Best (& Worst) Lettering Tattoos ✍ Ink Master (2023)

Introduction

From custom fonts that no one saw coming to totally illegible text, here’s a look at the highs and lows of Ink Master lettering tattoos.

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Content

(Tattoo gun, buzzing) - What.

Do you think? - This is lovely.

- I'm feeling a lot of pressure to live up to what everyone is expecting from me.

- It's, definitely my style.

So.

- Awesome.

- Where's Sarah, getting from? A, dumpster?, I, can't believe that Sarah is such a specialist that she can't even do letters.

- Welcome artists.

This, week, we're testing, your adaptability.

- Adaptability is just being able to do everything that comes your way.

A, hard canvas and easy, canvas, light, skin, dark, skin., All of that is adaptability.

- Today.

Your canvases are risk.

Takers.

For.

This challenge, you must tattoo your canvas with a word that represents how they get the most out of life.

Lettering is incredibly difficult to tattoo, because it requires clean, consistent lines.

- If.

You can't.

Move smooth.

Fluid lines all the way through your design, your lettering's gonna look like (beep).

- You must also incorporate an image into your design.

You must use adaptability to make the image.

And the lettering work together perfectly.

- I pretty much suck at lettering.

I'm, not looking forward to this challenge.

- Your canvases have been randomly assigned and you'll have three hours to tattoo.

Let's head inside and meet your canvases.

(upbeat music) - Hi.

- How're.

You doing? - Hi.

- Artists.

Your time begins now.

- What's the word you want? - Conquer, to represent my conquer over my addiction.

- I come from a history of addiction, also.

I, wasted.

My life for about eight years on methamphetamines.

I did nine months in a rehab.

Home.

- I did 10 months in a rehab, home.

- Because of our similar histories, my canvas and I are able to come up with a great idea., I know, I can rock this.

One out.

- I'm kind of leaving it in your hands.

So have as much creative freedom.

As you want.

- Sweet.

- Now that Scott and Matti have set a fire under my ass, I plan on taking this competition by the balls.

(upbeat, music), The main way, I'm gonna show adaptability is by how the letters actually adapt well to the design part of it to make one solid smooth piece.

- Two hours remaining everybody.

- My canvas wants realistic hands holding the world and the words he wants done in tribal, tribal.

It's gonna look horrible.

It's, not gonna flow.

I think I'm screwed.

- What is this right? Here? - That's a petal forming.

I thought it kind of added to the sentiment of it.

All I.

Wanna do is make America proud of me.

I.

Wanna show them that there's.

A reason they voted me, back.

There's, such an added pressure that I didn't understand last time, I, get it now.

- One hour.

Remaining, one hour left to go, everybody.

- Think we're doing good.

To make the lettering just as extreme as what the word's trying to say.

That's key in this design.

Shred means really fast, broken up gnarly, lettering.

- Tattoos really reflect the artists that are doing 'em.

If.

The artist is really wimpy, you're gonna get wimpy tattoos.

- My canvas wants graffiti.

Letters, I'm.

A graffiti artist.

This is it right? Here.

Graffiti letters are big.

They're, bulky., You, can't.

Do that stuff? Small.

Yeah, yeah., It's, good., Not, finished.

- Five, four, three, two, one., That's.

It machine's down., Time's, up., No, more ink.

- What.

Does it say though? - [Scott] T, R, I, U, M, P, H, triumph.

- Triumph.

You can't even read what Scott's tattoo says., I definitely know, I did a better piece than Scott today.

- [Scott] Can't believe you beasted that out in three hours.

- Thank.

You Scott, for talking all that (beep) because now I'm coming out in beast, mode.

- [Dave] King Ruck.

- [Chris] Obviously it's.

Not finished.

Being adaptable is about taking their ideas, making art.

The customer's gonna be happy with that you can finish within the time period.

- [Dave] Jim.

- [Chris] Lettering is super crisp.

It stands apart from the lion.

This is perfect for what this client asks for.

- [Dave] Jay.

- Adaptability is all about walk-ins.

So I just went at it.

The way I used to take walk-ins.

No reference to go.

- [Chris] It is a little off in the shape and the design.

A little bit of reference would've helped you out.

- [Dave] Melisa.

- [Chris] When.

