S07.E01: Initiation

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The battle for $100,000 begins as new artists compete in the most intense Flash Challenge to date; the competition heats up when the first veteran artist returns seeking revenge.

[Shay]

I'm glad to have finally found a forum for this series! (There doesn't seem to be a reddit and I don't like the chaos that is twitter...) I first watched the show in season 2 when I found out Jesse Smith would be on. After watching that series a few years back I can honestly say I never would've touched the series if it weren't for Jesse being on. I was so horrified by the finale (mainly that one guy tattooing a horror tattoo on a woman's back when she clearly did not like the idea...makes me think the contract for being an "open canvas" involves a heavy fine if one opts out...does anybody have info on this?) and all the drama / crazy reality TV editing in general that I've hardly watched it since. But ever since I heard that Jesse would be back for season 7 I couldn't resist checking out if I could find any spoilers for the series (to see if it would be worth suffering through all that idiotic drama again) but there are none! So I had no choice but to look through all the official material (previews etc.) for season 7 on Youtube, IG and Spike's website + some of the contestants' social media to quench my thirst for some info.

 

What I've learned is the following (no spoilers, just speculation on my part based on what I've seen so far but I'm putting it in a spoiler tag just in case):

 

The season starts off with 8 new artists. In the first episode previous contestant St. Marq joins the contestants for the main challenge. From what I can tell the returning artist choses the style for the main challenge. After the first episode, another returning artist joins the remaining artists each time someone is eliminated or leaves the competition. It's possible that the previous contestants return in reverse order of appearance (speculation based on the previews / artist introductions on YT; it seems that the order is St Marq / Cleenrockone / Sausage (I saw nothing of his season but the previews make him seem reall full of himself D:) / Matti Hixson (sp?) / Jime Litwalk etc . As far as the new artists go, Megan Jean Morris seems AWESOME (have a look at her work on IG), I'm glad they cast a female artist who has real skill! She also seems to be dating(? maybe they are just friends) that Cleenrockone guy, from what I saw on her IG, so there might be some romance in this season for all I know. In any case, it looks like the drama level is going to be OTT, there will be lots of talk about alliances mainly instigated by "newcomer" Christian. He seems to be skilled / have much experience and from his IG I found out he works at the same shop as that "Sausage" guy (what a weird name!) so I have no idea how the producers are going to play out that connection. I think Jesse (my favourite!) will go far solely based on the fact that they show him in  A LOT of different shirts in the previews! My speculated booting order is based on the same, i.e. how many different clothes contestant are shown wearing or at how many different challenges they have been shown. IMO the first two boots will be Corey Davis & that Eastern European guy (can't rememberhis name). My impression is that Megan Jean Morris, Christian (forgot his last name) and Jesse will make it far. I think of the former contestants Jime Litwalk, Cleenrockone and that Matti guy will not make final three. I don't know much about the guy from season one (James Vaughn, had to look up his name!) and he is hardly shown in the previews (just once doing a dragon tattoo). It's possible he is eliminated on the episode he joins the other artists, but that's pure speculation bc of lack of info about him.

Then again, if my assumption about the order in which the artists return is correct, he would be the last artist to return so the lack of footage might be because the previews contain mostly material from early episodes. 

 

As I said, almost all of this is speculation and not a spoiler per se.

 

P.S.: If this is the wrong thread for this kind of comment please let me know, I didn't see a general discussion topic for this season.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Shay

[Kromm]

I despise the fact that every season is returnees now.

 

I suppose the ultimate explanation is that there are only so many qualified people (and many are only BARELY qualified, as we've seen).

[Jenkins]

I despise the fact The Douchebag is back simply because he acted like a douchebag. His whole shtick was to make sure he was memorable and would get an invite back to the show and sadly, it worked.

 

Funny thing is, I don't even have to use his name....everyone reading this that is familiar with last season will know EXACTLY who I am referring to.

 

I just hope he goes home early...not sure I can't take too much of someone referring to themselves as a "tattoo god" every damn week.

 

I may be alone here, but Josh should have been invited back. Sending him home for smoking pot was one of the lamest things ever on the show. I believe he would have won that season.

[leighdear]

I wish my boyfriend Josh Hibbard was back too.  He was SO much fun to watch, even if he wasn't the best artist.  Something about him I just adored.  I skipped last season, but I'm ok with the premise of this one.  And as I now mute my TV when they all sit around talking about who has the biggest dick, I get less frustrated with the trash talk than I used to.  *LOL*

 

And of course, I'm always happy to see my other boyfriend, Chris Nunez.  He's looking DAMN fine as usual.  

 

Lets have fun this season, everybody!! 

[fifty8th]

Ha! St. Marq almost goes home on his own challenge, what a tool. After watching the Sirens one that was on before this all I can say is Sarah better win the whole thing, she kicks ass.

