All language subtitles for Ink.Master.S16E07.en

[Male Narrator] Previously on
Ink Master.

[Joel] You must create
a portrait of a service dog.

It's Puppy Town,
we're goin' to it.

[Male Narrator] Portraits
revealed

the Young Guns as a threat.

I love doing dog portraits.

[Ryan] This tattoo,
it was close to perfect, Cat.

Thank you, guys.

[Joel] Cat, you are safe from
elimination.

[Male Narrator] And exposed
the OGs' weaknesses.

[Joel] Lucy and James,

you two had
the lowest-ranked tattoos.

I'm just shocked that you have
an Achilles' heel.

I mean, it is my second
dog portrait in my whole career.

What you don't know is this is
a double elimination.

[Male Narrator] In
a shocking twist...

[Joel] You must each challenge
another artist to face off.

Battle to the death.

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

Now's the time to try and do
the best thing possible

to fuckin' take out James
[indistinct].

[Man] Fighting for your life
right now.

I really wanna out-tattoo Lucy.

[Male Narrator] In
the elimination...

First up, the face-off between
Lucy and Joseph.

Lucy's panda is interacting
with the graffiti.

Joseph's, it's two
separate tattoos

that don't interact.

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

[dramatic music]

[Joel] Next up, James and
Trevor.

The problems in James's were
to add a few things.

A lot of the problems in
Trevor's

were to take away things,

which is very hard to do.

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

[Male Narrator] Seven artists
remain,

but only one will earn
a $250,000 prize

and the title of Ink Master.

[rock music revving up]

[rock music]

[dramatic music]

-That was crazy.
-[Lucy] Yay!

[Anthony] That was fuckin'
close.

-[Pony] Yeah, yeah, that was...
-[Anthony] Jesus.

[Pony] Too close for comfort.

[Anthony] Absolutely.

[Stephanie] You just feel like
a weight is lifted?

So happy I'm here.

[Cat] I do think we saw
your best tattoo

here in this competition.

Yeah, Joseph, go home.

I feel, uh, I feel good
that I'm still here.

Must not feel good being at
the bottom there.

[James] No, it feels like shit,
yep.

But hey, it's nice to have
a taste, you know?

Yeah, just a little fire under
your ass, then.

The fact that it was that close
was surprising.

Trevor gave you a run for
your money.

Well, yeah, there's only
two of you guys now.

Where's all the Young Guns?

That's all you need.

[Stephanie] The final seven.

[dramatic music]

[dramatic music]

What the heck is that?

[Jade] Do you see those
power tools?

[Cat] Yep.

Show these kids how to use
the tools, eh?

[tense music]

Welcome.
Seven artists remain.

Five OGs...

Still here, guys.
Still here.

And two Young Guns.

The two of us.

But the battle is just heating
up.

Only one of you will walk away
with $250,000

and the title of Ink Master.

[Lucy] Let's fight for it.

This week, we're testing
contrast.

Good thing you're
a black and gray artist.

I know, right?

Contrast is all about making
things bold and exciting.

You're playing with opposites.

So, light and dark,

contrasting textures,
and even in size.

Today, you must create
a masterpiece on concrete.

Using what, exactly?

It's gonna be fun.

Oh, I do art on concrete
all the time.

No, never!
Who the fuck does that?

Your canvas is
a 7 1/2 foot by 20 foot

painted concrete wall.

You guys gonna be able to cover
all that?

Don't worry about it.

That's a lot of area for
two people.

Using rotary hammers,
angle grinders,

and die grinders,

you must strategically chip away
at the dark surface,

revealing the lighter concrete
below.

[Jade] What do I look like,
a contractor?

I barely know how to use
a hammer.

[DJ] Often, you're trying to add
your darks.

In this, you're kinda building
your lights.

Since you're just going to have
solid black for the paint

and solid gray concrete,

that's only two different tones.

So, you have to think about
different textures

and really use contrast that
way.

[Nikko] You're gonna come across
cracks and breaks

just like you would
stretch marks or moles.

Can you pivot and adjust just
like you would tattooing?

[DJ] This is gonna be much like
tattooing.

The things you put in,
you can't really take away.

So, go in with
a really good strategy.

We've been slowly chippin' away
at the competition already,

so it's just another day
in the office.

Young Guns, because there are
only two of you remaining,

and the OGs have five,

you now have the power to
even the playing field.

Like the sound of that.

Fuck.

You must pick one artist from
the OG team

to join the Young Guns for
this flash challenge.

Shit.

Who do you choose?

Alright, OGs, time to make
some people angry.

Because we're not super
tool-savvy...

Well, shit.

We're gonna choose James.

I knew it.

Ah, nothing would annoy James
more

than joining our team right now.

