All language subtitles for Ink.Master.S16E03.720p.HEVC.x265-MeGusta

* MTV

[Male Narrator] Previously on
Ink Master...

Oh, no!

[Narrator] 16 brand-new artists
entered the competition.

Four of you will be
packing your machines

before you've even moved
into a shop.

Oh, my God.
I'm gonna throw up.

[Lucy] Let's fucking go,
bitches.

[Narrator] The artists had
to tattoo for their lives.

You're going huge
with your tattoo.

[James] This is huge?

[Narrator] Each teams' tattoos
were ranked by the judges.

[Joel] Congratulations Alena,
you have the highest ranked

tattoo for the Young Guns.
Well done.

Joseph, the second highest
ranked tattoo.

Jade, third highest ranked.

-Jenna, fourth highest ranked.
-Thank you.

[Joel] OGs, you're up.

James, you have the highest
ranked tattoo.

Who could've guessed it?

[Joel] Anthony, you have the
second highest ranked tattoo.

Good job, kiddo.

[Joel] Stephanie,
third highest ranked.

Lucy, fourth highest ranked
tattoo.

Thank you.

[Joel] You are all safe
from elimination.

[Narrator] The remaining artists
had to battle it out

for the final two spots
on each team.

All right, fellas, get after it.

[Andy] Sorry, Jorell, I'm
getting a spot on that team.

[Manny] I gotta go up against
one of the best black and gray

artists in the world.

[Pony] We're tattooing
for our lives right now.

Maybe now is the perfect time
to come out like a phoenix,

bigger and stronger.

[Trevor] I wanna prove it
to myself that I can stack up

against the best artists
in the world.

The judges have decided,
Love, Johnny, Manny, Andy,

you do not have what it takes
to be Ink Master.

[Narrator] 12 artists remain,
6 OGs and 6 Young guns.

Now, the battle can begin.

[Narrator] But only one
will earn a $250,000 prize

and the title...

...of Ink Master.

[music]

That was hard.
That was fucking brutal.

It is the worst feeling.

-I felt my arm pits were wet.
-Yes, they were.

-I thought you were gone, buddy.
-That was insane.

And when it came down
to Pony and Manny, yeah,

I got a little passionate.

We know what he's good at.

Sadly, this is the only thing
I expect him to do.

Personally, I think
I'm a stronger artist

in a lot of ways than him.

And I want you
to prove it now, right?

That's what I'm here to do.

Because I don't wanna
call you one-trick Pony.

There's a lot of big egos
in that team

and I feel like it's gonna be
their downfall at some point.

[Trevor] And if we use all
of our brains collectively,

I think that we're gonna be able
to take them out one by one.

We have to go out there
and we have to crush it.

Period.

[music]

[music]

What are we thinking?

-OGs.
-Yes.

-Young Guns.
-What's good?

The battle is just beginning.

-Yeah, it is.
-Let's do it.

For your first flash challenge,

you will win or lose as a team.

-We've got this.
-No problem.

No problem.

This week we're testing...

Creativity.

-All right.
-Definitely our team.

Creativity is important
because it just

makes things interesting.

If you're not creative in art,

I feel like your
shit's just boring.

For this flash challenge you
must think outside of the box.

Go on.

[Joel] And create a life-size,
three-dimensional sculpture

out of cardboard.

[music]

[Man] What?

I've definitely never made art
out of cardboard before.

Working in your teams,
you must cut, tear

and stack sheets, tubes, and
rolls of ordinary cardboard.

Transforming everyday
packing supplies

into larger-than-life
sculptures.

Packing supplies?

What is there to say
about cardboard?

It's rigid.

My online-shopping addiction
makes me very familiar with it.

That could be to my advantage,
actually.

If your sculptures aren't packed
with creativity,

you could be packing your bags.

Hey!

Win this flash challenge and
your team will have the power

to assign all the human canvases
in the elimination tattoo.

Gotta get that.

-We've gotta have it.
-Not an option.

Gotta have it.

This advantage means everything.
It's gonna decide what tattoo

you're gonna get.

If we can shake up the OGs
and send them home,

it could set the tone
for the rest of the competition.

Guys, today is when this
competition really begins.

It's also the very first time
that you guys are working

as a team in a unit.

Figure out together what
each other's strengths

and weaknesses are,
and divide and conquer.

[Nikko] Just like tattooing
a sleeve, right?

You're making a sculpture.
You wanna think 360.

Blow us away with your ideas.
Really think outside the box.

Absolutely.

