S09.E06: Get the Flock Outta Here

[ElectricBoogaloo]

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Shops crumble as the tension between teammates intensifies.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have to agree with the judges that this week there were generally good tattoos. Of course, the contestants set the bar pretty low last week with those terrible battle tattoos, so there was nowhere to go but up, right?

I had to laugh at the new vet this week saying, "You can art all day." If he doesn't think tattooing is an art which requires artistic skill, what does he think it is?

I am so glad to be rid of Lalo. His attitude really annoyed me. Last week he made such a big show during judging of passive aggressively blaming Picasso with his actions rather than this words. This week, it was obvious that Picasso's drawing was well liked but Lalo's execution was what ruined the tattoo. Picasso could have been a dick and talked shit about Lalo to the judges, but he didn't so he gets bonus points. I thought the judges would blame Picasso for not standing right behind Lalo the entire time and telling him what to do, but based on what we've seen of Lalo in the previous episodes, even if Picasso had been breathing down his neck and micromanaging him, Lalo wouldn't have listened to a damn thing Picasso said because Lalo is convinced that he knows everything.

Edited July 19, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[thewhiteowl]

The drawings were surprisingly good.  Execution as usual, just marginal.  Lalo's color palate looked so faded I can't imagine how bland that tattoo is going to look in a year.  The butt tatt looked like a paint by numbers from the fifties. I liked the Phoenix, even if it was a little scratchy at the bottom. The octopus was ugly and I am already tired of bonehead. If you can't tattoo without a stencil you are no inkmaster.

[TaraS1]

I know zero about art or tattoos, but I thought the cow skull tattoo was so much better than the Phoenix one.  To my untrained eye, the Phoenix looked like a kid drew and painted it.

[SunshineSquid]

2 hours ago, TaraS1 said:

I know zero about art or tattoos, but I thought the cow skull tattoo was so much better than the Phoenix one.  To my untrained eye, the Phoenix looked like a kid drew and painted it.

I agree with you. The Phoenix tattoo looked like something a beginner would do. But it was more vibrant I guess? IDK, I liked Picasso and feel bad he yet again got the shaft. Boneface being back was just to cause drama but that is obvious. I liked the cover up tattoo. Loved the Pins and Needles bird tattoo. I'm liking this season.

[2727]

It strikes me as a bit defensive on the part of the Nunez and Peck when they're so insistent that the contestants must be artists! Tattooing is an art, dammit!  Art, art, art. AAAAAAART!!

A facility with sketching certainly helps, especially when freehanding directly on the skin is called for, but there are probably a lot of tattooists who are superb technicians at placing ink but can't draw for crap. I'd prefer the latter. An image that looks beautiful on paper will be a mess if it ends up with shaky or uneven lines, blowouts, etc.

The flocking challenge was more of the same from the judges. On one hand, making a coloring book version of the Loch Ness monster was pretty bad, but it was also ridiculous to expect the teams to come up with a huge fine art piece on a moment's notice, especially in an unfamiliar medium. The judges wanting the teams to avoid tattoo images was bizarre, since that seemed to imply that they're not "artistic."

[TaraS1]

I also really like the new guy with Boneface - Hobo Ink.  His commentary on everything last night was cracking me up.

[sourpickles]

8 hours ago, TaraS1 said:

but I thought the cow skull tattoo was so much better than the Phoenix one.  To my untrained eye, the Phoenix looked like a kid drew and painted it.

Yes, this.  As thrilled, and I do mean over the moon, as I was to see Lalo go, I did NOT think that it was the worst tattoo.  And I will swear that I've seen at least that Phoenix design, if not several others on this episode, before on this show.  Picasso, man, I was just really starting to like him, his vampire teeth and random Johnny Depp/Jack Sparrow vibe, he would have been better off on his own. I can't over comment here till I see the whole episode, we had severe storms in my area right at 1030(eastern) and I lost satellite for some time.  So I missed some stuff.  I do have two random comments.  I'll get nailed for both but oh well.  That one dude, DJ whoever (Bubba's partner?) looks to me like he's wearing those party fake nose/glasses, like that Humpty Dance singer.  And Boneface.......I was never quite sure about him, but I do not like his reinvention with colored shirts.  Oy.  Redemption was enjoyable this week.  I always love Christian and Duffy (she looks amazing) though I'm kind of over Jimi.  And that schoolteacher dude was an ass.  Please don't be teaching my kids with that attitude.  At any rate, still sorting out who is who, actually, FINALLY getting into this season. 

