Ink Master (season 6)

Judges

The judges for season six were Chris Núñez, Oliver Peck, and Dave Navarro who also serves as host of the show.

Guest judges

The guest judges this season include Richard Stell (episode 2), Avan Jogia (episode 4), Mike Rubendall (episode 6), Justin Weatherholtz (episode 9) and Rose Hardy (episode 10) and Carter Foster (episode 11).

Special appearances

Allen Robinson, Tony Jefferson, Khaseem Greene, Keith Pough, Darius Slay and Kamerion Wimbley all appeared in episode 13 as guests in the flash challenge and as human canvases for the elimination tattoo.

Judging and ranking

As in past seasons, the artist with the best tattoo, as deemed by the judges, wins the challenge. Minor changes in the judging and associated rules have occurred throughout the seasons. During the final decision, the judges will vote for one of the bottom artists and the artist with two or three votes will be eliminated from the competition.

The judge listing types are:

Judging Panel

Guest Judge

Human Canvas Voting

Jury of Peers

Contestants

Craig Foster, former season 3 contestant, returns as an apprentice.

Source unless otherwise noted:

Elimination Challenge Progress

Credit Order: Marisa & Erik, Ryan & St. Marq, Earl & Dave, Kito & Big Ceeze, Duffy & Kruseman, MV & Brian, Miami & Craig, Matt & Katie, Tyler & Chris

    Legend  INKMASTER  The contestant won the competition and was named Ink Master.  RUNNER UP  The contestant was the runner-up on Ink Master.  3RD PLACE  The contestant was 3rd place on Ink Master.  WIN  The contestant won best tattoo of the day.  WIN  The contestant won the marathon tattoo  F/O  The contestant won the face-off.  F/O  The contestant was voted worst by the human canvas jury, but won the face-off to stay in the competition.  (IN)+  The contestant won the Head to Head Challenge.  (IN)-  The contestant lost the Head to Head Challenge.  HIGH  The contestant was given an honorable mention by the judges.  HIGH  The contestant was considered to be among the top.  H/L  The contestant was given an honorable mention in the judges recall, but was voted worst artist by the human canvas jury.  LOW  The contestant was among the bottom group in the judges recall.  LOW  The contestant was voted worst by the human canvas jury.  LOW  The contestant was considered to be in the bottom.  OUT  The contestant was eliminated from the competition.  OUT  The contestant was voted worst by the human canvas jury and eliminated from the competition.  OUT  The contestant won the flash challenge but was eliminated from the competition.

Progress Table notes:

^Note c1 : Since there are two Daves, Kruseman will be referred to by his last name.

^Note c2 : This was a Head to Head challenge. One artist won and was safe from elimination, the other lost and was in danger. However, in Episode 4, every Head to Head challenge involved three people. One artist would win, and the other two would lose. Episode 6 features all the artists tattooing against the guest judge.

^Note c3 : Since MV's apprentice, Brian, was eliminated from the competition, for the elimination tattoo he was assigned an open canvas and could select which Master/Apprentice combo he wanted to tattoo against. He chose Matt and Katie.

^Note c4 : The judges decided that there was no winner in the Head to Head challenge between Kruseman and Erik.

Skill of the Week: Overall Ability

Head to Head Challenge: The master and apprentice square off in their first head to head challenge where both of them have five hours to tattoo the same style and same subject of their choice.

Tattoo Critique: The judges did a blind crtique of both tattoos from the master and apprentice without knowing which artist tattooed which tattoo. Craig, Big Ceeze, Katie, Dave, Tyler, St. Marq, Erik, Kruseman and MV won their head to head challenge.

Elimination Tattoo: The losing artists are tasked to tattooed whatever the canvas wants. All the human canvases have previously been tattooed on the show. Kito's canvas left after disliking like the design, therefore he ended up tattooing himself.

Human Canvas Jury: The canvas, who was previously Melissa's canvas in the seventh episode of season four, loved her tattoo but the jury hated it and they couldn't stand her arrogance, leading to Duffy being voted worst tattoo of the day despite receiving praise from the judges. Brian's tattoo was also mentioned in the jury.

Elimination: Ryan, Brian and Chris were also in the bottom as well. Brian ended up being the first artist eliminated from the competition for having little experience.

Skill of the Week: Legibility

Elimination Tattoo: The masters and their apprentices have another head to head competition where they have to tattoo American traditional with the same subject. In addition, the human canvases are paired based on what tattoo they want and as a pair they will pick a skull with the master and apprentice's name on the bottom. The winners of last week's head to head also have an advantage in choosing which canvas they want to tattoo out of the pair. MV was assigned an open canvas despite his apprentice's elimination and decided to face Matt and Katie.

