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Season 1 E 1 • 01/17/2012

With a chance to win $100,000 and the title of Ink Master, 10 of the world's best tattoo artists put their skills to the test.

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With a chance to win $100,000 and the title of Ink Master, 10 of the world's best tattoo artists put their skills to the test.

Heather challenges the judges' critiques, a head tattoo becomes a medical emergency, and Ton Jones joins the panel as a guest judge.

Pasties and a Cameltoe

The artists test their shading skills on naked female canvases during the Flash Challenge, Al rubs the other artists the wrong way, and one more artist is sent home.

The artists test their technical precision skills, a photo realism tattoo turns disastrous for one artist, and Inked Magazine's Todd Weinberger serves as a guest judge.

The artists test their color skills designing pieces for canvases with prosthetic limbs, and acclaimed tattoo artist Scott Campbell joins the panel as a guest judge.

A surprise Flash Challenge tattoo sparks panic in the shop, the artists struggle through a pinup Elimination Tattoo, and NBA star Chris "Birdman" Andersen is the guest judge.

Lettering skills are put to the test during a graffiti flash challenge, and the portrait elimination tattoo leaves the four remaining artists with no room for error.

The final artists are given a 12-hour master canvas challenge playing to their favorite styles, and an Ink Master is chosen.

The artists head to the morgue to face off in their first Flash Challenge, and tattoo virgins experience their first tastes of ink during the Elimination Tattoo.

The artists test their ingenuity by camouflaging models, a medical emergency threatens the future of one competitor, and NFL star Terrell Suggs joins as a guest judge.

The 80-Year-Old Virgin

The artists test their line skills in the barbershop, military veterans sit in for an American classic style Elimination Tattoo, and tattoo legend Richard Stell guest judges.

The artists face off in a three-round Flash Challenge, a canvas asks for a tattoo with a unique placement, and NBA star Matt Barnes joins as a guest judge.

Canvases get tattoos inside of their mouths in the Flash Challenge, the artists design horror-themed tattoos for their canvases, and a contestant faces a medical emergency.

Half Naked and Fully Loaded

The artists etch detailed designs into firearms, and a pinup Elimination Tattoo proves disastrous for some of the contestants.

George Lucas awards a special prize for the Flash Challenge, and the artists design tattoos for "Star Wars" superfans.

The artists pair up for a gradation Flash Challenge and a good vs. evil Elimination Tattoo, and tattoo legend Freddy Negrete joins as a guest judge.

The artists burn designs into a cowgirl's chaps during the Flash Challenge, and legendary artist Mike Rubendall assesses Japanese-style tattoos during the elimination round.

The artists are tasked with customizing guitars for Dave, a canvas gets sick during the Elimination Tattoo, and artist Forrest Cavacco joins the panel as a guest judge.

The artists face off against Oliver in a Jagermeister micro-tattoo Flash Challenge, and legendary artist Bob Tyrrell joins as a guest judge to assess portrait tattoos.

The contestants return to reflect on their eliminations, the finalists and their master canvases participate in a 24-hour tattoo challenge, and an Ink Master is chosen.

The contestants return to reflect on their eliminations, the finalists and their master canvases participate in a 24-hour tattoo challenge, an Ink Master is chosen.

The artists create single-needle tattoos for inmates in their first Flash Challenge, and canvases seek cover-ups in the elimination challenge.

The artists team up to create customized grills for lowrider cars, canvases sit for gory tattoos, and NFL star Chris Johnson joins the panel as a guest judge.

The artists test their texture skills in a sexy Flash Challenge, a difficult canvas leads to a second elimination, and tattoo veteran Tony Hundahl joins as a guest judge.

The artists must assemble their own tattoo machines before tattooing bar codes onto their canvases, and tattoo machine innovator Seth Ciferri joins as a guest judge.

The artists tackle tattooing over scarred skin in the Flash Challenge, a canvas asks for a Day of the Dead portrait of Tatu Baby, and artist Chuey Quintanar is a guest judge.

The artists transform models into animals in the Flash Challenge, and veteran tattoo artist Troy Denning judges the artists' Asian-style tattoos in the elimination challenge.