Let's make this a real
boxing match.

[laughter]

That was sick.

You have six hours.

And your time starts...

Now!

Let's go.

So, we're brainstorming.
What are we thinking?

[DJ] Cardboard's boring.

The only time I'm happy
with cardboard

is when a pizza comes in it.

-We could do a dinosaur.
-You can use--you can--

It doesn't need to be
a big dinosaur.

It is not--
It's not simple.

I wanna see this flat, boring,
brown cardboard

turned into something unique
with different textures.

Well, I was thinking a dragon
head with a snake body.

[DJ] We wanna see something
fresh and new,

something creative.
Just get weird.

Jenna, what's your idea?

We build a Lochness monster
and then create waves

down on the base.

It looks like fuckin'
water waves.

I'm gonna do a kind of dragon,
like a water serpent.

That's what I mean.

I was thinking like a eagle,
hawk, or something like that.

Wings gonna come out.
We use cardboard for texture.

-How about an owl.
-[James] An owl?

Yeah.

James definitely likes
to have a leadership role.

He's been doing this longer
than anyone else.

So it's gonna be kind of
going forward.

-That tail's gonna keep it--
-Prop it up.

I'm also good at being a leader,
but I can also be a follower

when I need to be.

Okay?

The fucking head is gonna be
literally, this fucking big.

How about having it come out
of something where it's like,

-ripping through something.
-[Jade] I like that idea.

Because then we can--

Can we make it coming out
of water, though,

-or out of land?
-Oh, water, water.

-Yes, let's do water.
-Like a Lochness monster?

And it's easy.
Yeah, there goes your idea.

And then we'll make our own
creature like crawling up.

[Jenna] Okay,
I'm gonna do water.

-It'll be like our own--
-You are drawing.

Okay, you draw.

It doesn't seem like
we have any real unity.

No, don't worry about this.
Let's go.

You just made something.
Something that's gonna sit flat.

I'll help you
with the structure.

It kind of seems like
there's a lot of ideas

and emotions flying around.

Artists, there are five hours
on the clock.

[music]

The iris should be here and then
my pupil should be set back.

Lucy and Steph are working
on the head.

Pony, you got a good eye
for details, right?

So let's uh--
We're gonna lay these out

-side by side.
-Okay.

Pony, Jorell, Anthony, and I,
we're working on the wings.

That's too big of a gap
right there, right?

Yeah, let's move it around.
What do you think?

We're slowly figuring out
how to build this body.

And now we've gotta
support lift.

[music]

I feel like we've gotta make it
sturdier first 'cause look.

I'm on it, I'm on it.

[Jenna] Well, yeah, that's
because I need to tape it down.

[Alena] Yeah, it shouldn't be
falling over. I feel like

it has to be sturdier
because the head is going there.

Relax.
There's gonna go more layers.

It's gonna make it sturdier.

I don't know what Cat's doing
with the head, so we need--

We're waiting for her.

-[James] Jenna!
-What?

You don't look happy.

I don't have time for this shit.

The structure falls over
when you just blow on it.

Like, how do we expect it
to hold things

that we're about to put on?

You are not gonna have
enough time for that.

[Cat] No, I think--

You are struggling
with that head, dude.

And you have to be realistic

with your amount of time
you have left.

I feel like Jenna is just there
to stress everybody out.

Where we stand right now,
we will not make it, so...

I know. That's why I just wanted
to do a head and--

The head's the most
detailed thing.

She's just trying to make
everything so simple.

You don't think that,
that body is too big

-for that tiny-ass head?
-[Alena] Jenna, please.

[Jenna] The head's supposed
to be the biggest part.

[Alena] This is a
creativity challenge.

This is not where you're trying
to go simple.

[Cat] When we've got the shape,
we can mimic the other side.

I'm just gonna let everybody
do what you want.

You have two hours remaining.

[music]

Okay, all hands on deck here,
okay?

We'll hold it up.

Let's fucking figure it out,
okay?

Keep the weight at least here,
right?

[Pony] Yep.

[James] These wings are heavy.

I have no idea how they're even
gonna hold up on the body.

If we had that pole going in
there where it is,

and we run another pole on top,
we could just like slide

over this.
You know what I mean?

I can go like this far and it
will support the whole thing.

Yeah.

If these wings don't stick
to the body, we're toast.

There is one hour left.

[music]

This looks bad.
I'm not even gonna lie.

I say we just
cut a small island,

put the little boat there,
put the fucking tail there,

and be done with it.