You have lettering mixed in with the design.

The lettering needs to be bolder to make it stand apart from every other line.

- [Dave] Sausage.

- [Chris] The style of lettering.

You chose, it fits the image because it gives us that thrasher design aesthetic.

It's, a great job.

- This guy wanted a badass design.

And he got a design that you would see on a little kid's lunchbox.

- Lydia.

Where did you get this font? From? - He loves tribal, I wanted to do script.

- [Chris] If.

Your guy wants tribal, do it.

Capturing that tribal feel, the lettering's a little bit lost.

You, basically just have bold pointy letters.

- [Dave] Halo.

- I'm a big pit bull, guy.

The smile that the dog has, it's, the one that you're looking for when you get home.

And you captured it.

The lettering, especially is very, very nice.

The, fine details are really what make it stand out.

- [Dave] Matti.

- I'm a big fan of simple lettering, but I like to see spacing exactly the same.

You've gotta make that lettering dead even.

- Matti should worry less about talking (beep) about me and get his head back in the game.

Cause.

This tattoo looks like straight garbage today.

- [Dave] Scott.

- You showed great adaptability in this, being able to pull off graffiti, lettering.

It's kind of hard to read, but that's kind of the idea of graffiti style, writing., So, I think he did a very good job.

- [Dave] Kyle.

- This is a nice soft tattoo.

But you definitely need the other side of the veins.

And the leaves.

I would like to see that stem cut back in a silhouette behind the carpe to give us that inference that its back there, but you gave your client, a really nice tattoo, today.

- Of course.

The judges find several things.

They don't like about my tattoo.

It's frustrating, especially when they find nothing wrong with Scott's tattoo.

Even, though it's flag is going backwards and you can't what it says.

- All right? Guys, today's challenge, adaptability.

- [Chris] I'm, putting King Ruck in the bottom, just for not finishing.

You have to be adaptable to your time.

Limit.

- Something that surprised me today was Matti's turnout.

- This is the first design that's.

A total hiccup.

And that lettering was weak.

I.

Think what we're seeing outta Matti is extreme fatigue., This, isn't, a place to be taking a rest.

- [Dave] Sausage came up with his own lettering that fit the extreme sports vibe.

- [Chris] Very solid, very clean tattoo.

- Yeah.

One of the top tattoos of the day, undoubtedly Halo.

- The way that he used all of the shading and left little hints of open skin, really captured the look of that dog.

And, badass, lettering.

- All right.

So.

It looks like we have a decision? - We do.

- Let's go.

Let them know.

Today.

We asked you to use your adaptability, to create a tattoo with an image and lettering that flowed together.

Perfectly.

Some of you did not impress us.

- Those of you that struggled, you know who you are.

If.

This was an elimination.

You guys would be in some (beep).

The way.

This competition's going, you never know if this could be an elimination.

You got lucky today.

You dodged a bullet.

- Some of you succeeded.

Halo, for you to put these two elements together in such a nice way, very good job.

- Sausage.

- Sausage, your adaptability man, knowing that any tattoo that comes into the shop.

You can knock it out and do it with some flare and some style, that's.

The kind of thing that wins this competition.

- The judges have decided that the winner of today's flash challenge is, Halo.

- [Man] Good, job, buddy., (all, clapping) - Thank you.

- Man I've had my finger in your chest for a few critiques.

And today, you delivered.

The incorporation of the design, to the lettering with the smooth application, really stood out from the pack.

- The.

Six of you are going to have one more chance to prove you have the essential skills to continue in this competition.

You must now face off against your rival.

You.

And your rival must tattoo.

Head-To-Head.

One, rival will win and one and rival will lose.

Lose.

And you could end up being the first artist to pack your machines and close shop.

You've been randomly assigned an open canvas.

And you will have four hours to tattoo.

But.

There is a catch.

Your rival will impact your fate because your rival will pick the style.

You must tattoo.

LT.

What style do you pick for Ty'esha? - Cursive lettering.

- LT gave me lettering., Come on.

Like are you serious? Everyone learned how to do lettering in the begin in of tattoo.

LT thought he was really screwing me, but I'm definitely gonna have the last laugh.

- Today, our rival assigned you a style that they thought would get you out of the competition for good.