[laughter]

-Bye!
-We'll miss you.

Well, here's my worst nightmare
come true.

Welcome to our team.

So, this is what it's like
to feel young again.

Fuck, the one person I didn't
want 'em to pick.

If they win the skull pick,

I know he's not gonna target
Anthony,

and he can't target Cat or Jade.

Welcome to the team, buddy.

So, that puts the crosshair
right on me.

The teams are set for
this flash challenge.

You guys are lucky you got
the sharpest tool in the shed

in this one, eh?

Yeah, you're a tool, alright.

The winners of
this flash challenge

will have the power to assign
all the human canvases

in the elimination tattoo
together.

If we win, we can use
our skull pick

not only to take out Cat,
but also James.

We have to nail this challenge.

This is about to get crazy.

Oh my gosh.

You have five hours,
and your time starts now.

-Oh my God.
-Come on, James!

You need your walker?
Let's go!

Let's get drawing, guys.

Since it's a black background,
we should utilize it.

Like, maybe something kinda,
like, space theme-y?

[DJ] This is a big black wall.

These artists don't have colors
to create contrast.

They only have black and white.

You can play around with
light source,

play around with textures.

To create contrast, they gotta
give us bright lights

and dark darks.

[James] Contrast, less is more,
remember that.

I'm expecting to see
mind-blowing contrast,

or the next stone they'll be
chiseling is their tombstone.

If we add a goldfish,
and it was like...

We just did an underwater fish.

-Sorta tryin' to mix it up.
-[Cat] Oh, okay.

I could whip on a huge dragon
right now

with contrast on it, right?

-Oh...
-Frickin' rad, right?

-I'd be down to do a dragon.
-[indistinct]

You can have the dragon, like,
holding, like,

one of those orbs that,
you know...

-[James] That glow.
-Then the glow.

-Alright, let's do it.
-Whatever you guys wanna do.

You pick, I'm just here to help.

But, you know, we're gonna win
though, so it's fine.

-Let's do it.
-[James] You sure?

It'll be fun,
it's, it's a big one.

It's a big one, let's do it.
Let's do a dragon.

Okay.
I need Anthony's long arms.

I have, uh, inspired from
the weather because it's so hot.

Contrasting feeling; something,
like, wet and cold.

-[Stephanie] Okay.
-So, my feeling is, like,

a mushroom or frog or snail.

I love snails.

[Pony] Snail would be
a really good main.

So we can add in, like,
mushrooms around it.

I always think having
your main focal point

should be not busy around it.

So, I think having the face,

you know,
it's coming out at you, right?

Losing James, it's gonna take
a little bit of a hit

because he is a leader.

But, you know, so am I.

Are we gonna try and map out
some shit?

Can you draw with the chalk
where the areas are...

-[Anthony] Yeah.
-That we're gonna be cutting,

-that way we don't get confused?
-[Anthony] Okay.

I wanna show that I can take
the reins,

and we don't necessarily need
him on our team

in the way of winning
flash challenges.

[James] What's Anthony drawing?
He's drawin' somethin'.

Are they goin' for snail?
Or are they goin'...?

-[James] That's a lotta shit.
-[Cat] Yeah...

What the hell's he doin'?

Can't worry about that.

[Cat] Yeah, can't worry about
them.

Let's just do us.

I'm doing the dragon with James!

This is crazy,
this is what he does.

It's so cool to see him, like,
actually create it.

[James] I have a different way
of doing dragons,

but top of the head here.

Artists, you have four hours
left.

[dramatic music]

[Stephanie] Anthony,
you're tall.

Hold it up towards the top.

Somewhere wherever you want
the light source.

[James] Horns are
the coolest parts.

Gotta make sure we get
a horn in there.

I have no problem being on
a team with

Cat and James kinda leading it,

because I know that I don't
really have

the illustrative skills yet

to be able to create
cool designs.

Well, is this gonna show
enough contrast?

[tense music]

No, we gotta pivot.
It's not gonna work.

Goldfish it is.

[Cat] Goldfish it is.
Alright.

I do think the fish idea
is a little underwhelming,

but we're running out of time.

Okay, gold-fishers,
let 'er rip.

[rock music]

Jade is gonna try and get
redemption on those bubbles.

[rock music]

So many problems, but I'm
gearin' for these skulls.

[Stephanie] And then we just
kinda take that grinder

and do those, like,
round grooves.

We gotta make sure that another
Young Gun does bite the dust.

[Lucy] When we grind things, go,
we go this way.

Thick to thin, right?
So, this is the dark point.

-That means...
-[Anthony] You're gonna fade

-into the dark, yeah.
-[Lucy] Yes.

[James] Alright, kids.

Looks good.

-[Jade] What?
-[James] I'll start.