We can just neglect
the middle piece.

Okay, cut a small island out
of that piece quick.

Somebody, just anybody.

I cut out a water shape
and it wasn't good enough,

-so someone else can do that.
-Okay, I'm gonna make water.

Some people don't know how
to do things.

You're gonna figure it out.

There's been many things you
haven't been able to figure out,

too, so you're no
fucking genius.

So don't be an asshole 'cause
that's not gonna get you

anywhere in this competition.

I never said I'm a genius.
I'm just saying, facts.

We're a team. We're supposed to
work together, not be assholes.

Exactly, exactly.

Why do you keep like going,
"Oh, make this smaller.

Make this more simple,
or make this like that?"

I was correct.
The body's correct.

I was correct.

Thirty minutes.

[music]

Yeah, that's good.

No fucking around now.

Some of us are right
about some things

and some are right
about other shit.

Five, four, three, two, one.

That's it.
Time's up.

No more cardboard.

I mean, it's cute.

[music]

It's time to critique your work.

Young Guns, you are up first.

It looks like you guys thought,

"How many different ways can we
use this material?"

You guys used the tape to do
this clear skin over the spine.

How the belly scales have
that little shiny edge,

I think that's really creative.

I really love the sides
of the face,

how they come out
not just layered,

but you layered the textures
to create contrast

even though it's all one color.

But it's the stuff around it

that makes it
kind of feel small.

It takes away from the beauty
of that big, substantial thing.

[Nikko] I mean, I forget it's
cardboard looking at the face.

And then as you come down,

you have these waves that say
cardboard.

But the centerpiece
of this is amazing.

Big points for that.

OGs, you're up.

[Ryan] It is big.
It is bold.

It is readable.

It's absolutely clear
what everything is.

I love the illusion that it's
not even cardboard anymore.

I feel as if it's a
wood structure.

One of the most impressive parts
is that it's so solid

that the wings are staying up.

It's crazy
'cause they look heavy.

I like that you inset the eyes
to create almost an eye socket

all the way through.

Every piece on this
looks precise.

I think it's dope.

Judges, it's time
to determine the winner

of this flash challenge.

[Ryan] The Young Guns are
more creative in their usage

of the materials, but then the
OGs were way more creative

in how to build something that
is really impressive in terms of

how is it even staying together?

Just doing something grand
and having it really simple,

does it beat something smaller?

That ripple-y water bugs me
a little bit, but that face,

I feel a lot more emotion in it.

The anatomy of the face
of that dragon, I mean,

you have to be creative
to pull that out of your head.

Each intricate little piece
with different types

of cardboard creating that.

My vote is for the Young Guns.

The Young Guns absolutely
created amazing details.

I just feel like it wasn't
cohesive and finished.

When I look at the owl,
I do believe it's a different

type of texture.
My vote goes to the OGs.

I think one is grand.
It's simplistic.

The Young Guns piece,

the use of the material
was a bit more creative.

My vote is for the Young Guns.

Yo.

That's one vote for the OGs and
two votes for the Young Guns.

Which leaves it to me.

The owl, playful, cute.
The serpent, angry, chaotic.

Creativity day,
my vote

is for the Young Guns.

Let's go.

We did it, dude.
We did it.

Being absolutely torn apart
on a tattoo to them,

suddenly really loving something
that I've done is mind-blowing.

Like, uh, I feel so good.
Almost like redemption.

Congratulations. As a team,
you will have the power

to assign all the human canvases
in the elimination tattoo.

We'll never fight again.

We're lying.

[Joel] Get some rest
and we'll see you tomorrow

in the shop for the next
elimination tattoo.

I'm so proud of you guys.

You can always add more detail.
Can they make theirs bigger?

No.

[music]

[music]

I feel like we did have a little
bit of differences yesterday.

It was definitely a lesson.

[Jenna] I feel like you
and I had the hardest argument.

The sooner we get it together,
the sooner we can just really

take it to the next level.

How do you guys feel
about the skull picks?

I feel like we should
play it safe for us.

And then for their team?

I would be 100% okay with
just like rolling the dice.

I would take a shot
at one person.

Otherwise, you literally are
going to make it look like

we are stupid and weak.

[music]

-Oh, my gosh, Cat.
-Oh, my gosh.

Look, that's me.

Shit's real now.

Those have got the years.
26 years.

[Jade] Oh, that's cool.

[Alena] Nine years,
thirteen years.

[Jade] This is so cool.

[Trevor] Where are you at?
Oh, there you are.