Let's, see how you did.

Ty'esha.

LT gave you cursive lettering.

- It was a little on the stupid side.

The.

First thing you learn in the tattooing industry is lettering.

- Looking at your lettering up, close, there's, not a single loop or swirl that we don't see a hiccup in.

- Let's look at your two Ls in Bella.

You, see that redness around that? - [Ty'esha] Yes.

- You know what that's from? A lot of passes.

This is a one pass tattoo with anybody who's proficient at doing an outline.

If.

You could sit down and tattoo right? Now.

Would it look completely different? - Absolutely.

This? Isn't, me., That's, not my work.

That's.

Not gonna happen again.

- This week, we're testing precision.

- You have to be precise.

Because once you put a line in the skin, it's, there forever.

One little line, outta place ruins your whole tattoo.

- For today's flash challenge.

You must design custom lettering from scratch without using any reference.

- Coming up with your own original font., Yeah, that's, hard., There's so much room for error.

- And.

You must tattoo body parts so small.

But so visible, precision is absolutely necessary.

The knuckles.

- Tattooing.

The knuckles is difficult, because if you go too deep, or if you blow it, out, you're, screwed.

And.

If you don't get it in there, deep enough, it's, not gonna stay.

Your knuckles are super visible.

You can't hide them., Unless, you're wearing a glove.

- Oh! - You have three hours to tattoo.

Your canvas' knuckles with custom lettering.

And.

Your time starts now.

- How.

You doing? Sausage - How.

You doing? - Hi.

- Today.

The stakes are the highest they're gonna be.

- I'm just gonna take my time and try and get the letters to all look like they go together.

- [Chris] Precision's everything when it comes to knuckle tattoos.

- I, wanna do something that's old.

That has a lot of little tricks in it.

- It is an awkward shape to stretch an awkward shape to hold.

You, see a lot of tattooers, not really sure how exactly to place their hand to be able to run a perfectly straight line.

- So I'm, just gonna take each individual finger and kind of wrap it like this.

Keep your hand as limp as you can.

- There's, no hiding your hands.

If it's, not done properly, you're, (beep).

- All color.

- Yes.

- The hardest thing about this is that it's knuckles, their color will almost just disappear.

Super quick.

There is absolutely no way.

I'm gonna be able to do this in full color.

If, I can't get my canvas to change her mind, I'm in trouble.

Now I'm, not opposed to putting color in there.

I.

Just wanted put black in there.

- I didn't.

Want it to be harsh.

I like the colorful aspect of the tattoo.

- And I want be able to give you what you want, if we can be on the same page.

And so that I can give a little.

And then if you can give a little, then we can hit this one out of the park.

- All right Ray.

This stings a little that means it's, working., (machine, buzzing) - Megan Jean's, not looking out for me.

So she's, not in my alliance, anymore.

- They're all too low.

- Okay.

- They're like creeping down real close to those knuckles.

You know, but I, mean, style, wise, it's, perfect.

- All right? Guys.

One hour, remaining, one hour to go.

- There's a lot of stress going into this knuckle tattoo because it's negative letters.

Since you're, making it negative.

It's gotta be like thicker parts in it.

I have to tattoo the outside of the finger and not the inside of the letters.

Sit still., I, can't, make them too small or too thin or else.

It'll close up over time.

Keep them, real nice and clean.

I have to be so super careful.

- What.

Do you think? - This is lovely.

- I'm feeling a lot of pressure to live up to what everyone is expecting from me.

- Five , four, three, two, one, machines, down., No, more ink.

- Thank you so much.

- Yeah, definitely, come here.

- It's, definitely my style.

So awesome.

- Where's Sarah, getting her font, from, a dumpster? I can't believe that Sarah is such a specialist that she can't even do letters.

- Okay, artists, it's now time to critique your work.

Matti.

When I heard the idea of the negative lettering, I, wasn't, quite sure how that would go.

And I think you did a really great job.

Here.

- I tried to be really precise with the lines.

I used some stippling in the background.

So it doesn't get all muddied up as time goes on.

- [Chris] The stipple effect gives it a nice fade, gives him the negative approach that he wanted.

Great job.

- Sausage, when you got here, you insisted, no black., What happened? - I listened to my artist.

- I think the color came out nice.