[Muffyn]

I so much wanted St. douche to go home.  He makes every scene he is in miserable.  Can we sew his lips shut for the rest of the time he is on?

[azshadowwalker]

Ha! St. Marq almost goes home on his own challenge, what a tool. After watching the Sirens one that was on before this all I can say is Sarah better win the whole thing, she kicks ass.

Dickwad should have gone home. It was his pick, his specialty. So, he started with an advantage over and above being a returnee. First, he simplifies the tattoo significantly. Then, he does a shitty job on the watered down version of what his canvas wanted. He was only kept for the drama and because of the bullshit theme of the season.

I really loved the winning tattoo. The artist seemed cool, too.

I am rooting for Anthony Michaels, because he's from my hometown. I was glad he did solid work. When an artist is sold as a self-taught newbie, their work usually bears that out. Happy to see him do a cool tattoo on a tough challenge.

Edited March 2, 2016 by azshadowwalker

[leighdear]

I was disappointed in Ashley's work, as her portfolio is stunning and I thought she'd do better.  Of the returnees, I'm happy to see Matti and Sausage back, along with Sarah.  I hope all 3 do well, as I liked them a lot in their seasons.  Though Sausage did get a little diva at the end of his.  

 

St. Douche is such a caricature of a real badass, I just have to laugh at his posturing and posing.  And we know they will show him doing the same head shake every time the judges criticize him.  Using the liner was a good technique to choose, but the subject of "7 Deadly Sins" was stupid.  Every single canvas is going to have to explain their tattoo for the rest of their lives.  Idiot.  

 

Christian is coming off as Kyle Dunbar 2.0 to me.  A very talented artist that wants to be the ringleader and is always orchestrating some sort of aggressive "campaign" to oust somebody.  Those guys are exhausting.    

[fifty8th]

I am hoping when all the returning artists are there it shows St. Marq for what he is talent wise, all talk. Sure he has done a few good tattoos  but I don't think he is any better than a middle of the pack tattoo artist. I don't know the whole list of returnees so I can't say who is the weakest other than him. I think he he only gets as far as he does because of his attitude, they want to keep him around for drama.

[DollEyes]

Delurking to say that St. Marq almost getting eliminated on his own challenge was hilarious. He not only screwed the pooch, he got it pregnant. In tattoo terms, St. Marq is "Big machine, small needle."

[qtpye]

Megan's tattoo was one of the most beautiful tattoos I have ever seen on the show.  It is amazing that she only used a shader.

 

St. Marq's pathetic "pretending I am a reality show villain/mastermind is laughable"  His arrogance is not matched by his ability in the least.

[azshadowwalker]

Christian is coming off as Kyle Dunbar 2.0 to me. A very talented artist that wants to be the ringleader and is always orchestrating some sort of aggressive "campaign" to oust somebody. Those guys are exhausting.

That's what the show wants. If it doesn't happen organically, they will edit to make it happen. At the end of last season, several things happened that indicated to me that Chris vs Matt was largely bullshit. At least, they edited to make it worse than it was. It's the very point of skull assignments instead of random skull picks. Edited March 2, 2016 by azshadowwalker

[AlliePK]

I can't with St Marq.  I just can't.  If I had to work in a shop with him, only one of us would be walking out at the end of the day.  And it wouldn't be that overblown ego of a douchcanoe.  I'm hoping they're setting up for a potential win by a female.  Between Sarah returning and Megan's amazing work, it could finally happen.  Not sure how I'm really feeling about returning contestants, even though I like some of those coming back (Jime, Matti, Jesse...)They say they are coming back for revenge."  Against who?  The judges?  I mean, it's a dumb premise.

[Nutjob]

Megan is definitely my favorite so far--her elimination tattoo was maybe my favorite ever on this show. It was stunning!

 

I also just can't with St. Marq. He is just exhausting to watch... I couldn't even imagine having to compete against him or work with him.

[Jenkins]

Well, I gotta call bullshit on episode one...

 

How does St Douche not go home when he picked the damn parameters of the challenge, his tattoo was crap and the human canvas jury picked his tattoo as worst? THREE things against him and he stays? That tattoo was in no one elses wheelhouse but HIS. You can't fault another tattooist for sucking at that challenge as much as he did. But he brings drama, so of course they will keep him around until they HAVE to kick him...

 

And they WILL kick him. No damn way he can compete with tattoo artists like Sarah and Sausage (and Megan it seems).

 

And man, Sarah (my second favorite tattoo artist from the show next to Josh) may have some competition for best female tattooist....Megans tattoo was DAMN good. She definitely has talent. As said above, it would be awesome if we get a final two of Megan vs Sarah...

 

And yup, I am definitely getting a Kyle Dunbar vibe from Christian. Which is too bad, the guy does seem to have talent.