Tattoo Critique Matt, Craig, Chris, Erik, Kruseman, St. Marq, Big Ceeze and Dave won their head to head challenge.

Human Canvas Jury: During the jury, Ryan's canvas was upset with how her tattoo came out. In the end, Kito was voted worst tattoo of the day because of the overall design. His canvas voted Earl's as the worst.

Jury of Peers: The winners of the head to head challenge decided to go with Ryan and Earl.

Face Off Tattoo: Earl, Ryan and Kito have four hours to tattoo an American traditional eagle that was designed by Richard Stell.

Elimination: The judges were impressed with the three tattoos but picked Earl as their favorite and eliminated Ryan because he couldn't handle the pressure from them and the contestants.

Skill of the Week: Contrast

Flash Challenge: The artists head to the American Museum of Natural History for their first flash challenge where they will work in teams of two to tattoo a kraken in battle on both canvas' hands at the same time with the kraken in black and grey on one hand and the enemy in any color on the other hand. In addition to assigning all the human canvases in the elimination tattoo, the winning team will also be rewarded a trip to a tattoo convention in Las Vegas provided by Kraken Rum. Each artist will pick a skull with a number on the bottom that will determine the team.

Elimination Tattoo: In their third head to head challenge, the artists have six hours to create a stained glass tattoo.

Tattoo Critique: Craig, Katie, Erik, Matt, Chris, Earl, St. Marq and Kruseman won their head to challenge.

Human Canvas Jury: Big Ceeze was voted worst tattoo of day due to its placement.

Elimination: Big Ceeze, Miami and Kito were the bottom three but the judges eliminated Miami.

Skill of the Week: Detail

Flash Challenge: The remaining artists meet up with Dave and the judges at the Brooklyn Museum where they are introduced to this week's guest judge and star of the Spike miniseries Tut Avan Jogia. By working in teams of three, they have to use paint and gold leaf to design a sarcophagus.

Elimination Tattoo: Following a sneak peek of Tut, the fourth head to head features the artists creating Egyptian tattoos against two people with the same subject

Tattoo Critique: Big Ceeze, Erik, Tyler, Matt and Chris won their head to head challenge.

Human Canvas Jury: Marisa was voted as worst tattoo of the day for the lack of detail in her Sphinx tattoo. Her canvas said that there were minor issues with the final result of his tattoo.

Elimination: Along with Marisa, MV and Kito were also in the bottom three. MV gets frustrated after receiving the criticism for the details in his tattoo, causing him to be eliminated from the competition.

Skill of the Week: Ingenuity
Flash Challenge: Working in teams of two, the artists have four hours to make a human form disappear by painting their nude canvas with black, white and UV color paint. They will also receive a small black light to illuminate the area they're working on before their final result at the end of the challenge.

Elimination Tattoo: The next head to head challenge features the artists creating illusions on body parts that are difficult to tattoo. Chris's canvas passed out prior to the challenge and was given extra time to tattoo a new canvas but had to design a new tattoo after the new canvas didn't want the tattoo that was originally given to the original canvas.
Tattoo Critique: Craig, Chris, Dave, Tyler, Big Ceeze, Marisa and Duffy won their head to head challenge.
Human Canvas Jury: The human canvas jury chose Katie for worst tattoo of the day because of the confusing details in her fangs tattoo, mainly the tongue.
Elimination: Kruseman, Earl and Erik were also in the bottom. Earl says Kruseman admitted that he didn't do the challenge which lead to Dave picking Kruseman but Oliver and Chris voted Earl to be eliminated for not producing a good tattoo.

Skill of the Week: Line
Flash Challenge: The artists must use linework to engrave a Dogū.

Elimination Tattoo: The artists battle Mike Rubendall in their sixth head to head challenge where they have six hours to tattoo a koi fish. Rubendall will also tattoo at the same time. Each artist received the same koi fish he drew for them to design their own tattoo.
Tattoo Critique: The judges directly compared each artist's koi fish to Rubendall's. Most of the artists struggled with the challenge but Erik, Matt and Kruseman managed to pull it off.

Human Canvas Jury: Kito and his canvas get into an argument after he was voted worst tattoo of the day while she complains to the judges about her tattoo.
Elimination: Joining Kito in the bottom is Dave, Marisa and Big Ceeze. The judges ended up picking Kito who blames his canvas for costing him the competition.