[rock music]

[Anthony] They're already
grindin'.

[Stephanie] It's okay, we have
a really solid plan going.

[rock music]

This, this is their contrast,

and other things that I,
I think works more than

[indistinct], right?

[rock music]

Our design isn't turning out
exactly how I had hoped.

It's a little messy,

because there's a lot of people
trying to work on one piece.

So, the light's hitting that top
all through here.

[Pony] Yeah, and
that drop shadow

would probably be, like...

[Stephanie] Okay.

It's really hard with these
tools

to work under somebody else
while they're using them.

[Pony] Fuckin' hard.

Normally, you draw something
and fill it in,

but we have to chip away
the things

that aren't being drawn,

and that's really fuckin' with
my brain.

[Stephanie] I think you could
get away with

doing more shading on the stem.

[Lucy] That mushroom could be
a little better.

[Stephanie] Yeah.

There is one hour left.

[Pony] Well, I guess I know what
Michelangelo was thinking

when he chiseled David.

"This fuckin' sucks."

[rock music]

[Cat] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Still have my head,
all ten fingers,

everything's fine.

[James] I was in the bottom
last week.

I do not wanna be in
the bottom again.

Give me a jackhammer
and give me a chisel.

I'll use my fuckin' teeth
if I have to,

to chew away at this block of
crap to make art.

[laughter]

I just want the skull pick.
That's the main goal.

Thirty minutes remaining.

[rock music]

What do you think about leaving
the dust on those mushrooms?

Everything in the front will
have, like, the powder.

It's a nicer,
smoother transition

-from our highlights.
-Yeah.

[Cat] Yeah, that's good,

and then it looks like it's
shaded off of there.

[tense music]

Five, four, three, two, one.

That's it, time's up.

[Cat] That looks pretty darn
cool.

Yeah, looks pretty good.

I just gotta commend you guys,
like,

I don't think I've seen
a glowing fish

on this competition yet.

[James] Sometimes you don't have
to pull out every, uh,

trick in the book
to make a winning thing.

Sorry to burst your bubble,
but...

-Ooh!
-Ooh!

It's shitty.

[dramatic music]

It's time to critique your work.

Anthony, Stephanie, Lucy,
and Pony.

You're up.

[DJ] You guys achieved
amazing contrast.

The snail, it comes out of
that bright light

and goes into this dark,

fading out as it gets deeper
into there.

The lighting is sick.

I could really feel where
the lighting's coming from.

You made it look airbrushed,
somehow.

Adds another texture.

I love the play you guys did
with texture versus smooth.

I mean, this is
a rock-solid piece of art.

How did guys get along without
your senior-most artist?

It was refreshing, traitor.

Ooh, did you rehearse that?

Off the dome, baby.

Young Guns and James.
You're up.

[Ryan] I mean, I think I'm just
as captivated

by those glowing orbs
as the goldfish is.

The secondary light source
behind the goldfish

is shining super bright on
that back fin,

and it's casting a shadow onto
the body of the goldfish,

that is so crazy.

[Joel] The bubbles look wet and
shiny.

The scales on the fish have
texture to them.

You really nailed it with
the fish being up front

and the back being so dark.

I really love this fish.

It really feels like
it's floating in water.

You guys stone-cold killed
this contrast.

Good job.

-Kids.
-Yes, we did it.

We might be.

It's time to determine

the winner of
the flash challenge.

The OGs pulled off a bunch of
different tricks with texture.

But then James
and the Young Guns

really showed
some stark contrast.

Oh, I think they both crushed it
on contrast.

I'm gonna go with
the Young Guns featuring James.

I just am so impressed by
all of the subtle details

that show light and dark.

My vote goes to
the Young Guns and James.

The focus of light really is
amazing.

That's two votes for
the Young Guns and James.

These are both amazing pieces.

For contrast, my vote is for
the Young Guns and James.

Woo!

The judges have determined
the winner of

the flash challenge is
Young Guns and James.

Oh, just, just high fives.
Just high fives.

Congratulations, you will have
the power to assign

all the human canvases in
the elimination tattoo together.

Hi, guys.

[Cat] It's been awhile.

Knowing that James and
the Young Guns

are gonna be passing out
the skulls,

I wonder if he's gonna come for
us.

Get some rest, and we'll see you
tomorrow in the shop

for the next elimination tattoo.

-[indistinct]
-Thank you, guys!

[Pony] I thought we had that one
for sure.

[Anthony] I thought so, too.

[dramatic music]

I'm really curious where
your head's at

with the skull pick,

now that you're on their team
and you won.

I'm not on their team.

I was on their team temporarily.
This is totally different.

He's kinda behind enemy lines
right now,

so I think he's just in
a crazy position.

But, I mean, you kinda watch out
for all of us at the same time.