[AlliePK]

At least it wasn't a unanimous vote for St Crap.  

[Charlesman]

Notes in random order:

 

Thought it was unusual that every contestant has a standard 'firstname/lastname'. No "Sausage" or "Cleen Rock One" or whatever fake scene name. Sure, there's a 'Picasso', but, he's got a normal last name. Wonder if that was coincidence, if people aren't doing the fake name anymore, or if the show made a change.

 

St Marq sucks and his tattoo sucks, but looking at it one-on-one against Corey, Corey did deserve the axe on the tattoo alone.

 

Loving Megan.

 

And the first flash-challenge sucked. I was so, so scared about the level of talent on this season after seeing those first flash tattoos. They all looked awful. Bad proportions, bad lines, bad composition, etc. I know they were under a time crunch but everyone looked like a sixth-grader's cartoon drawing. In the future, the show shouldn't start out with such bad first impressions of the cast. The tattoos we saw later were a much better introduction into each artist's abilities.

[HaymakerHattie]

Much as I can't stand the guy, St. Marq did do one of the best pieces I've EVER seen on this show last season during stained glass week, so I guess that's one compelling reason to bring him back. He's not exactly versatile, though, and he's so much of a douche it actually gets in the way of his work most of the time, which I guess makes him a pretty good early "boss battle" for the newcomers. 

 

Megan's my new favorite, at least until we get some of these vets back -- and maybe even afterward! I'm a huge fan of James, Sausage, and Sarah in particular and originally I thought the show might be rigged to hand a victory over to a veteran who was semi-robbed in their season, but the new format -- and the strength of the rookie competition -- definitely puts that into question for me. Between Sarah and Megan, though, this is probably the best chance we've ever had to see a woman win. 

[Apocalypse Cow]

I really liked this episode and the change in format. My only concern is that how is fair for the later vets to be entering in???  I mean, the vet that comes in last has had a huge advantage.  I really liked the first flash challenge.  Clearly showed who are artists, who knows their craft, and who can work best under pressure. That's not to say that there's not a good tattooist who just effed up the challenge.  Megan was very impressive.  Very.  Her winning tat was one of the best I've seen on the show.  Christian's was good also.  While I loved St. Marq being in the bottom of HIS challenge, he didn't deserve to go home on that tat. I actually thought the one that went was deserved (even though he had it harder than St. Douche.) and Ashley's was not good either.  But non of them were super tragic, which is promising.  

[TattleTeeny]

I despise the fact that every season is returnees now.

 

I suppose the ultimate explanation is that there are only so many qualified people (and many are only BARELY qualified, as we've seen).

My suspicion is that the great tattooists of the world feel just fine running their own successful shops back at home.

 

I so much wanted St. douche to go home.  He makes every scene he is in miserable.  Can we sew his lips shut for the rest of the time he is on?

 

When I see him, I just think it's Nathan Lane doing a great job portraying an asshole.

 

And of course, I'm always happy to see my other boyfriend, Chris Nunez.  He's looking DAMN fine as usual.

 

I wish my boyfriend Rob Zombie would come on as a guest judge (wait, has he?).

Edited March 3, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[Sile]

 

 

I wish my boyfriend Rob Zombie would come on as a guest judge (wait, has he?).

 

Yes, he was on a couple of seasons ago when they did black and grey demons.  I think that was when Kyle got kicked off for having a spat with Nunez.

[Charlesman]

I don't mind the no-liner thing. It was beaten into me over years of art classes that nothing has an outline. Draw with a liner and it comes out cartoony no matter how photorealistic it ends up being. I like the no-liner look in realist tattoos.

[Merneith]

Poor piggies. :(

 

They deserved better than that.

[TattleTeeny]

Yes, he was on a couple of seasons ago when they did black and grey demons.  I think that was when Kyle got kicked off for having a spat with Nunez.

Thank you! You'd think I'd keep better track of my sweet baby. 

[TattleTeeny]

I don't mind the no-liner thing. It was beaten into me over years of art classes that nothing has an outline. Draw with a liner and it comes out cartoony no matter how photorealistic it ends up being. I like the no-liner look in realist tattoos.

I don't think I've ever heard an art instructor put it that way. I mean, I can see what is meant by it, and how a bold, solid black line is not for portraits and the like, but I've never heard anyone say that nothing has an outline--more like you have to obscure, I guess, that a line is in there somewhere. But the vast majority of my tattoos are not photorealistic anyway (I'm an American traditional kind of girl, with one tuxedo-cat portrait--but there are soft lines in that one--thank goodness, or the white hair would blend right into my "graveyard tan"), so I never really thought too hard about it in the context of tattooing...

Edited March 4, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[Hana Chan]

And if there was an artist that I wanted to see return less than Emily, it's St. Marq. Though he was good today for the LOLs.