Skill of the Week: Texture
Elimination Tattoo: Working in teams of four, the artists have six hours to transform a canvas into an animal at the same time by turning their skin into animal skin. The canvases will pick four skulls with the artists' name that will determine the team. The canvas, who wanted cheetah skin, suffers a panic attack near the end of the elimination tattoo and decided not to continue.
Tattoo Critique: All the artists were judged as a team. Tyler, Matt, Duffy and St. Marq's Brazilian rainbow boa received a mixed response despite Tyler's knowledge. Craig, Erik, Kruseman and Marissa worked together on their crocodile skin and they were praised for their placement and the execution. Next the judges critique Chris, Katie, Big Ceeze and Dave's cheetah skin despite their canvas' withdrawal but gave them mixed reviews because the tattoo is unfinished. And being a snake expert, Tyler argues with the judges after his team didn't execute the challenge. The losing teams determine which members on the team is the weakest. Chris and St. Marq were voted by their teammates despite the fact that they voted for themselves.

Face Off Tattoo: Chris and St. Marq must tattoo an anatomical heart that was designed by the winning team.
Elimination: The artists debate with the judges about the texture in both tattoos because St. Marq and Chris played a strategy but in the end, St. Marq was eliminated.

Skill of the Week: Composition
Flash Challenge: After meeting with the judges at the US Custom House, the artists have four hours to tattoo a postcard on the canvas' body.

Elimination Tattoo: The artists tattoo a style they've never done before where they'll six hours to create a trash polka tattoo.
Tattoo Critique:

Human Canvas Jury: The jury settled with Tyler. His canvas was unsatisfied with the tattoo, which resulted in Tyler giving him the finger.
Elimination: The judges also put up Big Ceeze, Marisa, and Duffy. Tyler and Ceeze argue over the faces in Ceeze's and Marisa's tattoo as Tyler starts to defend Marisa, but in the end, Big Ceeze was eliminated after Oliver and Dave voted for him while Chris picked Marisa

Skill of the Week: Saturation
Flash Challenge: The artists work in teams of two where they have to paint panels of wood with fire. Craig, who won the elimination tattoo, assigned all teams.

Elimination Tattoo: The artists have six hours to tattoo Neptune.
Tattoo Critique: Most of the tattoos have been disappointing. Dave got mixed reviews. Craig went too hard on his canvas with the saturation. Matt was criticized for showing Neptune's back. Katie's Neptune was disjointed especially the thumb despite putting in some girly designs in the tattoo. Duffy struggled with the hand and the small details especially the tentacles. The judges didn't like the human figure in Kruseman's tattoo. Chris received praise for hitting the challenge and nailing the size. Oliver is not a fan of Tyler's tattoo while Chris didn't like the caps in the water. Erik received mixed reviews from the judges for looking unfinished. Marisa's didn't have any saturation. In a 3-1 vote, Dave voted for Erik while the rest of the judges voted for Chris.

Human Canvas Jury: The jury voted Craig for worst tattoo of the day because of the color. The canvas disagreed with the jury and instead praises him because they worked together on the tattoo.
Elimination: Duffy, Matt, Marisa and Tyler were chosen by as the judges' bottom picks. In a difficult decision, Chris voted for Tyler who argues with the judges because he doesn't do black and grey. Oliver almost voted for him but instead picked Marisa after Tyler apologized and said he will change his attitude. Justin and Dave also picked Marisa, making her the ninth contestant eliminated.

Skill of the Week: Artistry
Flash Challenge: The artists work in teams of three to paint a full coverage design onto a Dodge Challenger. The winning team's car will then be rewarded to one lucky Ink Master superfan.

Elimination Tattoo: In the next head to head challenge, the artists have six hours to tattoo an anatomical heart morph.

Tattoo Critique: Chris, Katie and Matt won their head to head challenge.
Human Canvas Jury: Duffy was again voted worst tattoo of the day by the human canvas jury but the canvas disagreed because Duffy made her happy.
Elimination: Dave and Erik were in the bottom as well. Although he had good applications in the past, Dave was the next artist eliminated due to his recent application showing a lot of flaws.

Skill of the Week: Consistency
Flash Challenge: The remaining artists design matching tattoos for the tattoo virgin's fingernails.

Elimination Tattoo: During their next head to head challenge, the artists have six hours to tattoo a famous work of art.

Tattoo Critique: While Tyler, Chris and Duffy won their head to head challenge, the judges did not pick a winner between Kruseman and Erik after both of them failed with their Starry Night tattoo.
Human Canvas Jury: Katie was voted worst tattoo of the day for the second time.
Elimination: Matt and Kruseman were voted in the bottom. The judges didn't see any consistency in Kruseman's tattoo. Matt's tattoo was criticized mainly the face. In a split decision between the master and apprentice, Katie was the next artist to be eliminated.

Skill of the Week: Finesse
Flash Challenge: The seven artists work on a tattoo designed by the guest artist with down syndrome which will then be placed on their loved ones.