Dave acts as a human canvas in the Flash Challenge, the artists struggle through landmark-themed tattoos, and color realism expert Nikko Hurtado is a guest judge.

The artists must tattoo one another in the Flash Challenge, surprise canvases sit for a pinup Elimination Tattoo, and NFL star NaVorro Bowman is a guest judge.

The artists etch designs into human skulls, canvases sit for super-villain-themed tattoos, and DC Comics artist Greg Capullo is a guest judge.

The artists get squeamish when tattooing eyelids, a canvas requests a portrait of one of the judges during the Elimination Tattoo, and artist Corey Miller is a guest judge.

The artists honor military veterans by engraving dog tags on the deck of an aircraft carrier, canvases get complex tattoos on their heads, and Twig Sparks is a guest judge.

Past guest judges give the artists designs, one canvas sits for a simultaneous tattoo, and the artists are given the freedom to create Elimination Tattoos.

America's vote brings two eliminated artists back for a live tattoo face-off, and after a final 35-hour tattoo, the judges award one artist with the title of Ink Master.

A new batch of artists face off in a convention-style challenge to earn their spot in the competition, and the judges assign canvases to the artists in the elimination tattoo.

Live scorpions and tarantulas are muses in a Flash Challenge, one artist eyes the exit, and tattoo artist Tommy Montoya is a guest judge.

A trip to Coney Island tests the artists' consistency in a team-based Flash Challenge on a pair of twin canvases, and artist Carlos Torres joins the panel as a guest judge.

Canvases bare all in a revealing Flash Challenge, and New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia judges artists' tattoo placements in the Elimination Challenge.

"X-Men"'s Hugh Jackman

The artists design tattoos for "X-Men" superfans in the Flash Challenge, canvases sit for a color portrait Elimination Tattoo, and actor Hugh Jackman is a guest judge.

The artists test their adaptability in the Flash Challenge, brokenhearted canvases seek coverup tattoos, and guest judge Freddy Corbin helps to eliminate two more artists.

An artist has a tense altercation with a judge, gunpowder is used to create designs in the Flash Challenge, and guest Rob Zombie assesses horror-themed Elimination Tattoos.

Boxing champion Brandon Rios tasks the artists with designing him custom mouth grills, tensions flare between an artist and a canvas, and an artist is accused of plagiarism.

Relationships between the artists are tested with a collaborative Elimination Challenge, and traditional tattoo expert Luke Wessman helps the judges send one more artist home.

Canvases sit for a Statue of Liberty tattoo in the Flash Challenge, the artists design snake-themed Elimination Tattoos, and tattoo expert Taki is a guest judge.

The artists design tattoos for breast cancer survivors, and the artists are tasked with a convention-style coverup challenge.

The artists and judges reflect on their experiences during the season, Kyle Dunbar confronts Chris Nunez, and America's votes are tallied to crown a new Ink Master.

Inking with the Enemy

Competing for $100,000 and the title of Ink Master, 18 rival artists are forced to ink with their enemy.

Actor Joe Manganiello joins as a guest judge in a semi-nude Flash Challenge, and rivalries flare as the artists struggle through a pinup Elimination Tattoo.

Two artists receive an advantage no one in the competition has ever had, and the artists create complex ornamental-style Elimination Tattoos.

The artists head to Wall Street for a cutthroat Flash Challenge, and canvases sit for traditional Japanese geisha tattoos.

The artists team up to create artwork by sandblasting glass, and the pressure is on during an animal-style Elimination Tattoo.

The artists are given 12 hours to complete a glute tattoo, one artist faces a medical emergency, and things heat up when the artists must complete one another's tattoos.

The artists must complete a tag-team American traditional tattoo, and the judges leave it up to the artists to put one of their teammates on the chopping block.

The artists must scrimshaw a walrus oosik in the Flash Challenge, a difficult canvas jeopardizes an artist's spot in the competition, and artist Aaron Cain is a guest judge.

Canvases sit for their first tattoos, and the artists battle head-to-head to create an interlocking elimination tattoo.

The artists must use blood to test their gradation skills in the Flash Challenge, and guest judge Tommy Montoya goes head-to-head with the artists in the Elimination Tattoo.