 

I was frankly impressed by how well some of the tattoos came out without using a liner and Megan's as absolutely fantastic. I'd be hard pressed to guess that it was done entirely with a shader. And I was damned impressed by Anthony given that he's only been tattooing for a few years. Christian's was nice, but not the most exciting design. Technically through, it was great.

 

And the weak sauce was quickly pegged. I was pleasantly surprised to see St. Douche in the bottom and I wish he had been sent home because this was his challenge and supposedly his specialty. Corey unfortunately got totally screwed with his skull pick and the nicest thing I can say is that at least the woman will be able to grow her hair to cover it up. There is no hiding that abomination that St. Dickhead plastered all over that poor man's pectoral. And it's so fucking dark that I have no clue how you'd even begin to try covering it up. I think that the judges should have followed their first instincts because if there was anyone who deserved a second shot, it was Corey. But then, we would miss the fireworks that St. Asshole will bring when he manages to piss off everyone in the competition before someone shivs him in his sleep.

[TattleTeeny]

And it's so fucking dark that I have no clue how you'd even begin to try covering it up.

 

I just think back to the lady with the big black "lace" triangle right on her damn throat. Oh my god, I was so mortified by that!

Also, that guy made the FUNNIEST face when he walked into the judging! It looked as if he stopped, turned, and glared at everyone.

Edited March 4, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[Charlesman]

I don't know about St Marq's tattoo, because my eye was constantly distracted by his canvas's head. Man that thing looked weird.

[psychoticstate]

It's the very point of skull assignments instead of random skull picks.

 

 

I really wish they would eliminate skull picks and just make everything random.  It would even the playing field (I think) and keep inktestants from intentionally sabotaging someone's body.

 

I see that some time away from the Ink Master set has not lowered St. Marq's douche quotient at all.  I loved seeing him in the bottom 3 on his own challenge.  Ha!  I felt bad for Corey because he got a bad canvas, along with having to go without a liner. 

 

I was impressed with Ashley's portfolio.  Clearly shows the gal is artistic.  Megan's tattoo was phenomenal.  Also liked Anthony's - - I like how he's very calm and chill and attributes that to his sports background.

 

Look forward to seeing Jesse, Jime, Sarah and Cleen (who is obviously our vet next week; no idea why they try and hide who it is.)  I would LOVE to see Cleen and St. Marq in a throwdown.  Holy crap, Cleen would OWN the "Tattoo God." 

 

All in all, a good start.  But please, Ink Master, no more inking pigs.  This "no red meat" gal can't take it.

[TattleTeeny]

But please, Ink Master, no more inking pigs.  This "no red meat" gal can't take it.

 

Thank you. This vegan was by no means thrilled either!

 

At my house, I mock my BF for being the only one without ink; even our two cats have little blue tattoo dots on their bellies (it's to let people know that they're neutered, should they ever--god forbid--find themselves out in the wild. However, because they are both long-haired with super-fuzzy bellies, it would actually be easier to just look for balls).

Edited March 7, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[aussieinsydney]

 

I may be alone here, but Josh should have been invited back. Sending him home for smoking pot was one of the lamest things ever on the show. I believe he would have won that season.

 

No, you're not alone on that. I think Josh should have been invited back also. He's a top tattoo artist.

Ha! St. Marq almost goes home on his own challenge, what a tool. After watching the Sirens one that was on before this all I can say is Sarah better win the whole thing, she kicks ass.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Sarah win this. She's one talented artist.

Megan's tattoo was one of the most beautiful tattoos I have ever seen on the show.  It is amazing that she only used a shader.

 

 

I agree. It was beautiful work! I only hope she's not a one trick pony.

 

Well, I gotta call bullshit on episode one...

 

How does St Douche not go home when he picked the damn parameters of the challenge, his tattoo was crap and the human canvas jury picked his tattoo as worst? THREE things against him and he stays?

Because Nunez and Peck are pussies! Navarro wanted St Douche gone and rightly so. Of course he could be staying on the producers say so because of the drama? I'd say that's more the reason why he's still there. Viewers love the drama and love to hate the guy.

[GreyBunny]

I was bummed that Corey got sent home.  His tattoo sucked but when St. Marq dished it out he gave it back 10x harder. He entertained me.

Christian is awesome, his take-no-prisoners ruthlessness is entertaining and he has the chops to back it up.  He's my pick to win.  I'm rooting for Megan and Anthony as well.

Edited March 10, 2016 by GreyBunny

[candall]

I strongly disagree with sticking Ashley in the bottom next to those other two. 

 

The one arm/hand is somewhat wonky, but she has two otherwise nicely proportioned figures.  Plenty of contrast and good use of space.  Most impressive, she has feathers, clouds, sunbeams, vapor and long flowy hair--and it's obvious which is which, even without a fine line point:  score.