[SuburbanHangSuite]

7 hours ago, TaraS1 said:

I also really like the new guy with Boneface - Hobo Ink.  His commentary on everything last night was cracking me up.

Me too.  His, "Big balls!" upon exiting the room sealed the deal for me.

I swear. I don't understand the strategy of worrying about the returning artists until you see if they're really threats.  Silly rabbits.

Thank God I don't have to hear, "House of Monkey" any longer.  I hated that name.  And Picasso just reminds me of a less-hot Benicio Del Toro---although I did feel sorry that his cool artwork was ruined with Lalo's jacked color palette.

[CheezyXpressed]

The phoenix was colourful, but the skull was a better design.

[Inkmaster0345]

Finally some real artists will start returning from now on. Playtimes over, kiddos 

[TVbitch]

Dave was wearing too much foundation this episode. 

[dstann]

9 hours ago, Inkmaster0345 said:

Finally some real artists will start returning from now on. Playtimes over, kiddos 

Have to agree, most of the returning vets so far have not really been a threat.  I think Old town ink would have been better off using the skull pics to target the "alliance" rather than returning teams.

[PepperMonkey]

When is Tommy coming back?

I'm not very patiently waiting for that. I don't care at all to see Cleen again, but he is a good tat-ter.

I want Bubba to leave now.

[dstann]

4 hours ago, PepperMonkey said:

When is Tommy coming back?

I think he will be the last one to come back.

4 hours ago, PepperMonkey said:

I don't care at all to see Cleen again, but he is a good tat-ter.

I agree, not sure why they wanted to being him back for a 3rd time.

[SunshineSquid]

On 7/19/2017 at 6:12 PM, sourpickles said:

That one dude, DJ whoever (Bubba's partner?) looks to me like he's wearing those party fake nose/glasses, like that Humpty Dance singer. 

OMG, that made me laugh so hard!

[azshadowwalker]

Poor Picasso. Great artist, and seems to be a cool dude considering how he handled Lalo. This may just not be the best environment for him to shine. 

The Phoenix sucked. Bad. 

[candall]

"Showing us the tools of artistry isn't showing us artistry"--the dumbest thing I've ever heard Dave say.  The anatomy of that hand was first-rate and I thought the style suited the velvet medium.  Not to mention it was followed by "Sunset on Coconut Bay."  Barf.

 

This is my least favorite season.  (Ha, including the previous low:  Peck v. Nunez.)  Seems designed to give us even more personal friction, hoping the teams of professional partners will turn on each other.  Is there a focus group somewhere telling them this show needs less tattooing, more smack talk?

Edited July 24, 2017 by candall

[psychoticstate]

I felt sorry for Picasso.  He's clearly a good artist.  Last time he simply couldn't thrive in the IM environment.  This season, he couldn't thrive with Lalo. 

Boneface is being a bigger dick than he was on his previous season.  Who knew? 

Bubba doesn't bother me and he's definitely improved since his season but if these "newbies" are smug about some vets going, they are insane because the real threats haven't shown up yet.  From previews, I'm going to guess that Christian is the next vet back.  If so, some newbies had better get to packing because he is a force to be reckoned with.

I still don't know most of the newbies' names and I really don't care.   No way will they beat out Christian/Cleen/Tommy unless the fix is in.  No way. 

I do think having a vet return each week is pretty unfair though.  Have them start out at the beginning, with everyone else.  They are coming into the competition rested and relaxed, without having gone through the previous ____ (insert number) weeks of competition.  

[sourpickles]

Vets vs Newbies all over again...................

[Sile]

I was sad to see Picasso go (Lalo, not so much...) but at this point I'm basically marking time until my Tommy shows up.  And I'm sure they'll make me wait until the very last pair comes in.

I didn't like Christian, didn't really like any of his work, but that Rites of Spring piece he did for the finale was absolutely breathtaking.  I'll be interested to see if my opinion of him changes after being so impressed by that.

Quote

I still don't know most of the newbies' names and I really don't care.   No way will they beat out Christian/Cleen/Tommy unless the fix is in.  No way.

