LA Ink: Episode 10
Every week this show becomes less about tattoos and more about Kat’s personal life and client tragedies. This episode focuses on Kat’s new boyfriend with a gross, unironic mustache.
Kat does a terrible tattoo on Jenna Jameson, who seems to be going for the world record in worst tattoos. After she finishes, Kat’s sure to give her a hug and put her dirty arms all over the freshly healing tattoo. She then does some equally horrific lettering on Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, who’s so incredibly lame I want to throw out my copy of Goddamit. He’s like a walking Will Forte sketch.
Pixie takes Corey to a Pit Bull rescue and talks about how many misconceptions there are about this breed of dog. Dogs wag tails and act like dogs, TLC has given you a “real” moment.
Corey the noodlemaster actually does a phenomenal job on a phoenix tattoo. I didn’t expect it to turn out so well as it’s hard to convey a phoenix in black and grey, but he managed to make it look very traditional without overkill.
Hanna does two amazing tattoos. We find out why she never does black and grey portraits on the show; because hers blow Kat’s out of the water. She managed to do a fantastic likeness of a little boy, in spite of very insufficient reference. She makes terrific use of the girl’s skin as the lightest tone in the portrait, and saves the white for glossy areas to give them a wet appearance.
Kim does a great floral tattoo, which seems to be her niche. The rest of the episode is Kat’s drama with her weirdo bell bottom wearing crustache boyfriend, or them making out and whispering cliche nothings in each other’s ears.
The TLC tattoo franchises have always been verging on exploitational, but I think this episode goes over the top. I mostly feel empathy for the people who come on this show, I really do. But do we have to be bombarded with sob stories every week? Does TLC really need to capitalize on their personal tragedies? (Or faux-tragedies in the case of the girl who “evacuated” Katrina and didn’t live in the flooded part, or the girl who said she overcame cancer but it was just a bump) Do we have to be so overcome with guilt to not notice the caliber of Kat’s tattoos is sadly lacking? Or that the tattoos themselves are generally lame flash-esque subject matter? The shop and artist aren’t a confessional and priest.
In the brief bits of other tattoo reality shows I’ve seen, which all seemed to be filled with drama and tragedy, I’ve wondered the same thing. Maybe the producers are a little scared that tattooing still isn’t accepted as a mainstream art form, so they play up the profound reasons people get tattoos as a way of “legitimitzing” them?
Ugh I have no doubt that’s part of it. But it’s unfortunate because instead of getting to see people like Hannah do full sleeves and awesome, creative back pieces, (actual reality) we have to sit through Kat’s crappy lettering and frequent flowers/appropriated cultural symbals/portraits.
I’m afraid this show is going to convince people they should only get a tattoo if they’ve had some horrific tragedy befall them, or as some therapeutic means.
I think the problem is; you, someone who appreciates tattoo as art are NOT the intended audience here. The fact that she does tattoos is secondary to the facts that she is
a) a spoiled drama queen who
b) is covered in ink and ‘Hot Topic’ different enough to get attention but
c) still attractive enough for televison
I only watched the first episode but all the drama seemed pretty contrived to me. Either the producer is coaching her on with her knowledge or they’ve actually got her convinced she’s a ‘real’ small business owner and she thinks she needs to ‘take charge with Grrl Powr’, it just seemed so obvioulsy fake to me.
OMG! will the guy (who just happens to be in the opening credits & commercials) come work at my shop?!?
OMG! My Hot Topic Skaterramp coffeeshop metallica [insert thing age 14-18 eXtReMe male does here] shop isn’t going to be ready for my pre-taped grand opening! DRAMA!
It’s just another reality show, the tragedies are what makes the show and her “deep” and sucks people in. Not the artwork.
And I hope I don’t come off as criticizing you here (you need a preview comment button!), because I’m hooked on watching people’s trainwrecked lives on Intervention
No, no criticism taken.
I think the nature of reality television is entirely contrived, which is why the writers’ guild is trying to get the editors paid writers’ union wages.
Of course a show about good tattoos, unfortunately can’t stand on that merit alone. There has to be crappy added drama, some pseudo-sheen of empowerment.
It just makes me angry that the show presents itself as some kind of vehicle for tattoo culture to be accepted by the mainstream, but instead it exploits, and perpetuates a lot of negative stereotypes and ideas.
Also I cannot believe you watch Intervention hahahaha, it looks ghastly.
P.S.
I do need a comment preview!
Great site and good info. Great tattoo info. Keep up the good work.
[…] less about tattoos … hanna does two amazing tattoos. We find out why she never does black …http://resistmedia.net/blog/2007/10/11/la-ink-episode-10/Kat Bret Photography PORTRAITS: Sparkly Devil - a woman scornedburlesque, sparkly devil, feathers, […]
I agree with Brendans comments here. Perhaps it ( the show ) comes off as being so patently contrived because the script writers have not yet found a way to blend Kat’s own personality into mini-dramas that flow seemlessly. When you are doing adhoc reality TV, using teleprompters and keeping actors on track can perhaps be near impossible ?
In truth, due to Kats personality, they may never achieve Nirvana.
I really would have loved to have seen the two tattoos that Hanna did. I am not sure if that was your description above, Beth, but someone made them sound elegent and artful.