[Pony] Back in the green.

Holy shit,
I've got my name in neon?

A few of the other OGs
didn't want me,

but they're about to fucking
find out I deserve to be here.

Welcome to the
elimination tattoo.

Here we go, first one.

For the first time
in this competition,

the OGs and the Young Guns will
all tattoo against each other.

These suckers are going down.

Game on, guys.

In the end, only one of you

will walk away with $250,000,

and the title of Ink Master.

It's that title I want, baby.

Today, you must push your
creativity to the limit

by creating...

Lettering tattoos.

[groans]

Stop.

Lettering tattoos,
there's no room for error.

If you have a little janky line,
it shows

and you can't really fix it.

And also,
spell your fucking words right.

I fucking hate doing lettering.

We're used to being able
to do images

and tell a story that way,
but it's tough to be

super creative with such a
straightforward subject matter.

Being creative with lettering
is trying to sell the feeling

of the lettering
and what the word is.

Transform it, so when you look
at it, you see a piece of art,

and then you read what it says.

I don't think I've done a word
in 10 years.

Yes.

I do this stuff back home
all the time.

This is my wheelhouse.
I'm golden, baby.

There is one more thing
you should know.

Like lettering's not bad enough.

In this competition,
playing it safe does not win.

This season,
winning tattoo of the day

means winning the power.

I don't know what the power is,
but I want it.

Each week the team whose artist
wins tattoo of the day

in the elimination tattoo
will form a jury of peers.

[music]

That team will deliberate
and put one artist

up for elimination,
regardless of the team.

Let's go.

To be able to put someone up
for elimination to be put

in the crossfire, that's massive
and we fucking need that.

Let's meet your canvases.

[music]

[Woman] Here we go.

[music]

[Joel] Young Guns,
you won the flash challenge.

You have the power to assign
the canvases as a team.

Advantages in this competition
are hard to come by.

Use them wisely.

[music]

What is it that you're trying
to get today?

I would like the phrase,
"I promise to love you

for all my days,
come what may"

in black and gray
mixed lettering on my thigh.

[James] Too many words.

Fuckin' commas
and exclamation marks

and probably even
a semicolon in there.

It's gonna make my colon hurt.

What would you like
to get today?

"I love you never stop"
in colorful graffiti lettering.

I'm looking for "Bad Chick"
that wraps around

the shin and the calf.

I would like the word,
"Solivagant"

on my lower stomach.

I don't know what the word is.
I don't care.

The placement's horrible.

You're gonna struggle with how
stretchy the stomach is.

Like, that's just a nightmare.

My last name across
my upper back.

I want to get "Empowered" in
black and gray on my stomach.

[Trevor] Super set on placement?

I'm super set.

"You reap what you sow" written
in French in black and gray.

My three kids names in different
graffiti-style lettering.

"Play that same song" in
colorful cross-stitch lettering.

That's tiny Xs.

"Your light, my mirror"
in graffiti-style lettering.

"Play the hand you're dealt"
on my outer forearm.

"Girl Love" in black and gray,
gothic, metal-style lettering

across my butt.

A butt tattoo?

That's my girl right there.
Just the fact that she's asking

for a tattoo on her butt
is so metal of her.

I want the butt cheeks.
I want the butt cheeks.

It sucks that the Young Guns
have the skull pick.

I know they're gonna target me
and if they don't,

that's a big mistake.

Give the really long one
to James.

If we give Jorell graffiti,
he's gonna kill it.

-Give him the stomach.
-The stomach.

It's a lot of pressure
to have the power.

[music]

Who has the butt cheeks?

That's how I gotta remember.

The strategy is we choose
the canvases we think

we can do best
first and foremost.

Oh, I have no idea. We didn't
even talk about... Oh, gosh.

Jenna really wants to target
the other team.

I just really hope
we don't mess this up.

Canvases, one by one,
please read the artist's name

on the bottom of your skull.

-Joseph.
-Right over here.

-Jade.
-That's the bad bitch.

-Trevor.
-That's your boy.

-James.
-That's me.

I love novels.

-Lucy.
-That's me.

[music]

[Lucy] I don't know if the
Young Guns were shooting at me,

but I tattoo so many stomachs.
I can handle this.

-Stephanie?
-That's me.

I've done cross-stitch tattoos,
actually, so I'm excited.

-Pony.
-That'd be me.

[Jorell] You're going to France.

I'm going to France.

[music]

-Jorell.
-That's me.

I did not want to
take a stomach on.

-Anthony.
-That's me.

