Event Information

TM President Live Painting

□September 15th (Sat) 11:00-16:30

□Main building, 6th floor = Event hall / Pillar C-2

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TM Paint

An artist/illustrator from Saga Prefecture. He works on cover art for music releases by domestic and international artists, live posters, T-shirts, and more. He is also active in a wide range of fields, including providing graphics for rock festivals and apparel brands, and creating artwork for VANS. While producing original art, he launched "THE-B-MART" in 2017, a shop-style art exhibition inspired by a B-grade general store, distinct from his solo exhibition PEEPSHOW.

After moving to Tokyo, I became a designer for a punk magazine.

"My parents say I've been drawing since I was little. When I was in middle school, I started drawing characters from my English textbooks, adapting them in my own way. When I talk to my friends from back then, they say my style hasn't changed at all (laughs)."

TM Paint says this with a friendly smile. Surprisingly, what really motivated him to pursue this career seriously was something his parents told him.

"I never even considered making art my job, so I thought I'd just get a regular job after graduating high school. But then my parents said, 'You've been drawing all this time, so why don't you go in that direction?'"

This prompted her to enroll in a graphic design school in Osaka. She received advice that "learning other things besides just drawing would be more beneficial for finding a job," so she began exploring music-related work while studying design and layout. Later, before securing a job, she impulsively moved to Tokyo. While working part-time, she began searching for a job where she could utilize her illustration and design skills.

"In a magazine's Q&A section, Akihiro Nanba from Hi-Standard was asked, 'I want to start a band, but how do I find members?' and he answered, 'Hand out tissues.' I did exactly that and made friends in the band scene (laughs)."

However, while he made many acquaintances in the band scene, it didn't really lead to any work. What dramatically changed TM Paint's life was his encounter with the editor-in-chief of the punk magazine "PUNK ROCK CONFIDENTIAL JAPAN".

"I happened to be buying every issue of 'PUNK ROCK CONFIDENTIAL JAPAN,' and they were looking for a designer, so I applied. The magazine was based on an American magazine published by Fat Mike from NOFX, a band I really love. It was the Japanese version. The editor-in-chief liked me, and after the interview, I was hired immediately."

There, while working on the design and layout of a magazine published at a pace of about one issue every three months, he also took charge of his own manga section, gaining experience that would form the foundation for his current work.

"The magazine went out of print about three years after I got involved, but even before that, the editor-in-chief told me, 'You should hand out business cards too.' Thanks to handing them out to various places, I gradually started getting work. But the biggest thing was being able to design the T-shirts for the Japan tour of 'Fat Wreck Codes,' which was run by Fat from NOFX. Of course, that was also thanks to the editor-in-chief's connections, but after that I was able to continue designing T-shirts for them."

From there, his reputation in the punk and melodic hardcore scenes expanded, and he began working on projects for various bands both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, the works exhibited at "THE-B-MART" clearly show influences from genres other than punk.

"I've always loved American teen movies, especially the ones with unremarkable young men as the protagonists. So, I find myself drawn to characters who have insecurities like buck teeth, braces, or freckles. That's why I named this exhibition 'THE B-MART.' I'm sure someone else will draw the cool pictures (laughs)."

As he himself says, "If I were in the Goranger, I'd be the Blue Ranger," he is often drawn to supporting roles rather than the main characters, especially those with a slightly unconventional element. The works on display at "THE-B-MART" are priced quite low, and it seems that he is conscious of making paintings and art more accessible.

"I might be being disrespectful to those who are doing things properly, but with B MART, I want to lower the barrier to entry for buying. The artwork printed on canvas can be mass-produced, and you can even just throw it around and play with it (laughs)."


As he spoke, a pure and innocent expression was visible on his face. When asked about his future goals in his work, he said he wanted to hold a "proper solo exhibition," the first since his first solo exhibition, "PEEPSHOW," held in 2015.

"My last solo exhibition was held to coincide with Fat Wreck Chords' 25th anniversary event. It mainly showcased my work in the punk scene up to that point, so it was essentially a portfolio. Everyone who came was a punk fan. That was fine, but this time I'd like to focus more on my original works and broaden my horizons. In terms of artwork, I'd like to try creating three-dimensional pieces instead of two-dimensional ones. I want to take subjects that aren't necessarily cute and depict them in a cute, pop style."

TM Paint says that even among his favorite bands, he prefers bands that are a step behind the pioneers who have created a single genre or scene. His works, which lovingly depict characters and motifs that are usually overlooked, will surely continue to resonate with and captivate many people.

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