Current Events > Ink Master hella makes me appreciate tattoo artists

(+) Yeah! (+)

The amount of creativity and precision needed involved. But also how easily a tattoo can go wrong. I don't have any ink yet but would like one or more in the future and this shit makes me paranoid lol. Even peeps that have been in the business for 20+ years aren't perfect depending on the subject.

Also, season 4 has HELLA cute chicks tbh <__<

Yeah, they're amazing artists. I have no tattoos, but only because I haven't found a design that I've loved enough to have on me permanently

Season 10 has the hottest contestant imo.

Derwood posted...

Yeah, they're amazing artists. I have no tattoos, but only because I haven't found a design that I've loved enough to have on me permanently

Yep. And just the fact that it's on skin and not something static like paper or a canvas just makes it 1000x more impressive.

DespondentDeity posted...

Season 10 has the hottest contestant imo.

Holy shit there's 10+ seasons??

Touch posted...

Yep. And just the fact that it's on skin and not something static like paper or a canvas just makes it 1000x more impressive.

Holy shit there's 10+ seasons??

Theres 13 seasons of the main series and two spin off series: Angels, which is a touring competition where three of the best female contestants travel and challenge local artists to a single elimination face off, and Redemption, which is focused on canvases who are unhappy with their tattoos from the show confronting the artists that fucked them up.

Yeah I don't have any tattoos nor do I plan on ever having any but the amount of work, not talent but just painstakingly immense WORK to even just PUT something on a canvas as difficult as human skin, and doing the pieces they come up with and design, is just insane. Undeniable skill and they deserve the biggest payoff they can get. One of those occupations where it's definitely not just a job but a discipline. Real masters in an avenue where most people would fail in the first second.

I never have but has anyone here ever met a tattoo artist who had zero tats on their body?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n42tnPw7MBQ

bigtiggie23 posted...

I never have but has anyone here ever met a tattoo artist who had zero tats on their body?

No but there was one on the show who got eliminated for this very reason.

The show also just has insane artistic demonstrations in the flash challenges with projects like creating a giant image using only thumb tacks on a cork board or some similar restricted medium. Some of my favorite arts from the show are flash challenge pieces.

Flockaveli posted...

Yeah I don't have any tattoos nor do I plan on ever having any but the amount of work, not talent but just painstakingly immense WORK to even just PUT something on a canvas as difficult as human skin, and doing the pieces they come up with and design, is just insane. Undeniable skill and they deserve the biggest payoff they can get. One of those occupations where it's definitely not just a job but a discipline. Real masters in an avenue where most people would fail in the first second.

Wholeheartedly agree.

bigtiggie23 posted...

I never have but has anyone here ever met a tattoo artist who had zero tats on their body?

As was said, in one of the seasons one guy was heavily criticized for being in the business but having none of his own. His excuse was that he hadnt found one that he fully loved enough to get put on him but yeah. Idk if it was the SOLE reason why he was eliminated but it seemed to play heavily into it.

He kinda had a point about it too tho. For a community that gets criticized and prejudged heavily for having tattoos, it was kinda messed up that they would turn back and do the same to him for not having any. But I don't have any so I can't really have a valid opinion on it I guess lol

DespondentDeity posted...

The show also just has insane artistic demonstrations in the flash challenges with projects like creating a giant image using only thumb tacks on a cork board or some similar restricted medium. Some of my favorite arts from the show are flash challenge pieces.

Yeah the flash challenges are dope. The late one in s3 where it was one human canvas getting 4 tattoos was crazy lol. And the eyelid tattoos

My tattooer said something interesting about artists without tattoos. Basically, his opinion is that when your profession is to inflict pain on another person, you should have an understanding of how it feels for them, so that you will be motivated to make the experience as comfortable as possible for them.

Tattoo pain is fascinating tho. Ive spoken to people who are straight up traumatized by how badly certain tattoos hurt, or had tattoos that hurt so bad it drained their enthusiasm for the piece. I dont relate to that at all, I can tell you they hurt but once its done and I have that art in my skin I forget all about it.

I love tattoos and Im always coming up with what I wanna get next. Im really happy to hear from people like you and Flock who dont have them but really appreciate the work and artistic value of them.

One other thing thats insane about Ink Master is the fucking finales, like to think of some of the seasons where they have to pick two losers from three (or sometimes more) absolute masterpiece tattoos. this one tattoo that loses is literally in my top 3 tattoos Ive ever seen.

DespondentDeity posted...