-Cat.
-That's me.

-Jenna.
-Hi, that's me.

That's the kids one, yeah.

Shocking.

-Alena.
-That's me.

Ooh.

-The butt cheeks.
-Booty cheeks.

Better not make an ass
out of yourself.

You will have five hours to push
your creativity to the limit

turning simple letters
into an amazing tattoo.

Fail to impress us
and you will be going home.

Good luck.

[music]

How are you doing?
Jorell.

Nice to meet you.

Right like this.

I don't know if I can do this.

I see you have lots
of experience.

Yes.

So like the word, empowered.

I struggle a lot with confidence
when it comes to my stomach.

I have this same issue
with my arms.

And after having
my arms tattooed,

I feel really confident
wearing it.

Like, wearing sleeveless now.

In terms of cleanliness
of the tattoo,

not necessarily going
to get a tattoo that's

going to age well long-term.

It's not possible on the stomach
with loose skin?

Impossible.

To be clean, I would be willing
to die on my sword.

On that.

-I'm willing to move the spot.
-Okay.

It's the word, solivagant.

What's this meaning?

The meaning is lone wanderer.

You say you want it
on your stomach?

Like, mostly the lower stomach.

I will wanna do like,
brush strokes for you

because it fits the meaning.

That's not quite the idea
I wanna go with this one.

I wanna go a little more
classic tattoo style.

She wants the most basic
cursive writing.

Well, they asked for
creativity challenge.

I just don't think that's
what I want to have on me

for the rest of my life.

[Lucy] She doesn't give me any
room to be creative.

I'm worried they can
send me home.

[music]

[music]

[music]

Artists, we are looking
for flawless lettering

and killer creativity.

You have five hours to tattoo.

And your time

starts now.

Oh, shit.

Technically,
lettering can be hard.

I'm excited.

The human body isn't flat,
so getting these long,

flowy lines and lettering
evenly spaced,

it's super difficult.

Perfect.

Fit that whole area
really nicely.

[DJ] But today we're also
looking for creativity,

the story behind the lettering.

[music]

All right,
go ahead nice and relaxed,

stay looking forward.

I wanna see you
push the boundaries,

create something interesting.

Just a sec.

That looks pretty
even everywhere.

[DJ] If these artists mess up
these letters today,

they're gonna be writing
other letters.

Dear Mom, I do not have what
it takes to be Ink Master.

-Are you ready?
-You betcha.

[music]

-[Jade] How does it feel so far?
-[Woman] So far so good.

[music]

[James] All right,
that was your warm up.

Okay.
Lay it on me.

I never thought I would have
to do lettering tattoos

in this competition.
This is my worst nightmare.

-You're all tough now, right?
-Yeah. No.

Is that the way it is
at your shop,

not for the faint of heart,
just as a motto?

No.

Doing little plunking words
or small tattoos,

it just goes
against what I like.

I like big, flowing stuff.

We do all sorts of styles
in our shop.

Me and my son, well,
he kind of learned after me.

So, I like flow on the body,
big stuff.

I might not blow minds
with creativity on this one,

but I'm going to blow minds
with clean lines

and good saturation.

[music]

-It took forever.
-Much better.

I think it's perfect. Yeah.

I am a little stressed
about the time.

I thought it would be a little
bit lower, but...

I don't know if it would really
fit much lower.

I don't know.

Tattooing help me to focus
and be patient.

-No, we can move it lower.
-[Woman] Is that okay?

Yeah, it's okay. Come.

That tat's gonna be
on her forever.

She has to like it
and it has to be right.

[music]

I'm gonna figure out
how we're gonna make it work.

I feel like I'm being really
creative with the way

I'm placing the tattoo.

I'm also kind of being smart
with the way I'm doing the lines

because I'm not gonna have
to stress about pulling

straight lines on the butt.

Artists, there are four hours
left on the clock.

Just keep calm.
Just let me do a good tattoo.

I might have to sacrifice
some textures.

I want my kids and my family
to be proud of me

being a bad ass
on this competition.

There is no other way
to be here.

It's for real.

We're already an hour
into tattoo time.

Yep, love it.

I have turn the turbo mode on
to get to finish this tattoo.

-Ready?
-Yep.

[music]

What are you doing over here?

A little patch work.

The word of the day is
creativity, right?

[Ryan] Creativity.

[Pony] It means you reap
what you sow in French.

-Really, that's what it means?
-Very cool.

So I can definitely show off
my creativity chops by sewing

this thing into the skin.