But I think most people are
ready to throw me under the bus.

To be honest, I felt it when
I was on the bottom with Trevor,

I don't think my team
had my back.

[dramatic music]

I feel like I was the only one
that was actually defending him.

James's tattoo reads
as a whole piece

a lot better than Trevor's does.

I think the Young Guns and
the OGs,

if they got a chance to
sabotage me, they would, so...

[Pony] You're a strong player,
you know?

You're one of the best here,
if not the best.

So, it'd be dumb not to, right?

[Stephanie] We didn't
speak against your tattoo.

[Anthony] If I was at the
bottom,

I would hope that my team would
have my back.

[tense music]

[dramatic music]

Welcome to the elimination
tattoo.

Ready to go?

Today, you must take on
your competitors

by tattooing a new school...

[dramatic music]

...monster.

Yes!

I almost got sent home on
a new school tattoo.

I have to redeem myself.

[Joel] Whether it's
a completely made-up creature

from another planet

or a scary monster from
under the bed,

one thing is certain.

We're looking for
high-contrast monsters

that pack a punch.

-I can handle that.
-Yeah.

New school isn't just
skewed proportions.

It's pulling tricks and
techniques from every style.

Whether you're an illustrator
or you work with realism,

both of those come into play.

Usually, new school tattoos

have a lot of different colors
and pops,

but with contrast really
focused on

where the lighting is,
where your darks are,

and just create something
dynamic.

Remember, contrast can be
different textures,

different colors.

Choose the personality
you want this thing to have,

and really emphasize
those characteristics.

I might need a little help.

I'm not a color artist,
and I've never done new school.

So, this is literally
worst-case scenario

for me right now.

Remember, the team whose artist
wins tattoo of the day

will form a jury of peers.

That team will deliberate

and put one artist up for
elimination

regardless of team.

[Anthony] We've had it
every single time,

so let's fuckin' get this again.

Let's meet your canvases.

Let's go.

[tense music]

Young Guns and James.

You won the flash challenge,

you have the power to assign
the canvases together.

A bad skull pick can make or
break you in this competition.

Don't mess it up.

I'm questioning where James's
loyalties lie.

We didn't stand up for him
during his critique,

and this is
his perfect opportunity

to take it out on us.

What would you like to get
today?

I wanna get a new school
burger monster on my arm.

[James] Burger monster it is.

A new school
anglerfish sea monster.

Oh, the dangler.

A new school, full-body zombie
with the top of his head

and heart exposed,
missing a limb,

with his mouth sewn shut
on my ribs.

I'm looking to get
a new school guitar monster

on my shin.

I've tattooed guitars in
the past,

they're super detailed and
complex.

Yeah, no.

New school snake monster
weaving through a bulldog skull

on my ribs.

[Jade] And you're set on
the ribs?

I am.

Another cool design,
horrible placement.

An angry avocado cowgirl monster
on my thigh.

I'm looking to get a new school
colossal galactic space monster.

Awesome.

Colossal feeling,
not necessarily in size, right?

[James] My strategy is

I'm gonna take the best one
that I want for myself.

Period.

I like the space monster,
myself.

[Jade] You do?

And then just do what I want.

What about the burger?

[Cat] Who do you think
wants that one?

Anthony.

I'm gonna try to hook up Anthony
with a good skull pick.

He had my back,
so I'm gonna have his.

Which one do you think would be
easier with, like, contrast

in terms of, like, color?

The avocado, you could have
a lot of contrast in color.

Steph really wants that one,
I saw her reaction.

Do you think we should give
Steph the one she wants?

Or not, because she wants it?

You guys gotta [indistinct]
what you want first.

I kinda wanna do the zombie,
honestly.

But the rib placement is
a little bit...

He's set on it, did he?

That zombie canvas did not seem
100% on the ribs.

[James] No matter what I do,
I'm fuckin' this shit,

so, I'm fucked, so...

Hm, I think James is just
lookin' out for Anthony,

and not necessarily
the whole team here.

[Jade] Okay, here you go.

[James] And yours was...?

-Space monster.
-[James] Space monster.

-Guitar?
-Guitar.

Okay.
Here you go.

Steph, Lucy, and Pony,
whatever's left over,

they're gonna have to deal with.

[dramatic music]

Zombie.

On the ribs.

100%?

Ribs.

[Jade] There's no question about
you moving it whatsoever?

Correct.

Oh, you guys are gunnin' for
somebody.

-You do it.
-[Man] Thank you.

-[James] Good luck, bro.
-[Pony] Thank you.

That felt very targeted.

[Anthony] Oh, what'd you just
do?

I didn't do shit.

[Anthony] Jade, what'd you do?

About to find a lot out about
you right now.