My tattooer said something interesting about artists without tattoos. Basically, his opinion is that when your profession is to inflict pain on another person, you should have an understanding of how it feels for them, so that you will be motivated to make the experience as comfortable as possible for them.

Tattoo pain is fascinating tho. Ive spoken to people who are straight up traumatized by how badly certain tattoos hurt, or had tattoos that hurt so bad it drained their enthusiasm for the piece. I dont relate to that at all, I can tell you they hurt but once its done and I have that art in my skin I forget all about it.

I love tattoos and Im always coming up with what I wanna get next. Im really happy to hear from people like you and Flock who dont have them but really appreciate the work and artistic value of them.

Ah I can see that. Kinda forgot about the whole pain value thing lol but that's a good point.

And I've always kinda been supportive of arts. I might not know the meanings or motivations or fully comprehend the value of pieces at times but I will always appreciate the effort and visions put into em.

And yeah the finale pieces can get insane. Also kinda funny a bit how the judges still rip into em but hey, that's how you have to be in the finale lol.

Also...I think Netflix fucked up the episodes for s4. The last episode I watched had Roland (Polynesian specialist dude) get eliminated and then the next episode had Sausage and King Ruck come up and say that both Keith and Bubba were eliminated. Way to fucking spoil me Netflix lol

Edit: Actually it seems they removed the episode before it. No solid answers why from what I've looked up but it says maybe because of the Corona sponsor or because a person passes out from having two tattoos done at the same time.

Yo wtf Kyle lmao

That episode is so good lmao

DespondentDeity posted...

That episode is so good lmao

It's so crazy. He was voted to come back. Won the challenge to come back. And this whole season he was just in a constant downward spiral of conspiracies and insecurities. Like...the complete opposite of Tatu Baby's comeback lol

i respect tattoo artists and I used to think it could be kind of cool to have a tattoo on me, but now I think there's just no point, I've never seen a tattoo I thought I'd want on me (or even an image I wanted on me), and I think 95% of them are ugly especially when they're tattooed on hairy skin.

I could see myself getting one if I needed to cover up an ugly scar, I guess.

Yeah, my Mom loves this show something fierce, and will throw it on whenever Paramount is showing it. I do really respect the effort and work that these artists put into their craft, and while I'd never get a tattoo myself (I'm pretty sure I'd handle the pain poorly), I can admire some of the stuff they do. Not sure if they're gonna get another season, though, since I believe one of the judges got kicked from the show for stupid things he said.

DespondentDeity posted...

Theres 13 seasons of the main series and two spin off series: Angels, which is a touring competition where three of the best female contestants travel and challenge local artists to a single elimination face off, and Redemption, which is focused on canvases who are unhappy with their tattoos from the show confronting the artists that fucked them up.

There's also Grudge Match, which has two artists from previous seasons facing off against each other (two 1v1 matches), with past winners serving as the judges to determine who did the better tattoo.

bigtiggie23 posted...

I never have but has anyone here ever met a tattoo artist who had zero tats on their body?

Same reason you dont see dentists with fucked up teeth

Where are the pics and Instagram profile names to back up these hot chick claims???

Returning_CEmen posted...

Where are the pics and Instagram profile names to back up these hot chick claims???

Ryan Ashley (S8)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/4/7/AAP2ssAACuf7.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/4/8/AAP2ssAACuf8.jpg

Deanna Smith (S10)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/4/9/AAP2ssAACuf9.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/5/0/AAP2ssAACuf-.jpg

I thought Melissa from s4 was super cute. Especially since she seemed pretty reserved and kinda awkward with how she hunches over as her normal stance lol

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/2/1/AAbtaqAACuhF.jpg

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/2/2/AAbtaqAACuhG.jpg

CTrunks posted...

Not sure if they're gonna get another season, though, since I believe one of the judges got kicked from the show for stupid things he said.

The line given is that since Paramounts recent hand switching the network now plans to focus on scripted content rather than a reality show, but that doesnt make that much sense because as soon as you see one live episode you realize all the other episodes at the very least follow some kind of outline if not being outright scripted. It was Oliver that got let go after a picture of him wearing black face surfaced; you can actually see this reflected on the YouTube channel as well as all the clips there have been cropped to completely exclude showing him, although his voice can still be heard.

its a pretty interesting show to just seeing how it has evolved over time, one example off the top of my head is that they used to film the contestants while they smoked but they stopped doing that about midway through the shows run.

The art has also changed so much, and I feel that the top artists in each season have generally been better than their predecessors in terms of artistry and even client interaction.

Tatu Baby literally the hottest woman in the world.

