Ink Master season 1
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Ink Master (season 1) | |
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Season 1 | |
Release | |
Original network | Spike |
Original release | January 17 March 6, 2012 | –
Season chronology |
Ink Master (season 1) is the first season of the Spike tattooing competition series, Ink Master
It follows the lives of ten tattoo artists competing against each other an elimination-style competition that will leave the last person standing with the title of Ink Master and a $100,000 grand prize. The show is hosted and judged by Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Other judges include former Miami Ink cast member Chris Núñez, and accomplished tattoo artist Oliver Peck. With guest judge Joe Rogan
The winner was Shane O'Neill of Middletown, Delaware.
The success of the show lead to 3 more seasons, with season four premiering on February 2014.
Format
Episodes begin with a Flash Challenge, a task that usually does not deal with tattooing itself, but has contestants utilize skills related to tattooing in an unusual way. Most of the time the skills highlighted in the Flash Challenge will be needed to complete the Elimination Tattoo. The winner of the Flash Challenge gets to pick which human canvas they would like to tattoo during the elimination tattoo, while other contestants are assigned a canvas by random draw. The contestants are then given a chance to meet with their canvas before tattooing them the next day when they will be given a set amount of time to do the tattoo. A judging panel then commences where the best tattoos of the week are recognized, the weak tattoos are pointed out and one contestant is eliminated from the competition.[1]
Contestants and Progress
Artist Name [2] | Age * | Hometown | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Brian "B-TAT" Robinson | 30 | East Orange, New Jersey | Eliminated in Episode 1 |
Jeremy Miller | 27 | Austin, Texas | Eliminated in Episode 2 |
Al Fliction | 42 | Brooklyn, New York | Eliminated in Episode 3 |
Heather Sinn | 41 | Los Angeles, California | Eliminated in Episode 4 |
Bili Vegas | 29 | New York, New York | Eliminated in Episode 5 |
Léa Vendetta | 40 | Boca Raton, Florida | Eliminated in Episode 6 |
Josh Woods | 30 | Nashville, Tennessee | Eliminated in Episode 7 |
James Vaughn | 38 | Asheboro, North Carolina | Eliminated in Episode 8 |
Tommy Helm | 38 | Brentwood, New York | Eliminated in Episode 8 |
Shane O'Neill | 39 | Middletown, Delaware | Ink Master |
* (ages stated are at time of contest)
Elimination Challenge Progress
Contestant | Elimination chart | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
Flash Challenge Winner |
Josh | Bili | Al | Josh | Shane | Tommy | Shane | K.A. |
Shane | HIGH | IN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | INK MASTER |
Tommy | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | LOW | HIGH | RUNNER-UP |
James | IN | WIN | IN | IN | HIGH | LOW | LOW | OUT |
Josh | IN | IN | LOW | LOW | WIN | HIGH | OUT | |
Léa | IN | LOW | IN | WIN | LOW | OUT | ||
Bili | IN | IN | LOW | LOW | OUT | |||
Heather | IN | IN | IN | OUT | ||||
Al | IN | LOW | OUT | |||||
Jeremy | LOW | OUT | ||||||
B-TAT | OUT |
- The contestant won the competition and was named Ink Master.
- The contestant was the runner-up on Ink Master.
- The contestant was eliminated from the competition.
- The contestant won best tattoo of the week.
- The contestant was given an honourable mention.
- The contestant was in the Bottom 2/3.
Episodes
Episode 1: Fresh Meat
First aired January 17, 2012
Ten of the best tattoo artists on the planet tattoo Human Canvases in a series of extreme challenges. The first Artist is eliminated on the path to determining who will earn a $100,000 prize and the title of Ink Master.
- Flash Challenge: Josh Woods*
- Elimination Tattoo: Coverups
- Best Tattoo: Tommy Helm
- Bottom two/three: Brian "B-TAT" Robinson & Jeremy Miller
- Eliminated: Brian "B-TAT" Robinson - Although Jeremy did not finish his tattoo, it was technically solid. B-Tat's tattoo was too sketchy to demonstrate adequate technical skills to progress.
Episode 2: Botched Head Tattoo
"First aired January 24, 2012"
During a challenge related to etching a tribal head tattoo, a medical calamity ensues, resulting in serious consequences; when a competitor goes toe-to-toe with the judges, an outburst occurs; Clinton 'Ton' Jones (of Auction Hunters acts as a special guest judge.