[Joel] Canvases, one by one,
please read the artist's name

on the bottom of your skull.

For you.

Anthony.

I'm your guy.

Figured you'd get a hamburger
with that hotdog,

you know what I'm sayin'?

1000% James wanted to be able to
protect Anthony,

and he did just that.

Cat.

That's me.

...on the ribs.

[tense music]

Pony.

That'd be me.

Tried to look out for you, Pony.

Man, those girls are playin'
the game.

I fucking knew it.
I fuckin' knew it.

[James] Two against one, man.

I know James is controlling
the situation,

and I know he took his shot.

The snake and bulldog skull?

-[James] Yeah.
-[Anthony] Yeah.

Lucy.

That's me.

Again?
Another hard ask?

And this time, it's on the rib.
It's frustrating.

[dramatic music]

-Jade.
-That's me.

How did I know?

Stephanie.

That's me.

James.

That's me, man.
Let's do it.

You will have six hours

to create a new school
monster tattoo.

If your monsters aren't
scary good,

you will be packing
your machines.

Good luck.

[Anthony] How's it goin'?

-Hi, good, how are you?
-[Anthony] I'm so stoked.

I can't wait to hear
all of your ideas.

I used to do a lot of
new school back in the day,

before I got real heavy into
realism.

-Okay.
-So, I was pretty pumped

about this challenge.

Obviously, I do feel like they
were targeting me,

because it was the biggest ask
in the room.

Right, especially when it comes
to ribcages.

-Okay, that's fair.
-[Pony] It's almost like a,

a kill shot.

My first question is if there's
any way we can move that

from the ribs, that would be
the best possible outcome,

just because the tattoos like to
double in size

when we do them.

I guess I do understand that
it's a big ask.

So, you know, with that being
said...

Okay.

I mean, literally any other spot
would be wonderful.

So, there's a bulldog skull,

and the snake goes through
the mouth and out the eye.

Can I see the canvas?
Right here?

-[Man] Yeah.
-[Lucy] We have six hours.

Full color is not gonna be
possible.

So, do you have any other area
where you mind?

No.

Why I always get
the stubborn canvas?

How's your pain tolerance?

-Normally pretty good.
-Okay.

[rock music]

What do you think about
the tongue from the mouth

turned into, like, a lasso?

That's actually
a really cool idea.

I don't really, like,
illustrate or draw or anything.

Like, I am a replicator.
I'm a printer.

I will do exactly what I see.

I'm just tryin' to act cool,
like I'm not that scared,

but I am shitting myself.

Make sure this doesn't end up
looking like a strawberry.

[Jade] Okay.

I hope I don't turn this into
guacamole.

[dramatic music]

[dramatic music]

Don't get comfy yet.

Artists, you have six hours to
show contrast

with a new school
monster tattoo.

This is your chance to scare
the competition.

And your time starts now.

Okay, so bring your arm down
right there for me.

[Stephanie] That looks so
awesome.

If you don't know how to do
new school tattoos,

these monster tattoos
could be a nightmare.

[Woman] How excited are you?

[Jade] It's gonna be a first.

[DJ] You need to create
color blends,

you need to create textures,
different line weights,

cool lighting on this piece.

So many tricks involved.

[James] Fuck yeah, dude.
It's a good size.

So, you better fuckin' hang
on to this one.

I really wanna see
a good illustration.

Show me that you can draw.

[Pony] Sweet.

[DJ] And if these artists mess
that up,

the Ink Master monster's gonna
haunt their dreams.

Okay, [indistinct]

We better take it forward.

[Man] Just keep goin',
don't stop.

Oh yeah, let's get it.

[rock music]

Alright man, we're gonna start
at the bottom

and, uh, [indistinct]

This isn't gonna hurt, right?

[James] No. [chuckling]

Last week, I was on the bottom
for doin' a dog portrait.

This time, I get to show off
what I'm good at,

which is drawing and creating.

This is new school colossal day.

It's a monster, it should be
big.

-Is that your kid over there?
-That's my son, yeah.

[Man] You're competing against
him?

-[James] Yeah.
-That's awesome.

Beat his ass.
Hopefully.

[laughter]

I'm sick of being in
the middle of the road.

James has gotten tattoo of
the day

after tattoo of the day,

but it's my fuckin' turn.

[Woman] I love food.

Yeah, just makes for
fun tattoos.

[Woman] Yeah.

[Anthony] I guess I'm
a food guy now.

There we go.

[indistinct]

There are five hours left.

[tense music]

[Lucy] Don't hold your breath.

It's more painful if
you hold your breath.

My canvas is rolling around.

I feel like I'm on the line,
it makes it crooked.

[Man] It feels like it's in
my armpit.

I don't feel good about this.

[tense music]

[rock music]

There are four hours left.