Oliver wore black face? Wtf that's crazy lol

Flockaveli posted...

Tatu Baby literally the hottest woman in the world.

Her real name is Katherine which is super high tier. That episode where she bites off them long long nails to try and assemble a machine during a flash challenge made me have a ton of respect for her, even tho she did not build it in time lol.

Gentle Jay just reminds me of a CEman lol. Even his name is trolly

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/5/0/AAA3sqAACujG.jpg

She's a lesbian. Don't care. Want to touch the boobies

Derwood posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/5/0/AAA3sqAACujG.jpg

She's a lesbian. Don't care. Want to touch the boobies

shes married to a man

DespondentDeity posted...

shes married to a man

Interesting.....she played up being gay pretty hard during her season

EDIT: That's Angel Rose, btw, not Ryan Ashley

Derwood posted...

Interesting.....she played up being gay pretty hard during her season

EDIT: That's Angel Rose, btw, not Ryan Ashley

she appears with her husband on the YouTube show Tattoo Artists React on Inkeds channel

Thanks for delivering

Bahhhh. I was really pulling for Sausage to win S4. He just felt the most consistently awesome and even his masterpiece was my favorite of the three. I was pretty much rooting for him all season, partly due to having such an awesome (Nick)name

That ending is always bittersweet to me, I would have preferred Sausage to win as well, his Gargoyle was my favorite tattoo from that season; but, Scotts master canvas and his consistency throughout the season were truly impressive, and he also died of an overdose within the year. Its fucking tragic, like obviously only knowing him as a character on a show, but he was a capable and driven tattooer who put out solid work week after week. who knows how much more prolific he could have become. I did appreciate the interaction where Gentle Jay accused him of tracing and theyre just like, well of course you would want to use a reference lol. Gentle Jay was such a bitch, all that shit he talked and acted super proud of tattoos that he knew were completely jacked.

Holy fuck Scott died of an overdose? That sucksss. Yeah he was a bit of a bully and cocky, but he consistently performed well to back things up. And yeah, I agree about Gentle Jay. Dude was mad annoying, kind of like Joshua before him.

I literally can't imagine getting a tattoo. I'm too fickle and self-aware of how I'd one day regret it. The very idea that I'll one day dislike it completely overrides any enjoyment I might get out of one.

Something so permanent put on your body, which is a canvas with such limited visible space, to me that makes any tattoo too risky.

The one tattoo I've admired was my 10th grade world history teacher. He always wore a suit to school and was super professional, then one day rolled his sleeves up and showed us his sleeve tats.

How every season finale is starting to feel like:

Dave: Next up we've got Kyle. You may remember him having an early exit and we're bringing him back to see what he has to say about his situation. How're you doing Kyle?

Kyle: H-

Dave: I'd love to hear everything but unfortunately we've got to keep the show moving. Thanks Kyle!

I love the ones where theyre not micd properly and Dave is just like, go ahead and show us your tattoo buddy but he has to say it 5 or 6 times lmao

Whos your favorite contestant so far?

DespondentDeity posted...

I love the ones where theyre not micd properly and Dave is just like, go ahead and show us your tattoo buddy but he has to say it 5 or 6 times lmao

Whos your favorite contestant so far?

Lol I can't remember that happening yet. Maybe the first two seasons but I watched those a while back.

Of the four seasons I've watched so far, I really like Joey Hamilton (winner of season 3) and Sausage. They played the game straight with a sense of profession and class and they did great. Joey was a bit cocky, but not as bad as others have been. I also really liked Halo and wished he was in the final 3 but season 4 had a really good top 4 so I can't complain lol

How about you?

Flockaveli posted...

No but there was one on the show who got eliminated for this very reason.

Thats weird. What does that have to do with their skill?

Touch posted...

Lol I can't remember that happening yet. Maybe the first two seasons but I watched those a while back.

Of the four seasons I've watched so far, I really like Joey Hamilton (winner of season 3) and Sausage. They played the game straight with a sense of profession and class and they did great. Joey was a bit cocky, but not as bad as others have been. I also really liked Halo and wished he was in the final 3 but season 4 had a really good top 4 so I can't complain lol

How about you?

I definitely love Sausage, he was just a phenomenal tattooer who conducted himself with integrity and poise. Joey was great too, I loved that exchange between him and JCD where he was just like, Youve been to the bottom twice and the look on JCDs face was one of the best moments ever. I tend to appreciate the artists that are either obviously going to the top or that create tattoos with a really unique character. A lot of my absolute favorite tattoos from the show come from later seasons. I dont want to go too into the artists and stuff cuz I dont want to spoil anything because there are a ton of surprises and its really a great joy to see how it all plays out.

