By day, the French illustrator Romain works at Paris-based design studio Cosmo Sapiens. By night, he draws on his upbringing in Saint Malo — a port city known for pirates and rum trafficking — for his work as Sailor Roman, maverick tattoo artist. He creates distinct modern sailor tattoos by adding a fresh twist to classic nautical symbols like a smirking skull wearing a top hat. Enjoy his quirky 10 ANSWERS below.
1. How would you describe your work in three words?
Adventurer & Rhum-lover iconography.
2. Who is your creative role model?
I am an art fanatic and I draw on tons of creative role models. But specific to my tattoo job, one of my favorite tattoo artists of all time is Herbert Hoffman. Based near the Hamburg harbor in St Pauli Street, he was the master of European sailor’s tattoos. Also, I really admire my boss, the California-raised and Paris-based tattoo artist Sunny Buick. I love the way she manages her colorful and happy work.
3. If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
I will use them to learn more foreign languages. I want to improve my Spanish, learn how to read the Russian alphabet, develop more basic Japanese catchphrases.
4. What place in the world most inspires you and why?
I am torn between the love I have for my hometown Saint Malo and all the places I’ve seen all over the world. My hometown is an old pirate city famous for rhum and spice trafficking. Canadian explorer Jacques Cartier was born five minutes from my home. It’s how I became a sailor tattooist. But there are places in the world that are a huge part of my everyday inspiration: Tokyo, Valparaiso, Ho Shi Minh City, Dubrovnik, Stockholm. As a travel freak, the whole world is my inspiration. I share my thoughts and ideas about it on my friends’ travel website: www.hejorama.com
5. If you could do a different job for a day what would it be and why?
If everything is possible, absolutely no limits, and I could do my childhood dream job for a day: Biologist and chief diver on the Calypso working for Jacques Yves Cousteau, saving the planet for the future generation.
6. What is your favorite homemade gift to give?
I love giving small lucky paintings like ex-votos. Images of boats, sea mythology or erotica like sailors have done since XIIIth century.
7. What is your favorite object in your home?
I love my library and all the stuff in it.
8. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Smart peoples don’t have intellectual, aesthetic, or moral limits”
9. What websites do you use for inspiration?
I use the cargo collective network, ffffound (always proud when my pics are showed there), booooooom, and Monster Brains.
10. When do you consider a piece of your work complete?
When hesitation begins…
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