A French-born Kangoo assists your hobby and lifestyle. vol.03 / Tomokazu Fukuchi NATURALLY PAINT
RENAULT is a popular car brand born in France. The Kangoo, characterized by its rounded, pop design and excellent load capacity, is so popular in France that it is used as a postal vehicle. This time, Mr. Tomokazu Fukuchi of "Naturally Paint," a Yokohama-based company that does sign painting and custom painting of cars and motorcycles, took us for a ride in this car. Mr. Fukuchi has driven a variety of cars in his career, so what was his impression of the Kangoo?
Born in 1984 in Ibaraki , Japan. He taught himself custom painting when he was in high school, and after graduation, he worked part-time while taking paint orders and mastering his skills. In 2010, he launched "Naturally Paint," where he works as a sign painter, creating signs, designing logos, and custom painting cars and motorcycles.
Sign painting is an extension of my hobby. It just became a job.
Music, art, surfing, etc., Kanagawa is home to several cultures, each of which has developed in its own way to form a unique ecosystem.
One of those cultures is sign painting. Old-school lettering and graphics seen in the good old American landscape. This culture came to Japan and has taken root especially in Yokohama.
I'm from Ibaraki , but I came to Yokohama because of the culture. There are a lot of custom car show events, and I have the most opportunities to see the same genre of paint that I express myself in. Plus, there are good stores where you can buy tools.
Tomokazu Fukuchi of "Naturally Painting," a sign painter based in Yokohama, told us as he drove the Kangoo. How did he get into sign painting? We asked him how he got into sign painting.
When I was in high school, I was reading a magazine that my friend's brother had, and I saw him painting cars and motorcycles in the magazine and thought it was cool. I thought it was cool, so I tried to imitate it on my own bike. Then my friend asked me to paint hers, too, and gradually I started getting commissions.
Mr. Fukuchi says that he has always loved cars and motorcycles. He started by adding custom paint to them, and gradually expanded his range of expression to include store signs and wedding boards, he says.
I decided to do it myself because there were no stores in my hometown that did custom work . . I always liked drawing and making things. In elementary school, I always got a "5" in arts and crafts, and I have two older brothers, both of whom were very good at their craft, so I guess that influenced me as well. So what I am doing now is an extension of my hobby. It just became my job.
I don't want to lose the quality of the finished product to anyone.
After graduating from high school, Mr. Fukuchi came to live in Yokohama, where he learned basic skills while working part-time at a sheet metal shop and a paint shop. After that, he worked at an American diner-like store while also working as a painter.
I had a lot of customers at the store where I worked who liked music, surfing, and motorcycles. I was sometimes asked to do painting jobs there. Gradually, the range of what I could do expanded, and I updated my workshop accordingly. When I felt that I could make a living just painting, I decided to establish the business name "Naturally Painting. I started by painting custom motorcycles and cars, and now I also paint store signs and T-shirt graphics for apparel brands.
He moved into his current work space about a year and a half ago. I am finally in an environment where I can do what I want to do," he says. How did Mr. Fukuchi, who is almost entirely self-taught, hone his skills?
When I had time, I went to see other people's works and watched them work up close at events. I could see the order in which they painted and what kind of tools they used. Then, I tried it out for myself and gradually learned how to do it.
No matter how advanced technology becomes, the quality of hand-drawn pictures has a taste and charm that only hand-drawn pictures can bring out. I don't think digital is bad at all. I do what I do because I can only do it by hand," says Fukuchi. When we asked him what he values in his work, he replied, "I don't think there is anything wrong with hand-drawing.
I am conscious of the fact that the quality of the finished product is second to none. That is the most important thing. I want to do something that makes people think, 'How did you draw this by hand? I want to do something that makes people wonder, "How did you draw this by hand? However, it is not possible to do it all out of the blue, and of course I have made mistakes. I try to gradually expand the scope of what I can do without pushing too hard.
The greatest strength of Naturally Painting is its quality. The way he answers clearly and without hesitation is that of a craftsman himself. The quality of his work is so good that not only Japanese brands, but also American traditional brands that are well-known to everyone, have fallen in love with him and offer him their business. In other words, he is a "certified" craftsman.
. I am confident that I can do well in any field I go to. Even if the environment is bad, I will not give up immediately, but will do my best to find a way to make it work. The other important thing is that I now have a workshop here. We can paint large fixtures and deliver them to customers.
The Kangoo is a great car with a lot of interior space and a good luggage capacity.
On this day, Mr. Fukuchi had work to do at the site. So he loaded the necessary tools into the "Kangoo" and headed for his destination.
I like cars that are different from others. In that sense, I can drive a one-of-a-kind car by custom painting it. I feel more attached to it when I do that. I have driven many different kinds of cars. I have a job and a family, so a car that is spacious and can carry a lot of luggage is ideal for me.
In the car, we had a lively discussion about cars. Mr. Fukuchi continued, "In that sense, the Kangoo is close to my ideal.
This car is great . . It has a lot of space inside, and I can carry my work equipment. . I don't have to worry about the load capacity when I go outdoors on my own. I don't think I'll have any trouble going somewhere with my family.
." Mr. Fukuchi says as he smoothly turns the wheel. He drives almost every day. He always drives to and from his home to the workshop and job site.
When I get a big job, it feels great to drive after I've completed it. Sometimes I drive home on the Metropolitan Expressway, thinking to myself, "I did my best" (laughs). (laughs). When I look out over the city while driving, it reminds me of when I used to live in the countryside, and I can go back to my roots. I often feel positive and excited, like 'I'm going to work harder next time,' or 'What challenges am I going to take on?
I am not an artist. It is important to have the sense of creating with the audience.
After a 20-minute drive from the workshop, we arrived at our destination, Power's Shin-Maruko (新丸子). . This was the day to start finishing the painting.
First, we will have lunch at a restaurant to fill up our stomachs , and then we will get to work.
I am not an artist, so I think it is my job to respond to the client's wishes. For example, the wall above the entrance to Powers is angled, so I have to take that into consideration when painting the wall.
A humble and courteous attitude that is customer-oriented. . This is the reason why we are inundated with work requests from various fields.
I don't have an absolute rule that says, "You have to do it this way. I think it is important to make additional suggestions while talking with customers. It is more like I am working together with the client rather than doing things on my own. I am most happy when I am told that I have created something good.
I would like to make the scene even more exciting.
Ever since he was fascinated by painting when he was in high school, Mr. Fukuchi has been devoted to it without looking aside. What is the driving force behind this?
. all I do is paint, but I'm always looking for new ways to do it and challenging myself in the process. . There is always a sense of excitement and curiosity when I try something I've never done before. That's what keeps me going. I am still looking for new ways to do things."
Finally, when I asked him about his future goals, he gave me an unexpected answer.
I've been thinking lately that I want to train the younger generation. I don't have the time to do that now, but eventually I would like to work with someone else. I believe that the more good sign painters there are, the more people will become interested in this culture, and that is why we need more good painters. I would like to make the whole scene more and more exciting from now on.
Renault KANGOO ZEN EDC
¥2,599,000～ (Manufacturer's suggested retail price in Japan)
Major equipment
Right-hand drive
4,280mm x 1,830mm x 1,810mm
Direct injection with turbocharger In-line 4-cylinder DOHC 16 valves
Total displacement: 1.197L
Maximum output (EEC): 84kW(115ps*1)/4,500rpm
Maximum torque (EEC): 190N-m(19.4kgm*1)/1,750rpm
Transmission: 6-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch)
Fuel: Unleaded premium gasoline