I will say one thing tho, is that youll run into this archetype of people like Gentle Jay, who are probably among the best tattooers in whatever city theyre from, then they show up to compete and talk a ton of shit but theyre going up against the Scotts and the Sausages and theyre just not good enough to take the whole thing. I never get tired of seeing them go to the bottom, and I love when the judges are just like, if you dont want to be in the bottom just make a better tattoo.

Idk I just love the show, I love tattoos, and I love the artists and seeing the process.

So is there a new season? Is it only on their stupid streaming service?

@DespondentDeity Oh for sure. I love the different dynamics of people in the show. The cockies, the confidents, the ones that are there to just take care of business. I don't even really mind the ones that play the game kinda "shifty" because it is after all a competition. I just loved how Joey was so quiet and calm the whole time. Really just a soothing presence tbh lol. Even Craig from the same season had the same vibe and I was really surprised to see him eliminated so early.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Yep it's got me kinda paranoid too lol. But I guess that's why there are multiple tattoo shops and artists in a city so you can pick and choose who specializes in what you want. Also, the show kind of exaggerates things with it's format since most of the time the artists are under duress of a time crunch or some stipulation. Also the fact that Chris Nunez and Oliver Peck are pros themselves that are very nitpicky to stuff that us average viewers probably wouldn't notice ourselves.

Derwood posted...

So is there a new season? Is it only on their stupid streaming service?

Seasons 1-12 are streaming on Paramount+, season 13 is complete but not available for streaming; although I think it can be rented or purchased from certain storefronts. The latest word on season 14 is that production was announced, then put on pause. So its kind of up in the air.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Anyone who works in a shop and gets paid to do a tattoo is a professional, but theres such an array of styles and techniques, that even very skilled artists in a certain discipline like a Japanese specialist might fuck up a black and gray realism piece. They repeatedly hammer the point that an Ink Master is a person that can perform with consistency regardless of whats being asked of them, in a real world scenario, no artist is going to be expected to step out of their niche for twelve weeks straight.

As a client, you also have to realize that the process of getting a tattoo is a collaboration between two people, and as such its the responsibility of the client to find an artist whos body of work most closely matches their vision of what theyd like to get and see if that artist vibes with the idea enough to either replicate it or expand on it in a way that will enhance the final piece. The artist should also have an understanding of what theyre capable of, and if they cant make the idea work they should say as much.

An interesting thing happens on the show often tho, where the canvas is so excited to get a free tattoo, and they have half a dozen elements they want to incorporate, because they dont know mechanically whats possible within the time given, and the challenge at hand is a low priority for them. The stakes with getting a tattoo are really high, and the artist has a duty to treat it as such, but people who are not tattooers or at least really knowledgeable enthusiasts dont tend to take into account the multitude of factors that go into creating the best quality tattoo.

@Touch

I think Craigs elimination makes a lot more sense to me in retrospect, since he went to the bottom twice for the exact same fundamental failure. He was an artist who, in his season, was one of the best at his specific discipline, and he put out bulletproof tattoos from within his comfort zone, but he had an opportunity to prepare for something he knew could put him in the bottom again.

I definitely like your interpretation of Joey, he did just keep his head down and focus on creating the best tattoo all season, he definitely made that strategy work in a way that a lot of competitors cant. In some later seasons youll see artists that have that same kind of demeanor, but theyre only making middling tattoos to get by and their first trip to the bottom is the day they close shop, it can be really shocking since you do get artists that just keep coming back upstairs on super poor tattoos.

Its kind of rare and honestly it seems like there are just certain circumstances where the artists are all on the ball, but those are my favorite episodes where the elimination tattoo is a choice between like 6 or 7 incredibly beautiful and flawlessly applied tattoos. Those are the heartbreakers. The competition gets so intensely good when its either a super meaningful tattoo or sometimes theyll do a thing where theyll have the elimination tattoo, then declare a certain number of people safe then have the rest of the field go at each other again.

One thing I love about the show too, is situations like the episode in season four when theyre tasked with tattooing the breast cancer survivors, and it just shows you how profoundly meaningful tattoos can be, and how they help people heal. Tattooing as an industry has an intrinsic level of edge, both philosophically and aesthetically, and sometimes its easy to be cynical about certain things, like I know some of those designs from that day were stuff that I might have looked at before and snickered about how generic or uncool that tattoo might be, but to be shown those examples where I think one of those women described it as helping to restore her femininity was really eye opening and moving.