It has finally come to this. The Battle of the S*xes is finally over after three months of crazy flash challenges, including coffee beans and paintballs, intense head-to-head matches, a bevy of famous guest coaches, and a few heartbreaking moments. The second female tattoo artist in the competition show’s history, Laura Marie Wachholder, has been named the winner of Ink Master Season 12. She continues the legacy of Season 8 champion Ryan Ashley Malarkey, who will serve as a judge on the forthcoming Ink Master series Grudge Match.
In front of a live studio audience, it all happened in Las Vegas. The show did not. However, air lives on television. Instead of the show’s customary live season finale, the action was taped a few days before the air date. The judges appeared to be dressed to the nines. There was a lot of commotion, drama, mystery, and trash-talking. Let’s begin our concluding Season 12 recap:
Crowning Laura Marie As Battle of the S*xes Winner
18 artists gathered in the New York studios at the beginning of this season, with an equal number of men and women, to begin work on the finale. The women instantly called themselves “Team Peach” because it was the first time Ink Master had so many women competing on the show. Over the three months, the rivalry between the men and women remained pretty even. The ladies ultimately prevailed, sending Laura Marie and Dani Ryan to the finals to compete against “Creepy” Jason, the lone member of the men’s team.
The master-canvas sessions in the artists’ homes were previewed for Finale viewers. Laura chose to create a representation of the Japanese thunder god Raijin while working on her traditional Japanese backpiece tattoo at her Rochester, New York, business Atomic Roc. Laura added, “As a woman in this field, I have more to prove. To become Ink Master? The ultimate objective is that.
At 1001 Troubles in Warren, Rhode Island, Dani worked on the tattoo she got for her Biomechanical backpiece. Dani acknowledged that getting a Biomechanical tattoo was difficult because she had never done one before. On the biggest stage for tattoo artists, she added, “I’m executing my first Biomechanical tattoo and my first major backpiece.” “There is pressure.”
At his Hampstead, Maryland, tattoo parlor, House of Madness Tattoos, Creepy Jason worked on a black-and-grey realism piece. Dani and Laura believed that Jason wouldn’t enjoy getting a tattoo because it would be all black and grey, but they were undoubtedly mistaken. Jason seems confident and enthusiastic about his beautiful pirate lady backpiece in the video of the tattoo sessions. Jason declared, “I’m coming out with guns blazin’.”
It was then time for the revelations. First up was Dani, who flaunted a fierce blue Biomechanical backpiece with an orange fire ring in the center. She added, “I wanted to do something that was vivid and brilliant.” The crowd cheered enthusiastically when Jason unveiled his busty pirate piece next. The last to reveal a tattoo was Laura, and Dave Navarro let out an audible “wow.”
Chris Nunez, a Japanese expert, complimented Laura’s Japanese tattoo during the judging process by calling it “a hell of a tattoo” and stating that he “liked what she did.” Jason’s tattoo is “very smooth and super gentle” by Oliver Peck. The judges praised Dani’s criticism, noting how well she nailed the layers and textures. Peck praised her illumination source, while Navarro described it as “dazzling.”
However, the judges picked a few details in each tattoo to criticize. Due to the lack of black and the tattoo’s tendency to lean more toward illustration than realism, Jason was knocked out first. As a result, the vote was not cast unanimously when it came down to the two women. Nunez voted in favor of Laura, and Navarro voted in favor of Dani. The outcome depended entirely on Oliver Peck’s choice. One of the closest races he had ever seen, he said. But in the end, his belief that “bold will hold” led him to vote for Laura, who went on to win Season 12.
Bringing Back Season 12 Contestants
The remaining Season 12 contestants from the men’s and women’s teams were welcomed back for the Ink Master finals and the three winners. The judges quickly sparked controversy by bringing up all the online “abuse” that Pon had encountered for making stereotypically derogatory remarks about the women. Pon, though, merely stated that it was all in good fun and that he was simply “busting balls.”
Cam Pohl was brought back into the competition by both finalist teams, Laura and Jason, to discuss the “alliance,” which Laura described as “more of an association.” They claimed that although their mutual planning was dramatized, it was merely motivated by respect. Laura stated, “I want someone who can work effectively with men and women when I think of an Ink Master.” “I don’t want the division we currently have.”
The Clash Of The Coaches
The winning coaches were brought back for a “Clash of the Coaches” match for a prize of $25,000 in the finale, which was shot in Las Vegas in front of an audience. While the action below them took place, they tattooed as they staggered about the stage. Ryan Ashley Malarkey, the champion of Season 8, stated, “There’s some strong competition.” “It resembles a clash of the titans,” Nikki Simpson maintained her fiery connection with Josh Payne throughout the evening, “I just wanted to make it to the finale and tattoo against the best that there is. On tonight’s show, the following tattoo coaches faced off against one another:
- DJ Tambe
- Ryan Ashley Malarkey
- Duffy Fortner
- Megan Jean Morris
- Nikki Simpson
- Jime Litwalk
Bubba IrwinThe style of the tattoo that the coaches would have to apply during the finale was chosen by choice of a skull. The options were neo-classic, surrealistic, black and white, or new school. The judges had no prior knowledge of the designs. However, that doesn’t imply that the other coaches were excluded from the fun. The finale show featured several fan favorites, including Kelly Doty, Katie McGowan, and Josh Payne. When the judges were sequestered in the Green Room, Kelly took over as the show’s host to show off sneak views of the coaches’ tattoos.
There was no criticism of the judgment from any of the coaches. The ink on every tattoo was perfect. However, Ryan Ashley and DJ Tambe, two Ink Masters, were ultimately decided. But it astonished us that Bubba Irwin’s performance didn’t place in the top two. But Ryan Ashley brought home yet another victory for the ladies. She triumphed over DJ to win the $25,000 prize.
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