But your line work is lacking.

Some precision here.

You have some discrepancies in some of the lines where your lines in some of 'em trail, off, some of 'em in bluntly.

Particularly on the bottom of the F.

It just doesn't end as nicely as the I's or the R.

- Sausage's is a bad tattoo.

He, just didn't make good decisions.

He's, totally screwed.

- Jimmy.

One of the great tests of precision is when you have two of the same letters, keeping those letters similar.

What.

You've done here with the S's and it's, delicate and feminine.

I think it's exactly what you wanted.

Christian.

- [Chris] The.

Most impressive part about your tattoo is how perfectly they line up straight across.

Both knuckles.

This is probably the straightest lettering of the day.

Precision in this really is your application with your color, it's, a good job.

- Thanks.

- [Dave] Anthony.

- [Chris] Your.

Big lines are all bold and solid, but I gotta call you out on the precision.

The consistency in the small lines is very wavering.

- Your spelling killer a certain way., So you're already dealing with something that's difficult to read.

And then you got a very elaborate font, there.

Maybe, not the most legible thing.

Megan, Jean.

- [Chris] Your tattoos, stand out really bold.

And.

When you look at 'em close, they look very clean.

There's.

Only really one discrepancy on the way you did the traditional A's.

You have the line going through the open part of the A.

Instead of it just coming out from behind it.

These tattoos are gonna hold.

- Cleen.

- They're definitely very strong, bold.

Tattoos.

The.

Black is nice.

A little bit of gray, highlights give it finesse.

You have three letters that you have on both fingers.

You have the L the I and the E, they all match perfectly, which really shows that you're able to mimic your own lettering, repeatedly.

It's, strong.

- Thanks.

- Sarah.

- Some of the lines.

Look a little more sculpted than others.

The.

Farthest right portion of the W is a little bit close to the center.

So aging, over time.

You could have an issue there.

And.

You missed the mark on the Os.

The style of font that you chose made it very difficult to get those concentric lines on a finger and just looked like a crappy Avalon donut.

- All right.

Guys, today.

We're testing precision, with knuckle tattoos.

- Sarah's tattoo is probably one of the most unprecise ones of the day.

Trying to do concentric two circles inside each other on the finger, that just showcases every little mistake.

I, really dislike sausages, tattoo.

- Lot of problems with the line.

Weights, lot of problems with how the lettering is placed.

When.

He is uncomfortable.

You can see the in his finished product.

Who's in the lead here? - Christian definitely had the most precise, layout.

It's, very clear., It's, very legible., It's, a great job.

I think Clean really shows precision in his tattoo because he matches three like letters over the course of the two hands.

So.

He repeats six times the same lettering style and really nails the craftsmanship of the letter.

- Wanna.

Let 'em know? - Yeah.

- Let's do it.

Today.

You had to use precision to help your canvases make a noticeable statement.

The judges have decided the winner of the flash challenge, is Cleen Ruck One.

- Clean I.

Think you really showed off today with precision, because you matched those same letters.

You matched the Ls, you matched the Is and you matched the Es in that hand, style.

And, I think you did a really good job.

- Yesterday.

You tattooed the left side of the brain for the first six hours of a 12-hour head, tattoo., And, you're being judged on adaptability.

One of the best ways to prove your adaptability is to finish what someone else started.

- What? - That's right.

You must all swap canvases.

Today.

Another artist will be finishing what you started.

And you must finish what someone else started.

Tattooing, the right side of someone else's brain.

- Hell yeah.

- This is total chess.

- [Dave] One by one.

Please choose a skull.

Sketchy.

Come on up.

- Huh, 10, 10., I basically have to do the tattoo that no one else wants to do., Oh, (beep), this.

- Okay.

So that means Sketchy, you get Nate's canvas.

- Word.

Sure, enough, I'm, getting Nate's canvas.

Who wants all the bells and whistles? I'm (beep)., You want a tree, a skull, a flag.

- It doesn't really have to be a tree.

I.

Just want it family oriented.

- What about some sick ass like script along the side that says, family.

If you.

Let me do my thing, I've done head, tattoos.

I've done some fire ass.

Script, man., And, you're gonna love the (beep).

- Hook.

It up.

- Hook.

It up? - Yep.