[Man] If you need me to move,
just yell at me.

[Cat] You gave me permission.

[Man] Hell yeah.

[Cat] My tattoo is a scary
anglerfish sea monster.

The most difficult aspect of
this

is making it more monster-y,

because anglerfish already kind
of look like monsters.

I'm gonna pour some more colors.

To combat that,

I'm forcing some of these
really spidery

kinda looking fins,

and this big, glowing,
reddish-orange eye.

Don't be scared.

This is only gonna be
extremely painful.

[Man] Well, thank you so much.

Yeah, I actually feel better
now.

[Cat] Good.

Since the beginning, this is
the first real color tattoo

that I've done.

This needs to prove that
I can do color

and I can do linework
really well.

[dramatic music]

[Ryan] Oh, he moved it.

[DJ] Little self-portrait?

Kind of.

[laughter]

I thought about makin' it
a zombie girl,

and, uh, makin' it look
like Jade

'cause she's dead to me.

[DJ] Holy shit.

I think I've tattooed one
new school piece

in the past 15 years.

We haven't seen you really,
like, draw from your head yet.

I know, I haven't had to.
It's been nice.

My mom has been encouraging
my drawing

ever since I can remember.

She's been struggling
her entire life

just to help me pursue
being an artist.

And if I can make it through
the finale

and win the $250,000,

then I can at least show
her how much I appreciate her.

[tense music]

Avocado cowgirl.

How do you feel about
new school?

I mean, I've never done
new school before.

It's not only new school,

which I've never done and
don't do,

but it's also monsters.

I hate monsters.

Like, I hate anything scary.
I'm afraid of the dark.

I'm excited to do some color.

We're excited to see
some color from you.

I just started experimenting
with color

within the last, like,
not even year.

Looks like you guys just
started.

Yeah...

Yeah...?

It took me a sec to do
the linework.

Yeah, I don't have
the most experience,

but I'm not ready to go home.

I haven't proven to all
those people

who said no to me that, like,
I can do this.

[rock music]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Stephanie] It's taking me
a little while.

Do you know how much time
we have left?

No.

I can't coast in the middle.
It's too risky.

I need to start stepping up
my game.

[Pony] Hour, 24.

[Stephanie] Okay, everything is
fine.

It's been a while since I've had
this much motivation and drive.

I had my daughter when I was 19.

It actually kind of led me into
this career.

I started my apprenticeship

when my daughter was only
six months old,

and now she's almost 16.

I just wanna make sure that
she knows she can do anything,

and prove to her that I can do
anything that I set my mind to.

So, I'm gonna make it to the end
of this competition.

There is one hour left,
everybody.

[Man] You're good.

[Lucy] There's still a lot
of color.

For some reason, the color is
not going through the skin well.

You can do it.

[Man] It'll, it'll be problems,
but I'll do it.

This is nightmare.

You have 30 minutes.

[Woman] Literally can't handle
this.

-[Jade] Do you want me to stop?
-No.

[dramatic music]

Five, four, three, two, one.

That's it, time's up.
No more ink.

-We did it.
-Okay.

Are you happy?

[Woman] Yes.

[Man] Oh, hell.
Dude, that's nuts.

[James] That means it's good,
right?

Yes, that's so good.

[gasping] That's so cool!

[Anthony] Crazy burger
monster guy.

Looks like he was goin' through
some shit.

He was like, "I deserve it."

-I told you.
-I told you, I told you.

[dramatic music]

[tense music]

Today, you had to show contrast
tattooing new school monsters.

Let's see how you did.

Anthony.
You're up first.

Anthony, this thing is sick,
bro.

This illustration is
off the chain.

This thing has killer flow,
there's a lot of tricks.

Just seeing some of
your subtle tones

where you brought that teal
into some gray,

this thing's bananas, dude.

Very creative use of the olives
for the eyes.

[DJ] The olives are beautiful.

[Joel] I hate olives,
and I love those olives.

American cheese we all know
would be better on this burger,

but the Swiss cheese for
the contrast

really brought it home.

-[Ryan] Yeah.
-[Nikko] I would wonder if

I'm gonna eat it,
or if it's gonna eat me.

[Anthony] Yeah.

Jade.

This tattoo is super cute,

but it doesn't scream
new school monster to me.

There's no movement,
there's no flow,

there's no pop colors,
there's no reflective light.

It's just flat.

There's a lot of tricks to make
it read as new school,

and I don't think you did
any of them.

Stephanie.

[serious music]

There's tons of contrast in
this.

With the design, you have this
soft versus hard,

and there's definitely
new school

in the neck of the guitar.

But it definitely feels like

it's a monster in front of
a guitar

that's busting through or
something.

It doesn't look like
it's one object.