The artists tattoo residual limbs in the Flash Challenge, canvases sit for spine tattoos, and Josh causes a controversy that jeopardizes his spot in the competition.

The artists fight for an opportunity to design a tattoo for NFL star DeAngelo Williams in honor of his late mother, and one canvas struggles through a head tattoo.

Painstaking Portraits

The artists team up to design limited-edition headphones, family members get the same portrait during the Elimination Tattoo, and artist Tim Hendricks is a guest judge.

Tattoo artists Mike Rubendall, Rose Hardy and Nikko Hurtado join as guest judges, and the artists are tasked with a grim reaper-themed Elimination Tattoo.

The final four artists design tattoos for blank human canvases as they battle it out for a spot in the finale and a shot at the title of Ink Master.

All 18 artists return to dish about their rivalries, the final three artists reveal their 35-hour back pieces, and one artist is crowned the new Ink Master.

Apprentices and masters put their relationships on the line as they face off in a head-to-head Flash Challenge, and the judges level the playing field with blind critiques.

Oliver's mentor Richard Stell joins as a guest judge to critique American traditional-style tattoos, and a twist puts the power in the hands of the artists.

The artists team up to tattoo underwater ocean scenes on the backs of their canvases' hands, and a stained-glass tattoo sparks an explosive elimination.

The artists team up to adorn sarcophagi in the Flash Challenge, canvases sit for Egyptian-style tattoos, and actor Avan Jogia is a guest judge.

The artists use body paint on nude models to create optical illusions, and when canvases demand tattoos on challenging body parts, the artists panic.

The pressure is on as tattooing legend Mike Rubendall takes on the artists in the Elimination Tattoo, and a demanding canvas pushes one artist to the brink.

The artists team up to put their texture skills to the test in an animal-themed Elimination Tattoo, and an unexpected twist results in a shocking elimination.

Canvases sit for personalized postcard tattoos, and the artists feel the pressure when they're tasked with designing Trash Polka Elimination Tattoos.

Like a Moth to the Flame

The Flash Challenge gets explosive when the artists paint with fire, the artists design Neptune tattoos, and veteran tattoo artist Justin Weatherholtz joins as a guest judge.

The artists must paint custom designs for muscle cars, a morphing anatomical heart tattoo keeps the artists on their toes, and tattoo artist Rose Hardy is a guest judge.

Virgin canvases sit for fingernail tattoos, the artists replicate fine art masterpieces in the Elimination Tattoo, and museum curator Carter Foster is a guest judge.

The contestants join forces with inspiring guest artists in the Flash Challenge, and a throat placement Elimination Tattoo throws the artists off their games.

The artists test their technical application with realistic football designs in the Flash Challenge, and professional football players call the shots in the Elimination Tattoo.

The artists are tasked with designing art using nails, and military personnel bring their loved ones as they sit for portraits in a high-pressure Elimination Tattoo.

The remaining four artists must survive a tattoo marathon, and the contestants are given the chance to redo their previously botched tattoos to secure a spot in the finale.

Master vs. Apprentice - Live

Eliminated artists return to confront one another, and for the first time ever, the final three artists tattoo live for $100,000 and the title of Ink Master.

The battle for $100,000 and the title of Ink Master begins as new artists are thrown into the fire in an intense Flash Challenge, and the first veteran artist returns.

Egos collide when the artists are forced to get their hands dirty in a team Flash Challenge, and another veteran artist returns to clean up the competition.

Creativity is tested in a salty Flash Challenge, the artists transform their canvases into comic-book characters, and another veteran artist returns.

The Devil's in the Details

Forensics expert Adrian Gardner assesses the artists' fingerprint tattoos in the Flash Challenge, and a veteran artist's return sparks old rivalries.

New School, Old Artist

The artists team up to transform contortionists using body paint, and a veteran artist returns to add a new-school twist to an old subject.

New alliances are formed during a high-pressure Flash Challenge, and a veteran artist joins forces with the new artists in an effort to take down a common enemy.

Alliances are broken during a white-knuckled Flash Challenge, a veteran artist returns, and the artists must design political portraits in the Elimination Tattoo.

The artists pair up in a tedious Flash Challenge, the final veteran artist returns, and canvases sit for traditional Japanese dragon-themed tattoos.