- My dude.

He sees where I'm coming from and he's gonna let me ride with it.

It's, just freestyle, script, man., Hand, script.

- Almost like graffiti.

- This guy wanted a family tattoo and Sketchy just kind of gave up and just wrote family on the guy's head.

What?, How, lazy are you? - What kind of writing.

Did you say it was? - I just call it gangster (beep).

- This week.

You tattooed 12 hours., six hours on the left side of a canvas' head and six hours on the right side of another canvas's head.

Finishing.

Another artist's, design.

Sketchy.

- [Chris] As far as adaptability Goes.

Your canvas had a crazy idea.

You, simplified it., I think, it's the easy way out.

- Tried to adapt man.

- [Chris] There is a lot of sketchy outlines in this.

This tattoo.

Right now, puts you in a very vulnerable spot.

- Frankly.

This head doesn't really seem to work together.

- This one for me is a drop.

- This week.

You had to show adaptability.

Based on your work.

One of you will close shop.

This decision is far from made.

We are not in agreement.

Let's talk.

This out.

Let's move on to Sketchy.

- [Chris] Man.

This family thing is hard for me to swallow.

That Y.

The way it goes over the ear, out of sorts.

The skull with just no interaction between the family just popped there.

- I felt more comfortable doing this than a tree.

And all those crazy ideas.

I was confident in it.

- That's kind of my concern.

You were cruising.

And you got really comfortable 'cause.

You didn't feel like your was on the line.

- I don't know, man.

- When you look at what the field was doing.

There was a lot of strong artwork out there, and you needed to be as strong as them on paper.

And.

These were just really big and simple.

- I do script.

All the time, man and it's good.

This time.

It just wasn't.

- Artists, week after week, your coaches have been pushing you to your limits.

Now it's time for you to push them to their limits.

- What does that even mean? - This ought to be fun.

- Team Clean, you'll, determine two of the subjects and styles that both coaches must tattoo.

- We're just gonna have to figure out how to stop Christian.

- I've got some ideas.

- Team Christian, you'll, determine the other two subjects and styles, creating four head-to-head face offs and your coaches specialties are off the table.

- Oh.

My God! (laughing) - Which means no new school and no black and gray realism., (beep), Team Cleen.

What are you assigning for the fourth face? Off? - Colored graffiti, lettering.

- I didn't, even see this coming., I'm so excited, right? Now., I know, Christian's gonna flatten the bed on this one.

- All right.

The grudge match is set.

Good luck.

- Let's do it.

- All right.

- Today we're testing technical applications.

So.

We want to see these guys knock these things out of the park clean as can be.

- You have one hour to tattoo color, graffiti, lettering, and your time starts now., (upbeat, music), (machines, buzzing) - I'm gonna do golden yellow and then yellow, white highlights.

- I spent most of my childhood doing graffiti.

Graffiti lettering, pretty much developed me into a new school.

Tattooer.

How much time.

We got? - 34 and a half.

- I'm gonna have to make sure I'm hauling ass.

Wall to wall saturation and solid color.

- All right? Guys.

You have 15 minutes, left.

- Sorry bud.

- Stay up from behind me.

Please.

- What.

Does it read? Ink? - Don't even talk to me.

- Hey Cleen,? Why do you only have your bottom? Guys? Talk (beep).

- Everybody's got a (beep) place on the team.

(upbeat music) - Five , four, three, two, one., That's, it, machines.

Down, time is up.

Grudge match over.

- Yes.

- Good job.

Dude.

You're, a (beep) beast! - Woo! - The.

First time, I tagged anything was about two weeks.

Ago.

- It showed., (Cleen, laughing) - Cleen definitely didn't.

Let us down on this one.

No way.

- Okay.

It is time to critique your work.

- Cleen I like the lettering style on this one.

The fade of the colors from yellow to that orange, with the teal around the outside to create the color border looks really good.

This definitely has a graffiti look.

- Christian.

- You definitely went a little more complex and a little bigger.

There are some areas in your color, where you go outside the line, a little bit.

- Time to determine the winner of the last face off.

- Cleen.

- Hell yeah.

- Good job.

- Yeah, man.

(clapping) - Hell yeah.

- Congratulations Cleen.

(upbeat music).