InkMasters??

[mattyrunks]

Just curious about the general LST'ers think about this....Top Chef/Project Runway for tattooers? Not too sure what my opinion is yet..peep the trailer on Spike's website..First thing that I thought was odd was the fact that several of the "contestants" already are well " established", and own shops ,and put out books and CD-ROMS and all that jazz..

[Avery Taylor]

This show makes me glad I don't have cable.

[lunchbox715]

not a fan of anything put on television that uses our craft and art as a means to fill a corporate suits pocket. Most advertisors and people involved are the very same that refuse to hire tattooed people. Its sickening.

[Matthew B]

I don't know what looks worse, this or the one that will be on Oxygen. At least Mr. Peck should make this more entertaining.

[jinxproof1996]

best show ever.

[eisen777]

Dave navarro is in it, so it must be cool!!!!!!!

[mattyrunks]

Well..if Karl's backing it , then it's A-OK in my book.

[Ursula]

Oliver Peck is one of the hosts and I guarantee he's not a corporate asshole just in it for the money. Go watch his interview and then come talk shit. I don't know anything about the show really, and I probably won't watch it as I don't watch t.v. at all really.

Also there's already a thread about this which I'm to lazy to find and post the link to.

[jaywinstonart]

Here's my observation:

First: It's T.V. so surely it will be edited and somewhat scripted so that it will be appealing to many types of viewers.

Second: There will be valued members of the tattoo community as well as a few not so well known tattooers on the show.

Third: If you are looking for something to get out of the show other than what it is designed to be, I'm sure you will be disappointed.

So, if you decide to watch the show, great. If not, so be it. Nothing wrong with it either way. The simple fact that there are many tattoo related shows on T.V. now and then has the tattoo community and the general public frequently discussing the pro's and con's of both sides of this issue. So my take on this is as long as there is and interest, there will be shows and big business making money with advertising and such. So what. The B side is that it also generates exposure to our industry (good and bad) which generates more clients which in turn equals more money for us as tattooers. The traditions of our industry are being changed but not lost. If you stay true to your own personal beliefs and practices regarding our industry then you are doing your part to keep the values alive. Never let someone else change who you are. Be the best YOU can be and continue to grow everyday and better your craft and ability to provide a quality produst and good service and you yourself will succeed in what ever you do.

So in closing I believe there are valid points to both sides of the commercialized tattooing epidemic. I simply say use it to your advantage and move forward. No one is holding a gun to your head and saying watch the show or conform to the present depiction of our industry on T.V. I plan to start everyday the same. I wake up spend some time with my wife and kids and then head into the shop to paint, draw and do my best to improve my skills as a tattooer and learn a little more everyday. I can live with that.

So no matter which side you may be on, remember one thing, you have to give respect to get it.

Jay

[eisen777]

Oliver Peck is the man, ....If I watch this it because I really like him, His LST interview was great. Actually I wont lie Im morbidly curious how this will go.

Dave Navarro tho..uggggghhhhhhh I want him to go away, and I dont know how much of his opinion on tattooing I could take.

[Aussie Tom]

"I cant believed I even watched this trailer. Made me sick. Why Oliver Peck is involved with this project, I cant tell you, but I guess at the bottom line, money talks.

I cant even begin to get in to the problems with this type of programming. What good can come out of timed tattoo competitions between a bunch of people who think they’re “the best”. What kind of attitudes about tattooing is this promoting? No good ones.

They’re just going to milk money out of our industry for as long as they can, while using bullshit ideas and clever editing to put false ideas in the general public’s head as long as we keep letting them. It’s a damn shame." - what a tattoo artist posted on tumblr about it.

[Duffa]

Wait, what??? "Timed tattoo competitions"... I had a big rant typed out, but then just realised that "Timed tattoo competitions" was almost all that needed to be said to make my point ;)

[ThaliaCamille]

Wait, what??? "Timed tattoo competitions"... I had a big rant typed out, but then just realised that "Timed tattoo competitions" was almost all that needed to be said to make my point ;)

Don't they sometimes do this at conventions? *digs around magazine collection, trying to recall where I saw it*

Ah! Found it. Logan tattoo and art exhibition, apparently they have a thing called "Ink Off", where they time people in various categories and then judge a winner.

[Duffa]

Don't they sometimes do this at conventions? *digs around magazine collection, trying to recall where I saw it*

Ah! Found it. Logan tattoo and art exhibition, apparently they have a thing called "Ink Off", where they time people in various categories and then judge a winner.

Lol, I'm not sure if i've ever heard of to many good ideas coming out of Logan though ;)

[Aussie Tom]

Don't they sometimes do this at conventions? *digs around magazine collection, trying to recall where I saw it*

Ah! Found it. Logan tattoo and art exhibition, apparently they have a thing called "Ink Off", where they time people in various categories and then judge a winner.

Yes they do it here in Australia too. I think the motives for doing them are different between conventions and this show though. I mean a timed tattoo competition where the winner is judged by "celebrity" guest judges such as Chris Anderson (NBA player) for a huge wad of cash is different to how it would appear to be at a convention?