The remaining artists work in pairs to execute cohesive large-scale back pieces, and the judges introduce a surprise twist that sends two more artists packing.

The six remaining artists work in an assembly line for an American traditional-style Elimination Tattoo, and the artists must put one of their teammates up for elimination.

The pressure is on when the artists must ink the ultimate in-your-face tattoo, and regretful canvases task the artists with covering up symbols of hate.

The tables are turned when the new artists call the shots in the Elimination Tattoo, and the battle for a spot in the finale is more intense than ever.

The master canvases are revealed, and America helps crown a new Ink Master.

The cutthroat battle for $100,000 and the title of Ink Master kicks off as 30 artists vie for one of 18 spots on Oliver Peck and Chris Nunez's teams.

Team Peck and Team Nunez work together in an intense Flash Challenge, and the losing team must compete among themselves in the Elimination Tattoo.

Team Nunez is out for revenge in the Flash Challenge, and an artist betrays one of his teammates in Team Peck's Elimination Tattoo.

The pressure is on when both Team Peck and Team Nunez must work in pairs to transform their canvases into warriors in the Elimination Tattoo.

Team Nunez uses live wires to create art pieces in an electrifying Flash Challenge, and a gendered alliance has the women out for blood.

Team Peck fights for control of the game in a Flash Challenge testing contrast, and one artist turns the tables on the women's alliance.

New School, Old Scars

The artists must tattoo former smokers who have been scarred for life, and the six remaining artists on Team Nunez battle for a spot in the team's top five.

The artists are tasked with manipulating metal in the Flash Challenge, and the six remaining artists on Team Peck vie for a spot in the team's top five.

The artists must ink their canvases' heads in an intense two-day long Elimination Tattoo, and the battle between alliances heats up.

Like Sand Through the Hour Glass

Team Peck and Team Nunez face off to create custom designs for muscle cars, the artists ink hourglass tattoos on their canvases, and NFL player Von Miller is a guest judge.

One artist cracks under the pressure after an intense Flash Challenge, the artists must cover up lower back tattoos, and tattoo artist Robert Atkinson is a guest judge.

Dave takes a deep dive into the lives and strategies of the final six artists with never-before-seen footage from the season.

The artists carry their own weight in a team Flash Challenge, accuracy is tested in a head-to-head portrait Elimination Tattoo, and artist Tim Hendricks is a guest judge.

Biomechanical Failure

The artists must work with their teams to transform canvases into cyborgs, and tattooing legend and author Chris Garver is a guest judge.

The battle comes to a head as the final four artists must endure a grueling 15-hour tattoo marathon.

The final three artists tattoo live for America's vote, the eliminated artists return, and a 24-hour chest piece determines the winner of $100,000 and the title of Ink Master.

Artists from nine of America's best tattoo shops arrive to battle it out for $200,000, the title of Ink Master and the first-ever Master Shop title.

A massive twist shakes up the competition, a painstaking Flash Challenge puts shop relationships to the test, and a tough Elimination Tattoo tests the artists' fundamentals.

A veteran artist returns to take the competition by storm, a difficult Flash Challenge exposes the artists' weaknesses, and the artists tag-team an Elimination Tattoo.

The competition intensifies when the artists are tested on technical application, and two veteran artists make their returns.

Some shops lose their composure during a grueling color realism Elimination Tattoo, and a difficult canvas threatens one shop's spot in the competition.

Get the Flock Outta Here

The competition intensifies as another veteran artist returns, and artists must take on the ultimate test of artistry as they freehand their Elimination Tattoos.

One of the competition's most infamous veterans returns to shake up the game, and the pressure is on when the artists are tasked with a new-school Elimination Tattoo.

An emotional Flash Challenge brings the artists to tears, and the alliance becomes a target when a bulletproof pair of veterans returns to battle it out for the title.

The artists can't find relief in a sculptural Flash Challenge, and in honor of one veteran artist's return, the artists must team up to tackle the infamous pinup tattoo.

The final veteran artist's return sparks an old rivalry, the shops struggle to work together during a woodworking Flash Challenge, and artist Tommy Montoya is a guest judge.