Pony, you're up next.

Your color choices are really
awesome.

They're bold, a lot of
the blends are really cool.

[DJ] I just would wanna see,
like, a switch in textures.

It's a zombie.

I think you could've played
around with scabs

or little pits in the face,

or just make
that little character

look a bit more dead.

James.

This tattoo is bad ass.

[DJ] The hands are sick.

I love that you went with
three fingers.

[James] More cartoony.

Not four, you went with
the three.

You could see
every single joint,

how it bends perfectly.

The hands themselves have
so much personality.

You have these cool little
tricks in the tongue.

Feels like it's really licking
and pressing

against that space ship.

[Ryan] The reflective light
is so impressive.

[Nikko] You have
this nice purple

and then you have this yellow
and your opposite colors,

so that's major contrast points.

Monstrous tattoo, bro.

[dramatic music]

Lucy.

I do see new school
in the design;

the snake head and
the skewing of it.

What's scary in this is
the technical.

From your color choices to
a lot of the linework,

this tattoo's just
all over the place.

[Ryan] For a day where
we're testing contrast,

there's no rhyme or reason as to
why these colors

are put in where they are.

The skull should've been left
negative

instead of being
this tie dye of color

for no reason

that's shaded all over
the place.

This one just got away from you.

Cat.

[tense music]

I love how bright
that light source is.

You really used these colors
to show contrast

and utilized them in a way

where they balance each other so
beautifully.

You have that dark, dingy ocean
water color at the bottom,

and it comes into this
brightness at the top.

Super successful.

I feel like you're just hitting
your stride,

'cause this tattoo is badass.

I love this tattoo.

[tense music]

Judges, it's time to determine
who had

the best tattoo of the day.

There's a few really cool ones.

Cat's tattoo is awesome.

[Ryan] So solid, so much
contrast.

The definition of
a new school tattoo.

Anthony's cheeseburger, sick.

[Nikko] And it shows tons of
contrast.

But it doesn't read as much
monster to me.

If I picked that burger up,
I'd be scared of it.

I also think James's character
is sick.

Great contrast,
a lot of readability.

[Ryan] Anthony's is
my favorite illustration,

Cat's is my favorite saturation,

and James is my favorite
overall concept.

Taking something that's normally
not a monster

and creating it into a monster,
like to take a burger.

We eat it,
we have no fear of it.

This is a burger I feel like
I could choke on.

My vote is for Anthony.

[Joel] It's a different take on
a monster.

My vote is for Anthony.

I'm goin' with Cat.

Those colors wow me.
Clean, solid new school tattoo.

That's two votes for Anthony
and one vote for Cat.

[dramatic music]

With Cat's, I think it could've
been

just a little more dynamic
on the drawing side.

My vote's for Anthony.

This thing's sick, dude.

[Joel] The judges have decided
the best tattoo of the day

goes to Anthony.

Thanks, guys.
Appreciate it.

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 a decision has been made.

[dramatic music]

[rock music]

So, how are you feeling?

A little nervous, for sure.

I mean, it was my first
new school tattoo, so...

Congrats on your first
new school tattoo.

You know, it's funny, 'cause,
like, the little avocado guy,

it immediately made me think of
my mom,

'cause she's, like, obsessed
with avocados.

What's your mom think about,
like, you being here?

She's super excited and, like,
supportive about it.

My whole family is.

It was tough, though, at first,

because I come from, like,
a super conservative family.

I'm adopted,
and my brother's adopted.

Like, growing up, like, I had to
wear super conservative clothes.

Nobody in my family has tattoos,
like, still to this day.

Same with my family.

Like, "Oh, the only people with
tattoos

are just criminals and
gangsters."

[Jade] Literally, yeah.

I honestly didn't expect to come
this far.

But now that I have,

I wanna continue to keep getting
farther in here.

You've been quiet
this whole competition.

What I wanna see is for you to
get out there

and speak up more than
you've ever spoken up before

and show that you're fighting to
be here.

You need to show up.

[bell tolling]

[dramatic music]

We're here as the jury of peers

to determine who should be put
up for elimination.

[Pony] We're not gonna vote for
one of us,

because we've been having our
team's back this entire time.

So, it's gotta be one of
the Young Guns.

The only option is Jade.

[Anthony] Jade's just looks
boring.

[Pony] New school's like,
have some fun with it.

Like, add dramatic shadows,
especially for contrast.

The drawing aspect is, I think
is number one in tattooing,

for me, and that's where
this one falls short.

I think I was confused looking
at it,

if the nose was a mouth.

One's just kind of like, "Hm!"
And the other one is like, "Eh!"

[Pony] I think it's two mouths.

Mine's definitely at the bottom.

[Anthony] there's energy,
there's flow, there's movement.