You do a lot of stitching?

I gotta feel comfortable
about it.

If this thing is
popping off the skin

then it's absolutely
gonna show creativity.

But if it ends up flat,

then this whole thing
is gonna fall apart.

I was just in the bottom.
I can't let that happen again.

[music]

How are you feeling?

You know, just got some
black and gray again.

The canvas is why I do
what I do.

Then we're gonna do a little
sunset from where she's from.

At the end of the day,
this is a service.

And as much as I can say like,

"Oh, I'm an artist.
I wanna have creative control."

Somebody has to wear this...

Forever,
so I take that very seriously.

I just have to be able to adapt
and do my best tattoo.

You've got two hours.

[music]

I was so nervous
because I don't do lettering,

but actually,
I'm having like, a good time.

I am competitive because I like
to succeed, you know?

That's why I'm here.
That's why I've learned

to tattoo in the short amount
of time that I have.

I was also very tired yesterday,
a little dramatic.

It's hard 'cause art
and specifically tattooing

is not a team sport, right?

I think we learned
some serious lessons.

[music]

Oh, man, that's cool.

My canvas is kinda moving
a little bit.

He wants to kinda keep looking
at the piece,

so he's just kind of
all over the place.

Tattooing for the first time
in my shop,

kinda want a nice, calm setting,
but I'm a little flustered

right now, so just fucking
sit still, buddy.

[music]

I only have like a letter
and a half left.

I got this.
I got this.

Doing some little, fun graffiti.

The first tattoo I ever did
was lettering.

It was on my brother.
I was not confident,

but now,
I got this in the bag.

-Cruising.
-Cruising.

[DJ] Don't compromise
the technical side

just so you think you
gotta rush, you know?

Artists, 30 minutes left.

[music]

-Sorry, what are you doing?
-The bottom line.

Can you lay down?

I'm just so tired of going over
the same spots.

It really hurts.

[Lucy] My canvas is in
a lot of pain.

That's what happens when you
get your stomach done.

Oh, my God.

Gonna fix a couple of line
at the bottom.

Is it going to go all the way
to the bottom?

Like, I thought there was
gonna be some skin breaks.

No, there's just skin.

I feel like I'm tattooing
on a water balloon.

So, it's really hard for me
to pull a straight line.

It's just a lot darker than I
expected, but such is life.

I just wanted you to look great.

Please stop criticize me.

I'm pretty much done.

Five, four, three, two, one.

That's it. Time's up.

No more ink.

You did so good.

I think we did it.

Hopefully, it'll be
a thing at the top.

[Man] I hope so, too, man.
I love it.

-Do you like it?
-Yeah.

Oh, wow.
That's amazing.

I feel like if I tattooed
my canvas five more minutes,

she would like, run out.

I'm like, "Okay, you're done."

[James] Yeah.

Otherwise, I'm good.
I did my best.

[music]

[music]

Today, you had to prove
your creativity

with lettering tattoos.

OGs, let's see how you did.

Lucy.

You got thrown the hardest
tattoo in the room.

[Lucy] I was struggling
'cause she didn't sit well.

I'm happy I finished it.

On creativity day, it's not
really creativity at all.

Just that normal, walk-in,
everyday script.

I mean, it's normal script,
but the ability to pull

this off so clean on
one of the hardest areas

of the body is not normal.
You absolutely crushed.

Thank you.

Stephanie.

It looks vintage, antique.

The reflection on the glass
is awesome.

I love the play
on the cross stitch.

It was like Grandma's
cross stitch that was like

gifted to somebody.

[DJ] I think this tattoo's
getting handed down.

I don't think it's going
to the yard sale,

so I think you did good.

[music]

James.

[music]

It's big.
It's legible.

It's clean.

The thing is fucking boring,
dude.

I think you could have brought
more of your illustrative

background creating other
elements that play around

with this.
And not such giant letters.

This is the last thing I thought
I would've seen from you.

Oh, God.

-It's a tough one.
-That's horseshit.

Anthony.

The most successful part
of the tattoo to me is like

the frame of it,
but it's every letter

after the P that gets lost.

The, the, you crossed that T
over the negative space.

And on the bottom, you crossed
the L and left the T blank.

-It says deatll.
-I see it now, yeah.

I don't think you nailed it
on this one.

[music]

-Pony.
-Oh, boy.

This tattoo is totally creative,
man.

The embroidery looks life like.
It looks real.

I love the flip at the top
where it kind of came unstitched

from the skin.
Really cool trick.

