Get to know tattoo artist - Angelique aka Shady_Cook!
Share
The Anime Realism Powerhouse Taking Tattooing to the Next Level
We’re giving flowers to the artists who truly deserve them — and today, we’re shining a spotlight on one of the most precise and powerful tattoo artists in the anime realism space: Angelique, aka @shady_cook, based out of the iconic @markdtattoo in Sydney.
Known for her meticulous, story-driven approach and obsessive attention to detail, Shady has become one of Australia's most exciting anime tattoo specialists. From Junji Ito’s Tomie to the Brand of Sacrifice from Berserk, her ink speaks for itself.
We sat down with Shady to talk process, pressure, precision — and what it really takes to translate 2D manga into high-impact tattoo realism.
Interview by Ink Nurse founder, Jason Taylor.
1. Your work blends anime precision with insane realism. What's your process when turning a 2D reference into something that feels alive on skin?
My process for every anime or manga piece is to never just slap and print the panel on. For every anime piece I will redraw and trace over the given panel which helps me understand how the manga artist has drawn it and allows me to understand the parameters for translating a anime/manga panel into a tattoo. I feel like I gain some sort of muscle memory, so when it comes to tattooing I already have a plan in my head in how I'm going to translate the image.
2. Do you remember the moment you realised this would be your niche, or did it just find you?
Ever since I was a kid my parents got me into anime, it’s how I started drawing and it’s what got me into art high school and the National Art School. But funnily enough when I was making my portfolio for my apprenticeship, I had no anime at all! I was always told it was childish and I did hide my love for nerd culture a lot, despite working in a comic shop. But thankfully fate had other ideas and if it wasn’t for an artist, who I worked with, who did anime tattoos, had not gone back to Korea, I doubt my old boss would of given me any anime clients that walked in. I did one anime tattoo and the rest was history.
3. What’s the weirdest or wildest request you’ve ever said yes to?
Look, for anime fans I doubt it’s weird to get a big tittied anime lady on them, but for non-anime enjoyers I bet it’s a weird sight! Honestly that may be the only “weird” request I’ve gotten.
4. How do you balance staying true to your style vs. adapting to a client’s vision?
I would say my style is more in application rather than any visual characteristic that makes my “style”. I aim to be a photocopier. My clients bring me work that they have fallen in love with, so it’s my job to recreate what they’ve brought as best as I can. I look for key characteristics and application in how the anime/manga has been drawn and aim to replicate the penmanship and hand work of the original artist. In my own fine arts artistic practice I very much have my own artistic style that I’ve developed over my lifetime, but that doesn’t carry over into my tattooing other than my stubborn ideas of perfectionism and frustration in familiarising myself with my tools inside and out.
5. What anime or character have you tattooed so many times that you could do it with your eyes closed (but still love it)?
Haha I have a running joke at the studio with my anime coworker. Hands down the most anime related piece I’ve done has to be the brand of sacrifice from Berserk. I’ve done so many of them. For actual characters though, it’s gotta be Junji Ito’s Tomie.
6. What’s something people would never guess goes into making a piece look that sharp or clean?
Patience and understanding your tools. I am incredibly pedantic and honestly hyper aware of my tools and materials to a fault. If something is remotely off with my needle or machine I’ll know, and will swap out needles to make sure the consistency and precision stays the same. I find it very frustrating when anything changes or quality dips.
Hands down, it’s gotta be the two men who’ve inspired me the most, Katsuhiro Otomo and H.R Giger. They both have such a unique eye for detail, flow, and a creativity that's so out of this world that people will reference for lifetimes. I’d love to just get a fraction of how they view the world or what they daydream about in order to see how they get their ideas and translate that visually.
Yes! I’ll be going back to Three Tides Osaka in September. The Irongate expo in November. Lighthouse Tattoo and Jayink Academy in November as well! I’m feeling very grateful for all these opportunities, and I’m increasingly excited to meet new artists.
Most underrated anime: Tokyo God Father and Animetrix
Favourite go-to-meal: 2minute noodles with adding double shin ramen spice packets and an egg.
Pre-session ritual: Alone time and silence or else my head gets too loud to focus.
One thing you’d ban from tattoo studios forever: Dishonest and unproductive opinions when asked regarding someone’s work. Be honest, it’s how we all get better.
Dream project you haven’t done yet: Would love to do a huge anime mech back piece.
Thanks again! Jason.
"Ink Nurse is Australia's best selling tattoo aftercare product range. Stocked in Chemist Warehouse Nationwide in the First Aid Aisle. What separates ink nurse from the rest of the pack is that it uses chemist-made phytotechnology to formulate thin, absorbable, nutrient and enzyme packed creams and foams without using a greasy Petroleum base like Bepanthen or suffocating wax-heavy balms like Dr Pickles and others. This means Ink Nurse is a superior all-purpose, skin barrier protector and healer for tattoo wound healing, drastically reducing post tattoo discomfort and offering a multitude of proven uses, like relief and aid for Eczema, Psoriasis, Dermatitis, Rosacea, Sunburn and much more. Ink Nurse have been Australian Tattooist Guild Members since 2016, is owned by artists and cosmetic experts alike - now taking the aftercare market by storm since the nationwide availability on the shelves of Chemist Warehouse (the first and only purpose-made tattoo care brand to secure an exclusive tattoo care shelf space in Australian pharmacy)."