.

If you do decide to travel to my studio and experience my tattoo service, then you will no doubt also experience this unique town.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I started tattooing at age 21, in 2013. It’s been years and I still feel I can improve. The most exciting part for me is to chase that. I have to constantly keep my guard up and fight off comfort, stagnation, laziness, temptations and anything that will take me off this goal. So far so good.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks for reading.

If I end up working with you I hope I can leave you with a great experience and a tattoo you’ll love.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thank you Daniel Silbert and David Le

for your talent and the amazing photos.