Sweet, thank you.

[music]

Jorell.

I do not understand why there
are two big blotches.

It looks like an ink pen blew up
in her pocket.

[Nikko] That scenery's floating.

It's like way bigger
than the lettering itself.

And so it takes away
from a cool style of font.

The sun is definitely setting
on this tattoo.

[music]

All right, Young Guns.
Let's see how you did.

Joseph.

I like how you went a little
wild on the graffiti at the top.

I do like the character
in the middle of the O,

but I can't read you.

And stop looks kind of
like shop.

[Ryan] The saturation
is beyond choppy.

The lollipop on top
and the purple is so scratchy.

You focused more on quantity
rather than quality.

[music]

Alena.

It would have been nice
if the love and the cool

had similar shape and design.

It looked better on paper.

It's hard to read because
there's so much skin tone

with gray that feels like it was
thrown in at the last minute.

-Solid black.
-Solid black.

Do that shit solid black,
make that goth.

It is definitely cruel.

[music]

Cat.

I like how you switched up the
fonts with each word.

I like how the mirror kind of
has a reflection.

You pulled off a lot of tricks
on this tattoo,

the line work,
color packing, shading,

and the black and gray work
is a flex to everybody like,

"I can pull these different
type of techniques."

It's a cool tattoo.

Trevor.

[music]

I do think they're really bold.

You could read this thing
from across the street.

And you could see that it's
uneven from across the street.

The left-hand side curves up,
then comes down.

It's a wonk-a-donk.

[music]

Jenna.

It does look like three
completely separate tattoos.

He really was adamant on the
three very different styles

for the very three different
personalities.

I think the guy got exactly
what he thought he wanted,

but you look at the design and
you're like, "Nothing special."

[music]

Jade.

This tattoo is definitely clean.

It's put in the skin
really nicely.

[Joel] The biggest problem
is that B.

It takes you a minute
to figure out.

[Jade] I personally just
don't love Bs.

I don't know how to flow it.

[Joel] On letter day,
did you get an A?

Not to me.
You got a B.

As much as you hate 'em.

[music]

Judges, it's time to determine
who had the best tattoo

of the day.

For me, there's two.

I'd say Stephanie.

[Nikko] One hundred percent.

It plays so well
with being so simple.

I like Pony's tattoo.

Technically, it's awesome.

In terms of creativity,
it's awesome.

When it comes down to it,
my vote is for Pony.

My vote is for Stephanie.
She nailed it.

Ah, man, this is splitting hairs
now, you know?

My vote is for Pony.

I really like the overall
feeling of Stephanie's,

but I think I'm gonna have
to vote for Pony.

His job to sew one thread.

[Joel] The judges have decided.

The best tattoo of the day
goes to Pony.

Thank you.

That means this week, the OGs
will form the jury of peers.

You must deliberate as a team
and put one artist

up for elimination.

Head out and we'll call you back
when we have a decision.

[music]

It feels good to be on top
for once. Holy shit.

Definitely fucked the
skull picks on those ones.

I thought it went
over really well.

[Trevor] It looks great.

I got my ass handed to me,
literally.

I just got too excited,
too big, too ambitious.

Man, I wish I would've went
a lot safer with that tattoo.

Maybe I was a little bit
too excited, also.

Yeah, I just misunderstood
the creativity part.

I think I failed
on creativity part

because I could've done more.
Now, I feel bad that I didn't.

I put none of myself
in that tattoo.

It is up to us to take someone's
lesser idea and make it better.

And I think that was the point.

There's nobody sitting around
at any of our shops

telling you that what you did
was a piece of shit.

It's only in this environment
that I feel like

we do beat ourselves up.

Do yourselves a favor, just
fucking put me in the bottom.

I'm ready to walk out of here,
man.

[music]

[music]

We are here as a jury of peers
to pick one artist

to go up for elimination.
What do you guys think?

What are your thoughts?

Can we just pull mine up?

Does that deserve to be
in the bottom four?

I think it does, but I think you
might be on par with Anthony

on this one.

Definitely didn't show who I am
in this tattoo.

In order to keep Anthony
and Jorell from going up

for elimination, I really think
it's important that we send

another person
from their team

to the bottom who's not
necessarily in the bottom two.

I think Alena and Jenna are
on the bottom.

I'd be surprised if they're not,
but I mean for sure Alena's is

because it's not even finished.

It's pretty illegible.

The judges will send Alena
to the bottom.

And I think they'll also send
Jenna to the bottom.

Design issues,
separation issues.