Same here, psychoticstate.  To me, it's Jacked Grille, Hat Guy, Groucho Glasses, Girl Group, etc.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Sile
To add quote

[psychoticstate]

15 hours ago, Sile said:

I didn't like Christian, didn't really like any of his work, but that Rites of Spring piece he did for the finale was absolutely breathtaking.  I'll be interested to see if my opinion of him changes after being so impressed by that.

Was that the ballerina piece?   Christian annoyed me a lot during his season and he actually responded very aggressively to a Tweet I sent during that time (I was a big Anthony Michaels fan) but I did think his ballerina tattoo was one of the most beautiful I had ever seen. 

[Sile]

On 7/25/2017 at 1:01 PM, psychoticstate said:

Was that the ballerina piece?   Christian annoyed me a lot during his season and he actually responded very aggressively to a Tweet I sent during that time (I was a big Anthony Michaels fan) but I did think his ballerina tattoo was one of the most beautiful I had ever seen. 

Yes, he didn't name the ballet but from his description of it I'm sure it was Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.  I loved how it was so evocative of the ballet without being in your face or cluttered up.  I really like Anthony Michaels as a person and he had some good tattoos throughout the season, but based on the finale tattoo, he didn't deserve to be in the Top Two over Christian and Cleen.  That Twitter vote was definitely based on popularity.

I might not like Christian that much, but I do share his opinion on new school.  I also like his shop partner.  Who knows, maybe I'll be rooting for him this season!

Edited July 27, 2017 by Sile

[belligerent]

On 7/24/2017 at 3:29 PM, candall said:

"Showing us the tools of artistry isn't showing us artistry"--the dumbest thing I've ever heard Dave say.  The anatomy of that hand was first-rate and I thought the style suited the velvet medium.  Not to mention it was followed by "Sunset on Coconut Bay."  Barf.

 

This is my least favorite season.  (Ha, including the previous low:  Peck v. Nunez.)  Seems designed to give us even more personal friction, hoping the teams of professional partners will turn on each other.  Is there a focus group somewhere telling them this show needs less tattooing, more smack talk?

I think peck and nunez are trying to make themselves look better after being dicks the entire last season. I'm rewatching season 8 as background noise while working on projects and had forgotten how unpleasant and petty the both of them were about everything. It seems like in putting the focus back on the contestants and then trying to amp up the drama, it might be trying to scrape off some of the tarnish the judges put on themselves in season 8.

Edited July 29, 2017 by belligerent

[azshadowwalker]

On 7/26/2017 at 5:16 PM, Sile said:

Yes, he didn't name the ballet but from his description of it I'm sure it was Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.  I loved how it was so evocative of the ballet without being in your face or cluttered up.  I really like Anthony Michaels as a person and he had some good tattoos throughout the season, but based on the finale tattoo, he didn't deserve to be in the Top Two over Christian and Cleen.  That Twitter vote was definitely based on popularity.

I might not like Christian that much, but I do share his opinion on new school.  I also like his shop partner.  Who knows, maybe I'll be rooting for him this season!

Both the votes were popularity. Twitter is always going to be. The peer jury shouldn't have been, but MJ had a thing for Cleen and it was mostly vets who Christian had targeted. We saw how it went down, and Megan Jean yelling over anyone who argued for Christian was embarrassing.

  I thought Anthony deserved to be in the top vs Christian, because I wasn't impressed by Cleen's final tattoo (I can still see that dude's nipple in the middle) and he got carried to the end by the rules that gave the vets so many advantages  and the judges' favoritism. But Christian should have won the final vs Anthony, even though Anthony was my favorite.

If Tommy Helm wasn't coming back, Christian would have been my rooting interest. As it stands, he's second and I wouldn't be heartbroken if he won. Matt and Katie are a close third, since I thought Matt (and even Chris)  got a raw deal, too. Fucking Kruseman? 

Edited July 30, 2017 by azshadowwalker

[Inkmaster0345]

1 hour ago, azshadowwalker said:

If Tommy Helm wasn't coming back, Christian would have been my rooting interest. As it stands, he's second and I wouldn't be heartbroken if he won. Matt and Katie are a close third, since I thought Matt (and even Chris)  got a raw deal, too. Fucking Kruseman? 

1

Dave "I don't like this challenge, so I'm going to do whatever I feel like instead" Kruseman. There was a span of about 3 episodes where he blatantly didn't follow the style and got away with it. I'm convinced the fix was in because Inkmaster badly wanted a traditional artist to win it.