- Flash Challenge: Bili Vegas
- Elimination Tattoo: Tribal Tattoos
- Best Tattoo: James Vaughn
- Bottom two/three: Al Fliction, Léa Vendetta & Jeremy Miller
- Eliminated: Jeremy Miller - For failing to do one clean pass tattoo, and making too many excuses for his poor tattoos.
Episode 3: Pasties and a Camel Toe
First aired January 31, 2012
Naked women heat up the competition and another head tattoo sparks a fight between Al and Bili. A third artist is eliminated from the competition and the chance to win $100K.
- Flash Challenge: Al Fliction
- Elimination Tattoo: Black and Grey
- Best Tattoo: Shane O'Neill
- Bottom two/three: Al Fliction, Bili Vegas & Josh Woods
- Eliminated: Al Fliction - Despite having a good concept, and artistic skills, the judges felt Al lacked the technical skills needed to win.
Episode 4: Ink Disaster Piece
First aired February 7, 2012
Photo Realism tattoos turn disastrous when Bili has difficulty with muscle structure and Heather’s art goes up in flames. A fourth artist is eliminated from the competition and the chance to win $100K is on everyone's mind.
- Flash Challenge: Josh Woods
- Elimination Tattoo: Photo Realism
- Best Tattoo: Léa Vendetta
- Bottom two/three: Bili Vegas, Heather Sinn & Josh Woods
- Eliminated: Heather Sinn - For her very poor tattoo execution, and having overall mediocre performances.
Episode 5: Game On
First aired February 14, 2012
Competition turns cut-throat when Josh calls out Shane for only doing black & grey tattoos. Shane fights to prove his color skills and impress the judges. A fifth artist is eliminated from the competition.
- Flash Challenge: Shane O'Neill
- Elimination Tattoo: American Traditional
- Best Tattoo: Josh Woods
- Bottom two/three: Bili Vegas & Léa Vendetta
- Eliminated: Bili Vegas - For being in the bottom three times, making too many excuses for his poor American Traditional style skills, and not accepting responsibility for his shortcomings.
Episode 6: Permanent Mistakes
First aired February 21, 2012
Tattoos are forever and so are the mistakes! The artists are plagued with massive mistakes while tattooing pinups on their canvasses. A sixth artist is eliminated from the competition
- Flash Challenge: Tommy Helm
- Elimination Tattoo: Pinups
- Best Tattoo: Shane O'Neill
- Bottom two/three: James Vaughn, Léa Vendetta & Tommy Helm
- Eliminated: Léa Vendetta - For messing up her pin-up's hands, failing to control proportion, and not being as well-rounded as the other artists.
Episode 7: Picture Imperfect
First aired February 28, 2012
Some of the remaining artists botch their portrait tattoos by screwing up important features, leaving their human canvasses with bad art. 4 artists remain but only 1 will take home $100K and the title of Ink Master.
- Flash Challenge: Shane O'Neill
- Elimination Tattoo: Portraits
- Best Tattoo: Shane O'Neill
- Bottom two/three: James Vaughn & Josh Woods
- Eliminated: Josh Woods - For not having adequate experience outside his favourite genre, and poor execution of his portrait tattoo - despite having an overall strong performance.
Episode 8: Ink Master Revealed
First aired March 6, 2012
The final three compete in an 18 hour tattoo marathon. The winner of Ink Master is revealed.
- Final Three: James Vaughn, Shane O'Neill & Tommy Helm
- Elimination Tattoo: 12 hour Tattoo, and 6 hour Tattoo
- Ink Master: Shane O'Neill
Chris Nuñez stated that Tommy Helm's pin up girl was the best tattoo all season. Tommy chose a pin-up to show the panel he was capable of doing a gorgeous pin up with perfect hands and a perfect face. Oliver Peck also mentioned that he felt that Tommy's 12-hour tattoo of a grim reaper was his most "bad ass" tattoo.
Cast members
Judges
- Dave Navarro – host & main judge
- Chris Núñez – judge
- Oliver Peck – judge
After the show
- Runner up Tommy Helm now has his own show entitled "Tattoo Nightmares." The show centers around himself, Jasmine Rodriguez, and Big Gus helping clients to cover up tattoos they regret, creating new tattoos for a fresh start. The show currently airs on Spike.[3]
References
- ^ Knowles, David (January 13, 2012). "Ink Master: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Ink Master (December 7, 2011). "Ink Master To Premiere Tuesday, January 17 On Spike". Spike. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
- ^ Spike. "Tattoo Nightmares: Bios - Tommy Helm". Spike. Retrieved December 4, 2012.