Ink Master

I watch this show to see tattoo artists performing their craft, and to hopefully see some great tattoos. However, each season it gets more embarrassing and painful to watch. I know it's a competition, but if the participants are truly as arrogant and obnoxious as they are portrayed, I can't believe they have legitimate businesses as artists. It's all about drama and fighting and bad-mouthing everyone instead of being about the skill and art. Are all of these people honestly ego-maniacs who have no respect for their peers? Granted, there are usually a few nice folks in the bunch but overall it's just embarrassing how juvenile these people are. Then there's the judging which never seems to be based on what they asked for and who actually complied with the rules. Instead it's about popularity, favoritism and keeping the most controversial people to make sure they have drama. Until they do blind judging, get rid of coaches and get rid of teams. this will never be a fair and real competition. I'm still watching for now to see the art, but it's getting increasingly difficult.

I've actually never been a tattoo fan but a few months ago, as I was looking for something a little interesting to watch on TV, I came across Ink Master and I've been watching the show from then on.

What I like in this show: some of the tattoos (flowers, realistic photos mostly-- I hate skulls, black and white, pin ups, old and new school tattoos) and the artistic and technical explanations from the contestants. I ONLY watch it because of these two aspects.

What I don't like: the drama scenes, the insults, fights, strategies to win, and Mr Nunez's behavior. Whereas Oliver Peck and Dave Navarro are rather fair judges (although sometimes a little politeness would be most appreciated), Chris Nunez is obviously only here to humiliate the contestants instead of purely sticking to his role as a judge.

As a conclusion: this show could be a really great one if Chris Nunez wasn't there and if the contestants were chosen differently. Some of them don't care a d**n about their 'art', they're just here to fight and make a fuss.

I love reality competition shows. I am also fascinated by the art tattooing, albeit thus far I am an abstainer. The first season was the best--huge egos but genuine talent. (My favorite did not win.) Since then the show has devolved to showcasing some of the nastiest, untalented people on TV. The number of bleeps per episode is irritating; the talent sub par. Is the industry so tapped out that this is the best it has to offer? I also wonder about the psychological stability of the human canvases, many of whom are left with truly ugly, permanent "artwork" on their bodies. In the latest episode, these canvases wanted a anatomically-correct human heart morphing into either a lion, clock or hand grenade. Really? Are they paid to do this or just guaranteed a cover-up on the series Tattoo Nightmares?

I love watching the challenges, the creativity and the critiques BUT all the drama, the cursing and immature behavior is way too much!!! I have never watched a show that uses so much foul language to express themselves. C'mon you're artists and can't handle criticism-seriously??? I enjoy any show that promotes creativity but feel this is definitely a show I can't watch with my grandchildren!!! Wash your mouths out with soap, take the criticism like a mature artistic adult and make the show enjoyable for everyone to watch. David Navarro is a top notch host.

I have watched every season, and it is down to enjoying the tattoo art process, which is about one third of the show. After the first couple of seasons, it was pretty clear that winning artists are pre-chosen for the final round, and they are going to win no matter how awful their tattoo is on any specific week.

The final episode used to be two hours of these characters just trash talking, and it was impossible to watch. Even at one hour, the final episode every season is the worst one. The giant back tattoos are usually not that good. Whoever made the best full back tattoo never wins. It is by far a rigged competition.

Every season, there are at least two men who are real jerks, and one or two women who are very arrogant and snotty. The rest of the artists in the competition spend their spare time either hating each other, or arguing. The fighting every week makes up about one third of every episode.

The Flash Challenge is some random contest where the competing artists do some totally useless activity, like making houses out of popsicle sticks. This big waste of time takes up the first one third of every episode. Most of the time, if you start watching after 30 minutes, you have not missed much. The best way to watch this show is to view it one week after every episode, and then you can fast forward through all the garbage time, like the flash challenges.

The three judges have very little personality. Dave Navarro used to be a guitarist on Jane's Addiction. He often does not give his opinion at all. He is not a tattoo artist, so the only reason he is on this show is because he is the closest thing to a "celebrity" that they could get. The other two judges are tattoo artists nobody ever heard of, but they claim to be famous.