Horimouja: Japanese Inspired Tattoo Artist

While searching around on various download sites for some new wallpaper backgrounds, I stumbled across a file titled “Horimouja”. I was curious, so I downloaded it and discovered that it was book scans from a Japanese inspired tattoo artist named Jack Mosher, who uses Horimouja as a nickname.

Jack Mosher is an American artist, born in Florida and raised in Michigan, who took an interest in art and Japan in general at a young age. His father taught Karate and Judo in a university and one of his dad’s friends gave him an art book by Frank Frazzeta, which he says was his primary inspiration. Later, in the Marines, he started getting interested in tattoos and got his first one after boot camp. After he finished his military obligation he started working in high-end security jobs, but did tattoo drawing on the side for a local business. He eventually decided he wanted to set up his own shop and set out to learn more about tattooing from established artists.

What he wound up with is a distinct style that builds on, but isn’t exactly, traditional Japanese imagery. He said, in an interview, that he wanted to create a blend of the old and new, to create a unique style that he felt people in areas outside of Japan could appreciate more. He said that most people don’t quite get the simple style of most Japanese imagery.

I’m not an expert on Japanese art by any means, but I think he’s done a pretty good job. I got my first tattoo when I was in training for the Army and I’ve always thought about getting more. This is inspiration to finally get some work done.

Here are a few samples of his work from his MySpace page.