A massive twist in the Elimination Challenge sends the artists reeling, and Four Horsemen tattoos bring the end of days for one pair of artists.

The artists must tackle painful coordinating armpit tattoos, and Chris Nunez and Oliver Peck take charge of doling out canvases to the artists for the Elimination Tattoo.

The six remaining shops must use their sales skills to win over the canvases for the chance to tattoo, and the judges send one more shop packing.

Casting the First Stone

The artists create cohesive designs by painting nude models in the Flash Challenge, and some shops miss the mark on an Asian deity-themed Elimination Tattoo.

Marathon to the Finale

The final four shops battle it out in a tattoo marathon for a spot in the finale, a chance at $200,000 and the first-ever title of Master Shop.

In the live finale, the final three shops compete for $200,000 and the first-ever title of Master Shop.

Three of the most skilled Ink Masters return to coach teams of the nation's top tattoo artists for a chance at $100,000 and the title of Ink Master.

The Masters must coach their team through the season's first Flash Challenge, and a maze Elimination Tattoo puts the artists' grasps of the fundamentals to the test.

The coaches face off to ensure the survival of their team, and proportion skills are put to the test when the artists must tattoo Greek deities.

The coaches step in during a team-based Flash Challenge, and ingenuity is tested when the artists are tasked with mash-up tattoos.

Ink on the Dotted Line

Precision is tested when the artists must create designs using hole punches, and one coach steps up when a difficult canvas bows out of the Elimination Tattoo.

The coaches must lead by example when they're tasked to ink beneath the chin in the Flash Challenge, and the artists push the envelope with undead-style Elimination Tattoos.

Team dynamics are tested in a collaborative tag-team Elimination Tattoo focusing on anatomy and consistency, and the coaches make a difficult decision.

Teamwork is essential in a glass painting Flash Challenge, and the artists create stone-themed Elimination Tattoos, causing one artist to crack under the pressure.

The devil is in the details when the artists must tattoo intricate, technicolor hot-air balloons.

Some Assembly Required

The artists must work together in a series of tag-team tattoo challenges, and a massive twist forces one team's artists to turn on one another.

The coaches step up to create micro insect tattoos, the artists tackle painful sternum Elimination Tattoos, and one artist's technical mistake seals their fate.

The artists must use melted wax to showcase their composition skills, and a negative space elimination tattoo leaves some artists scratching their heads.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

The artists must match their coaches' designs in the Elimination Tattoo, and an intense freehand face-off sends one more artist home.

The artists must match their coaches' designs in the Elimination Tattoo, and an intense freehand face-off sends one more artist home.

The artists push themselves to the limit in a grueling 12-hour Elimination Tattoo challenge, and the masters fight to gain an advantage in the finale.

Return of the Masters Finale

The coaches face off live onstage, eliminated artists return to help the judges deliberate over the artists' 24-hour master canvases, and a new Ink Master is crowned.

Legendary rivals Cleen Rock One and Christian Buckingham make their epic returns, and 22 new artists compete for a spot on their teams.

Team Cleen and Team Christian face off in a fundamentals Flash Challenge, and the artists tackle a difficult Elimination Tattoo.

Team Cleen and Team Christian face off in a Flash Challenge featuring dominoes, and the Elimination Tattoo forces the artists to think outside the box.

The coaches face off in their first Grudge Match to keep their team safe from elimination, and the artists test their knack for consistency with wristband tattoos.

That's Gonna Leave a Mark

A Flash Challenge using electrical tape tests the teams' creativity, and the artists face challenging placements on their canvases during the Elimination Tattoo.

Fight Your Own Battles

Christian and Cleen's artists work with their teammates in a tag-team tattoo on a single canvas, and one coach puts two of his artists on the chopping block.

Cleen and Christian tattoo four canvases in a grueling head-to-head marathon, and the artists design galactic Elimination Tattoos.

The artists use sidewalk chalk to create multidimensional images in the Flash Challenge, then they face off in a nature-scape Elimination Tattoo.

The coaches face off to save their teams from elimination, and the competitors test their artistry with mermaid Elimination Tattoos.

Cleen and Christian take control as each team is challenged to tattoo the rival coach's design, and the losing team tackles a freehand Elimination Tattoo.