That's a key component in
new school.

[Pony] Definitely more
new school than Jade's.

[James] Absolutely.

Alright, it's settled.

[dramatic music]

[dramatic music]

I know I can do way better
technical than that.

What you were able to accomplish
in six hours,

compared to a tiny avocado
that should've taken two hours?

But if I do that, I can do it
cleaner, too.

Yeah.

When I first came to America,

I look for a job and nobody
wanna hire me

'cause I don't speak English.

My mentor opened a door,

take me as the first
female student.

And I've been with him for
21 years.

I'm the only one to support
my whole family financially.

I'm here today because
my mentor.

So, I wanna honor my mentor.

Like, this is important.

You can't go.

I wanna see us both to the end.

I'm gonna go down there,
fight for myself,

and show them I'm samurai.

[dramatic music]

Today, you were being tested on
contrast.

Anthony, which artist is
the jury of peers

putting up for elimination?

As jury of peers,

we have decided to put Jade up
for elimination.

[tense music]

The judges have decided

the second artist in the bottom
is Lucy.

[dramatic music]

The third artist in the bottom
is Stephanie.

[tense music]

Based on your work,

one of you will be packing
your machines.

Anthony, why did the jury decide
to put Jade up for elimination?

Her tattoo didn't come anywhere
close to the challenge.

Contrast, none.

For sense of new school,
very little.

This was my first time, like,
attempting new school,

but at least I did get clean,
solid lines

and packed-in color.

But the overall design was just

not the style that was asked in
this challenge.

[tense music]

Stephanie, you're in the bottom

because it was a little bit
incomplete.

I think I got in my head about
trying to mix textures.

I just wanted to show contrast
in some other way,

and it ended up looking
disconnected.

I'm proud of my face,

I do feel like it has some
fun personality,

and I just wish I would've had
more time

to push the limits
a little more.

Lucy, you're in the bottom for
your overall technical flaws

in this tattoo.

[Lucy] I got the hardest canvas
in the house.

I can do way cleaner and
better tattoo than this.

Some of the choices you made
in this design

didn't hit the mark on contrast.

I do appreciate aspects of
that drawing.

The snake head does speak
new school to me.

She hit the challenge more than
Jade.

Yes, she definitely hit
new school way more than me.

But the lines are super shaky,
the gray's not even packed in,

and she has over seven times as
much experience as I do,

yet I was able to pull
a cleaner, more solid tattoo.

If I have it smaller
like the avocado,

I definitely can show
my technical ability.

Judges, it's time to make
a decision.

I have no problem with what's in
the skin

with Stephanie's tattoo.

The contrast is there
and the new school is there,

so Stephanie is off the table
for me.

-I agree.
-Yeah, I agree.

Between Jade and Lucy,

I am extremely underwhelmed
by Jade's design.

When I look at the avocado,
I don't see new school

and I don't see major contrast.

We've been hitting Jade for
contrast,

but Lucy's has less contrast
than Jade's.

It's so tonal, it's so dark,

and it definitely hits
more new school

when it comes to
the illustration.

But when it comes to
the coloring of it,

does it really?

I don't think so.

[dramatic music]

My vote is for Lucy.

Jade's might be simple and just
a little cutesy design,

but there's things in Lucy's
you just can't take away.

My vote's for Lucy.

My vote...

[tense music]

Is for Lucy to go home.

The judges have decided, Lucy,
you do not have what it takes

to be Ink Master.

[DJ] It is a sad day.

Lucy, I know you are
an amazing artist.

We've seen you do
amazing tattoos in here.

I'm sad I'm not able to shine
my mentor's name.

I think that's the most
important for me.

[Nikko] I think you did shine
your mentor's name.

I've seen you shine many times,

and you did a lot of honor
to your family

and to yourself.

[Joel] Absolutely.

In a moment of personal defeat,

the fact that you're thinking
about someone else

says everything about you.

You have so much integrity.

Thank you for all
the opportunity

and for all the critique,

and this is such
a memory for, for my life.

Thank you for, very much.

Please pack your machines
and close shop.

[dramatic music]

[Lucy] My mentor is
my second father.

He took a really big chance to
take me as

his first female student.

By not winning this is
letting him down.

Thank you.

I've been tattoo for 21 years.

But coming to this competition
make me feel

I have so much more
I need to learn.

So, now I'm gonna go home
to study.

I wanna show the world I can do
amazing tattoos.

[Male Narrator] On
the next episode of Ink Master.

[Nikko] This isn't
the minor leagues anymore.

There's only six artists left.

Today, you must tattoo the face.

We all here have a common enemy
in this competition.

This is a kill shot.

I risked a lot in my design.

Sometimes it bites you
in the ass.

[rock music]

[music]

[music]