[Ursula]

There was a show on tv or the internet already based on the idea of a tattoo competition i can't remember if it was timed but i do remember it showcased some great artists and the show was actually kind of good. One episode was two artists had to each do a sleeve on this one guy and then they all got together at a convention and a group of artists and collectors all voted on which one they liked better. I can't remember who was on the show or what happened in other episodes but i remember the tattoos were good. Tattoo Wars or Ink Wars or something like that.

[Gregor]

There was a show on tv or the internet already based on the idea of a tattoo competition i can't remember if it was timed but i do remember it showcased some great artists and the show was actually kind of good. One episode was two artists had to each do a sleeve on this one guy and then they all got together at a convention and a group of artists and collectors all voted on which one they liked better. I can't remember who was on the show or what happened in other episodes but i remember the tattoos were good. Tattoo Wars or Ink Wars or something like that.

Yeah Ink wars. It was an excellent show.

[Iwar]

Yeah Ink wars. It was an excellent show.

You mean Tattoo Wars, right?

[Kev]

saber awr = )

[gougetheeyes]

I want to not care and shrug it off and pretend it's not even a blip on the radar, but I'm probably gonna end up watching at least one episode, then getting kind of generally bummed out like I knew I would.

I think a big part for me, as a tattoo-getter, is when your average Joe wants to name drop people simply because they were on TV, and not because he picked up a book or your buddy's old magazines or tracked that person down and actually got tattooed. Or hell, even likes that person's work or could tell you why it's any good (or not good). Because it doesn't mean anything to that person other than just a name on TV. That seems to be hardest part for me to get past. But people are gonna watch the shit out of this show, so get ready..

[Scott R]

I want to not care and shrug it off and pretend it's not even a blip on the radar, but I'm probably gonna end up watching at least one episode, then getting kind of generally bummed out like I knew I would.

I think a big part for me, as a tattoo-getter, is when your average Joe wants to name drop people simply because they were on TV, and not because he picked up a book or your buddy's old magazines or tracked that person down and actually got tattooed. Or hell, even likes that person's work or could tell you why it's any good (or not good). Because it doesn't mean anything to that person other than just a name on TV. That seems to be hardest part for me to get past. But people are gonna watch the shit out of this show, so get ready..

funny how perspectives change. 1 yr ago I might have watched an episode and figured out who oliver peck was and jump on the bandwagon. As it is today I know he is great tattooer and he is on my handful of want to contact list on possible backpiece. Now with the exposure I think to myself he will be out of pocket for a good while. I almost wish these shows wouldnt exsist so I would have a better chance to get in with great artists while the masses go to the $20 dollar tattoo fashion boutique

[Ursula]

@Scott R I gave my tattoo appointment with him to someone i was friends with at the time because I figured I'd have lots of chances to get another one. Now I totally regret it because a) the girl i gave it to, turns out she sucks and I'm not friends with her anymore b) probably won't be so easy anymore.

[Scott R]

@Scott R I gave my tattoo appointment with him to someone i was friends with at the time because I figured I'd have lots of chances to get another one. Now I totally regret it because a) the girl i gave it to, turns out she sucks and I'm not friends with her anymore b) probably won't be so easy anymore.

yeah ursula that sucks. I was lucky enough to find this place when i was close to getting what would have been a subpar cover backpiece. It was here I learned about the different styles and artists which make me salivate today. 4 laser sessions and months later I am nearing a good starting point for talking with potential artists and Ideas. I dont know exactly what style I want(james briggs B&g or a sylvia or peck trad piece) but I am at least in a better spot to make a no loose decision. If someone sees this show becomes immersed in learning about quality work it can only help tattoists get respect they deserve as artists but me as a collector suffers with longer waits or possibly no openings because the masses become more educated. I guess its never a good time to be selfish. Ahh I am rambling now time to shut my pie hole

but this has me thinking peck for a piece

[gougetheeyes]

@Scott R I gave my tattoo appointment with him to someone i was friends with at the time because I figured I'd have lots of chances to get another one. Now I totally regret it because a) the girl i gave it to, turns out she sucks and I'm not friends with her anymore b) probably won't be so easy anymore.

I'd bet that he's not gonna start booking out months in advance (weren't his words something like, "It was fucking terrible"?) –– I'd only guess that his days on the road will increase, so the hard part may just be nailing down where he's at!

Also, don't get me wrong, great tattooing should be recognized and hopefully (if we're sticking with the example of Oliver) it'll expose other people to his work and they will come to the conclusion, "Oh, he does really fucking solid tattoos, lemme go get one from him!" Same thing if Shige popped up, you know people would go apeshit, and rightly so. I only meant it was the how of coming to that conclusion.. And makes me question if they ever wanted a tattoo to begin with. Though in the end maybe it only matters to weirdo spazzes.. i.e. myself. Because if a customer comes in and wants a tattoo, you can eat. Etc etc etc.. I've been awake since like 6 this morning apologies for rambling.

[Avery Taylor]

I can speak from experience on this one. When I started getting tattooed by Chris Garver he had no wait list at all. He was very well known in the tattoo community, but not at all outside of it. He started Miami Ink about six months later, and that was the end of it. At the time Chris, Tim Hendricks, and Kat all worked at True Tattoo, and getting tattooed by them was easy. Actually getting tattooed by Tim wasn't that easy because he was always taking off somewhere to surf. He cancelled two appointments with me. One at True and one at Spotlight, and then he went down to Miami and that was the end of it.