[Jorell] I don't like the
color choices she made.

I'm not sure why the gray is
in there.

[James] I don't understand the
drop shadow on just two letters.

[Lucy] Very random.

The judges are gonna pick two
while we pick one,

so I think Joseph might be
a good candidate for that.

And we'll all be safe.

[Stephanie] But Joseph showed
a little bit more artistry

in his letters.
What about Jade's tattoo?

I mean, it was clean.

I don't think she's going home
on that one.

I'm just thinking of creativity.

Who was more creative?
That's the challenge.

[Pony] And that is the
challenge, right?

The game is afoot.

[music]

I feel horrible.

I just tried to shoot for the
stars and tragically failed.

You took a lot of risks.

[Jade] Compared to like,
other people.

I just get too excited.

That excitement shows that
you want to be here.

I, myself thought always,
I would watch Ink Master

and like, actually learn
from the judging.

[music]

It just means a lot to me
that I got to get my tattoos

judged and they haven't even
seen what I can actually do.

They've seen that you can do
incredible work.

You've already proven yourself.

Get my shit together and get out
there and fight for myself.

[music]

[Joel] This week you were being
tested on creativity.

Pony, which artist is the
jury of peers

putting up for elimination?

As a jury of peers,
we have decided to send...

Jade to the bottom.

[music]

The judges have decided
the other two artists

in the bottom are...

Alena.

[music]

And Jorell.

[music]

Based on your work, one of you
will be packing your machines.

Pony, tell me why you guys
put Jade in the bottom.

Although we think she did a
technically great job,

we just don't think she was
super creative.

I think mine was a little more
creative than some of theirs.

She whooped 50% of your team's
ass in creativity.

It was a strategic play.

But this is when it backfires
because you never know who

that number three is gonna be.

So now you guys just made it
that much easier for us.

We now don't have to argue
three tattoos.

We have to argue two tattoos.

Because you picked one that
shouldn't be in the bottom.

[music]

Jorell, you're in the bottom
three because those black trees,

bushes, just overpowered
the whole thing.

Definitely not my best.

Definitely need to adapt
and I fell short of that.

If I get another chance,
I definitely will do better.

I mean, this sucks being here.

Alena, you're in the bottom
for illegibility.

I feel like I set myself up
with this 100%.

Focused too much
on creativity part

and kind of lost track of time.

You don't have much time
in this competition.

That's what it's built around.
On-the-spot decisions

showing that you can just
take on anything.

It tests everything you've got.

[music]

Judges, it's time
to make a decision.

[music]

I mean, I think we can cut Jade
out of the mix.

[Joel] For sure.

[Ryan] You can't send home a
tattoo that's that clean.

So it comes down
to Jorell and Alena.

With Jorell's, it's a word
with a scene above it.

[Joel] I actually like the
lettering on his.

I do.

With Alena's,
she tried to give us something,

big, bold, dynamic.

You said,
"Hey, look at this tattoo.

What does it say?"
I'd be like...

But that was the look
I was going for, for metal.

If it looks more like a cool
design, maybe, but like,

you don't want like, a not cool
design and make it illegible.

You know, it's like, two misses.

Alena,
I think you took a big swing

and I think you missed big.

My vote is for you to go home.

My vote is for Alena.

My vote is for Alena to go home.

Alena, my vote's for you.

The judges have decided.

Alena, you do not have what
it takes to be Ink Master.

You picked a really hard tattoo
and you were ambitious with it.

And absolutely that shows
who you are.

That first challenge,
you ranked number one.

You're an incredible tattooer,
but this competition,

it's unlike anything else.

Well, I got a taste of it.
I'll be back.

Please pack your machines
and close shop.

Thank you.

Love you, baby.

Thank you.

I definitely took a big swing
and that was my downfall.

I just got too excited.

I need to fucking calm down
a little bit.

I learned a lot about myself.

I'm leaving here stronger
than I came here.

These bitches better
watch out for me

'cause I'll be back, baby.

[music]

No, Joseph. No.

I hope they shit the bed.

[music]

Metallic chrome snake handshake
in my armpit.

Whoa.

On my butt.

This is a nightmare right now.

I'm not okay with that.

If my canvas leave,
I'm straight up going home.

[DJ] No one is going to just
hand you a briefcase

with $250,000 in it,

and that should be easy.

I wanna be around other people
who wanna stay here

and wanna fight.

I'm gonna fight
till the very end.

I wanna win this competition.

Step up and prove it.

[music]

[music]