Invisible paint is used to create artwork in the Flash Challenge, and the artists set out to capture the beauty of elaborate Japanese temples in the Elimination Tattoo.

The teams learn the devil's in the details during a wood-burning Flash Challenge, and a reflective Elimination Tattoo sends another artist packing.

The remaining artists work together with their teams to design powerful tattoos before facing off in head-to-head Grudge Matches.

What Are You Crayon About?

The teams test their precision skills in a meticulous challenge using crayons, and an animal portrait Elimination Tattoo sends one more artist home.

Prelude to a Bloodbath

The final four artists sabotage their competitors with line drawings, and two artists face off in a grueling tattoo marathon to secure a spot in the finale.

The finalists and coaches compete in a tag-team tattoo challenge, Cleen and Christian settle the score, and the eliminated artists help the judges crown a new Ink Master.

The Ink Will Speak for Itself

Nine men and nine women kick off an epic battle of the sexes by going head to head in a team collaboration tattoo to prove they have what it takes to be the next Ink Master.

The judges unveil a new twist and bring in heavy-hitting veterans Joey Hamilton and Ryan Ashley to coach the teams, whose black-and-gray shading skills are put to the test.

Two-time veterans Bubba Irwin and Sarah Miller return to coach the men's and women's teams, and the artists showcase their knack for legibility by inking surrealistic tattoos.

The Hunter and The Hunted

Cam's arrogant behavior continues to irritate his team members during a color contrast challenge, and the gang bands together to sabotage Cam's standing in the competition.

It's every man and woman for themselves when the artists tattoo any design in any style before a blind critique from the judges.

In a test of consistency, the teams must engrave full suits of armor, then a cross-stitch style elimination tattoo throws all the artists for a loop.

The artists go head-to-head in a test of technical application, and the losers fight for their survival in an elimination tattoo challenge dictated by the victors.

The artists think outside the box as they show their understanding of color theory, then get a crash course in new school style from their coaches Jime Litwalk and Kelly Doty.

Composition must be perfect as the remaining competitors draw freehand tattoos on their canvases, and coaches James Vaughn and Megan Jean Morris offer the artists advice.

By Accident or by Design

Every decision counts as the artists choose someone else's tattoo design and make it their own in a true test of adaptability.

As the women's team plots to dismantle the men's team, the judges unveil a combination of detail design and cover-up challenges that are helmed by two domineering coaches.

Put Your Ink Where Your Mouth Is

With only seven competitors remaining, the canvases hold all the power as the artists are challenged to out-market their rivals and work outside their creative comfort zones.

The artists paint custom wheelchair spoke guards in the flash challenge and show finesse as they take on difficult back-of-the-neck tattoos in the elimination tattoo.

The final five artists are tasked with creating murals using paintball guns, then must work across disciplines in a traditional illustrative portrait elimination challenge.

To earn a spot in the finale, the final four artists endure a grueling, blind-judged tattoo marathon and then endeavor to reinterpret a rival's best work.

Battle of the Sexes Finale

Seven coaches compete in the Clash of the Coaches Face-Off, the final three artists unveil their 35-hour back pieces, and one artist wins $100,000 and the Ink Master title.

The artists tattoo their home states and face blind critiques by the judges, a competitor makes a drastic choice, and patriotic tattoos decide someone's fate in the Face Off.

Clash of the Collages

The South aims to unify and rebound when the teams are tasked with a postcard mural on the side of a bus, and a compass rose elimination tattoo includes a game-changing twist.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Teams must unify or die in a two-day tattoo marathon that's all about collaboration, then the losers fight for survival with full-bodied American traditional fairy tattoos.

To test legibility, the teams spin intricate designs with yarn on outdoor canvases, then get technical with schematic tattoos.

To test their consistency, each team must work on a single canvas at the same time to create a tattoo series representing either earth, wind, water or fire.

After the teams create colorful murals by inserting cups into chain-linked fences, the artists are tasked with tattooing neon-light pieces.

The teams must prove their adaptability while they each work on multiple tattoos and canvasses at the same time, and the Face Off Tattoo comes with a surprise.

02/19/2020