Elimination Tattoo: Prior to the elimination tattoo, Erik assigned all the human canvases after picking the skull with an X on the bottom. The artists have six hours to create a Victorian tattoo on the canvas' throat.
Tattoo Critique: Erik's finesse has inconsistencies and his piece was named the weakest, according to Oliver. Tyler received praised for the harp. Matt's tattoo was criticized for being too dark due to the lack of finesse. Craig was up next and was given a good response for making a tattoo that isn't in a Victorian style despite a hiccup. Kruseman and Duffy also received praised especially Duffy for pulling off finesse in the outline and having a great application. The judges question Chris for going through a lot of trouble in his tattoo.

Human Canvas Jury: The human canvas jury chose Matt as worst tattoo of the day. The canvas tells the judges that she too voted for him.
Elimination: Chris and Erik were the judges' bottom pick. Chris and Matt argue just as Chris complains about Matt's tattoo. Erik became the next artist eliminated in a 2-1 vote.

Skill of the Week: Technical Application
Flash Challenge: The artists have three hours to tattoo a football with an autograph of an NFL player from the superfan's favorite team.

Elimination Tattoo: The artists interview each NFL player who will then choose which artist they want to get tattooed by. As winner of the flash challenge, Tyler picked his own canvas first. In addition, the artists will have six hours to tattoo the canvas' design of his choice.
Tattoo Critique: All the artists disappointed the judges with their tattoos including some that struggled tattooing darker skin. Despite Dave picking Chris and Oliver and Chris picking Kruseman, they decided that there is no best tattoo of the day.

Human Canvas Jury: Kruseman was voted worst tattoo of the day because of the way he played it safe in his tattoo.
Elimination: Craig, Duffy and Tyler were selected as the judge's bottom picks. Craig's symbol did not impress the judges. Duffy's tattoo was unreadable but Kruseman disagreed with what Chris said. Tyler lost it on tattooing the bear when he said he doesn't do dark skin. Oliver's vote came down to either Craig or Tyler cause he felt Duffy's was the cleanest out of the three. In the end, the judges settled on Tyler as the next artist eliminated.

Skill of the Week: Precision
Flash Challenge: The artists have five hours to create a precised design using only nails.

Elimination Tattoo: The artists have six hours to tattoo a portrait on active military soldiers before they and their loved ones are separated for deployment.
Tattoo Critique: Kruseman and Duffy received mixed reviews because their portraits didn't look like the actual person. Craig redeemed himself this week by receiving good reviews for his black and grey portrait. Matt's tattoo captures the person but lacked focus on the face. Chris received strong reviews for his colored tattoo especially telling the judges about his time in the military. Best tattoo of the day came down to either Matt or Chris.

Human Canvas Jury: Duffy was voted worst tattoo of the day.
Elimination: Kruseman was also in the bottom as well. In another split decision between master and apprentice, Duffy was the next artist eliminated.

Marathon Tattoo: The final four artists compete in a tattoo marathon where they will have to tattoo four different designs in four different styles. Each artist will pick a skull that has the style and subject on the bottom and they then have to be incorporated in the design they create, one of the skulls has an artist's choice. Then, they must tattoo their design and the other design created by the competitors. In addition, they will have 90 minutes to tattoo each design one after another on the same canvas. The first part features tattooing a black and grey geometric tattoo that was designed by Matt. Craig's New School popsicle is up next. Chris's fine line black & grey tattoo is the third part of the marathon followed by Kruseman's colored Japanese tattoo.
Tattoo Critique: The judges all the designs by each artists. Matt got good critique despite struggling with Chris'design. Craig, Kruseman and Chris received mixed critique in all their tattoos. Although Chris and Kruseman won in their design, it was Matt prevailed in both his design and New School tattoo

Elimination Tattoo: Chris, Kruseman and Craig have one last head to head battle against themselves that will determine the final two artists who will join Matt in the finale which is revealed that they have six hours to redo their design they botched in the competition.
Tattoo Critique: Chris's phoenix did not redeem him which is revealed that the wings are backwards. Kruseman managed to pull off a better design of his stained glass carousel unlike his original design which didn't meet the stained glass tattoo challenge. Craig did a better drawing of his Neptune, but, messed up on the face.
Best Tattoo of the Day: Kruseman
Elimination: Despite arguing with the judges about his tattoo, Chris was picked as the last artist going to the finale.

Finale Tattoo: The final three have 35 cumulative hours each to create a backpiece in the style and subject of their choice. They also must create a six-hour tattoo live in the style of the viewers' choice. During the finale, the winner who the viewers picked as best six hour tattoo will earn them a spot in the final two. The overall winner is picked by the judges solely on the premise of their 35-hour tattoo.