From Tattoos to TCG: SNKRDUNK Interviews Tattoo Artist and TCG Collector Jasper

11th April 2025 EDT NEWS

From Tattoos to TCG: SNKRDUNK Interviews Tattoo Artist and TCG Collector Jasper

If you remember our interview with Kyle Tan and always wondered about who the tattoo artist he mentioned was, read on to find out.

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Last year, we interviewed Kyle Tan, a Pokémon TCG collector from Singapore who was primarily known for two reasons: his deep love of all things Snorlax and his tattoos of every Gen 1 Pokémon.

As something of a “sequel” to that interview, we recently spoke to Jasper, his tattoo artist. Jasper, who specializes in Pokémon tattoos, owns a sizable Pokémon TCG collection himself and in particular is an enormous Bulbasaur fan.

Could you introduce yourself?

I’m Jasper, also known as @tiredbutwoke. I’m a local tattoo artist and also an illustrator; I primarily work on Pokémon tattoos and watercolor illustrations.

What made you choose to become a tattoo artist and specifically, one who specializes in Pokémon tattoos—and how would you say that your work as a tattoo artist and your collecting hobby intersect?

I started about five years ago. When I opened my studio, my friends bought me two Evolving Skies Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs); we opened the ETBs on the spot. After that, we started having monthly or even weekly meet-ups where we’d open packs and boxes.

I thought that it was really cool because everyone has their own favorite Pokémon; after that, I got the idea to tattoo every single Pokémon that ever existed.

How did you get into TCG collection?

I started as a kid buying booster packs at card shops but lost a lot of my collection when I moved out as an adult, so I just naturally stopped around there. Then I got back into it when I got the Evolving Skies ETBs. After that, I couldn’t stop and continued to collect even more.

Of all the tattoos you’ve ever worked on, which one are you most proud of?

It would have to be Kyle’s tattoos of the 151 (Gen 1) Pokémon on his left arm. For me that was the coolest because I got to work on tattoos of all the Pokémon I grew up with.

Although I often get requests for tattoos of fan-favorite Pokémon like Gengar, Mimikyu, and Pikachu, when it comes to less popular ones like Jynx or Diglett, it’s very hard to find someone who wants those tattoos. Then there’s the fact that this was someone who loved the first generation so much that he wanted all the Pokémon tattooed on him. That’s why I’m most proud of those.

And which would you say is the strangest one you’ve ever done?

It’s nothing too weird, but there was a person who wanted an “R” tattooed on his left hand and an “L” tattooed on his right hand. I asked many times “are you sure you want that?” He just wanted to troll one of his friends who he knows to be bad with directions and wanted to lean into that.

Can you speak about your experiences with TCG products on the SNKRDUNK app, if any?

When I first opened my studio and got the Evolving Skies ETBs, my friends told me about SNKRDUNK. They told me about the slabs they bought from SNKRDUNK and mentioned how each card not only came with a grade, but would also already have been checked by experts and if it’s not up to the claimed grade, SNKRDUNK would inform the buyer about it. I thought it was really, really cool that they’d give feedback like that.

In your time as a TCG collector, what has been your greatest experience?

I think it has to be the recent Singapore Card Show. I actually had a booth there alongside my friends from OnlyFriendsLah! which is a local TCG group. There was an Artists’ Alley as well, and I was there and able to do watercolor and other paintings for people. I painted on TCG cards.

It was great. The queue was so long, and when I turned to look at the crowd I was like “wait, people actually love this enough to queue for hours”. Everyone was really nice and it was really heartwarming to see all the people there.

Do you have any favorite cards that you either own or are pursuing? If yes, which ones?

I really like an illustrator named Yukiko Baba; I have some of her cards in my collection. I’m trying to collect all the cards she’s ever illustrated. Right now she doesn’t have any Full Art cards, so I’m looking forward to that if it ever comes.

Another artist I really like is USGMEN who did “Bubble Mew” (Mew ex from Shiny Treasure ex [SV4a]). Maybe one day I’ll have another Bubble Mew card other than the Chinese one I already own…

Which Pokémon TCG sets do you rate most highly?

151 [MEW] and Evolving Skies. With Evolving Skies it’s because I restarted collecting TCG cards with that set, and with 151 [MEW] it’s the nostalgia as well as seeing how, for example, the art styles and backgrounds of those Pokémon card illustrations have changed over the years. It becomes most obvious when you put an old card and a current one side-by-side to see the differences.

We know of your deep love of Bulbasaur. Do you have a similar affinity for the other Grass-type starters from other generations as well, or is it just Bulbasaur?

For other Grass-type starters I do like Chespin, but mostly it’s just Bulbasaur. But for other starters I like Mudkip and Totodile a lot as well.

Can we have a final message for your social media followers?

Thank you for celebrating my art and our love of Pokémon together and for always being supportive and kind to me. It’s a happy community and I’m happy to be part of it.

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