LA Ink: Season 2 Episode 1
What’s up with the creepy new title credits that sound like the movie Seven?
Kat talks a lot of shit about running a business, but she ran off and left Cory in charge. How can she expect her “employees” to take her seriously when she takes off whenever she wants? Secondly, the artists themselves are not employees. Artists are independent contractors, and it’s common practice for an artist at one shop to take time off and go work at another. This is not unusual, and I think the entire Hannah situation reeks of clever editing. It’s more likely she agreed to work at High Voltage part time and maintain her home base in Chicago.
Isn’t it such great coincidence they happened to be filming both sides of every phone call that happened in this episode? These artists came on her show as a personal favor, they were all successful before Kat Von D came along and probably made more money in their custom shops than whatever TLC pays them to do street shop art. They present some illustion the other artists have to pick up Hannah’s slack, but in a real shop each of these artists would have their own clientele. Someone who calls for Hannah is not going to want a tattoo from Cory.
Watching Cory draw up the porn star’s tattoo, it’s clear he knows how to draw, he’s just unable to translate his drawings to skin. He has no sense of depth or light whatsoever, leaving all his tattoos flat looking. Also isn’t it common knowledge Joanna doesn’t actually own Burning Angel but is just a front for some dude to make them look “woman friendly?”
Kim consistently does great tattoos, every episode it seems like she does one better than the last. Her client wisely chose to get a large tattoo for his first piece. Most people shy away from this, but take up prime tattoo real estate with something small and then have to design around it later. Now he has a great, impressive and consistent sleeve. It would’ve looked even better in color.
While Kim gets better every episode, Kat steadily gets sloppier and lazier. She can’t do any lettering besides script so she insists on doing her client’s piece horizontally instead of vertically. Then she puts the stencil on his arm while it’s extended, instead of it’s natural state, so when his arm hangs at his side the letters are crooked. In addition to not giving him what he wants, she shrinks his tattoo down to a third of the size he asked for.
Later Kat completely butchers a traditional Mexican painting on someone’s leg. Since she can’t do color work she insists the only part of the tattoo that needs color is the flag in the background. It looks awkward and draws attention away from the focal point of the piece, Kat clearly doesn’t understand dominance in composition. She bungles the face so bad it doesn’t look anything like the original painting, and more resembles a blob.
The episode closes with Kat visiting her life coach. Do you know who needs a life coach? Someone who can’t make any decisions for themselves. Why does she need a life coach when she doesn’t even run her own business? Moreover, what kind of person is a life coach, what training exactly prepares you to tell other people what to do with their lives? The life coach asks Kat if Pixie weren’t her friend would she have fired her, to which Kat replies yet. But I’m pretty sure unless they run you over, you can’t fire someone you have tattooed on you, who you asked to quit their job to come work for you, without being a complete asshole. Instead of a life coach she should get a proper attire coach. You shouldn’t be tattooing people half naked or in camel toe tights. Is LA a post-apocalyptic wasteland requiring everyone to dress like Snake Plissken?
The show is even more gimmicky than before with all the staged drama and phone calls, and the ridiculous previews where they drop the bomb that Kat’s pregnant only to go “JUST KIDDING” five minutes later. TLC leads you to believe Pixie gets fired in the next episode, but I’m waiting for another just kidding gag.
I guess LA Ink is merely solidifying what the guy on Miami Ink said about Kat not being as great as she thinks she is.
actually Joanna Angel isn’t a figure head Mitch and Joanna both own it. I don’t know which of the two owns more or if its equal but they started it together.
also that show sucks Garver is the only great tattoo artist on Television.
dude, you need to lighten up its a tv show and anyone with an IQ over 10 knows editing comes into play in every aspect from ‘5 mins draw ups’ to ‘double sided phone calls.’ corey’s work is awesome and never lacks depth, and kat has done color work before (check pixie’s ribs) for one. and with all your talk of how lame the show is, why do u watch it and write a blog dedicated to it? you, for one, should know that the tattoos look better in person than any picture or camera can justify.
“Miss Chris” If you knew anything about art or tattooing, you’d know how hideously awful most of the tattoos on this show are.
Second, if you’d bothered to read anything else on my site you’d know 1. it’s not a blog dedicated to LA Ink, and 2. I write about the show in spite of my feelings because people in the tattoo community need to speak up about how this show misrepresents them.
Why should I “lighten up” when they use unsafe and unclean practices on national television, enforcing the dirty biker tattoo stereotype and basically endorsing the spread of blood-borne pathogens?
wow! great article. thank you for sharing.
The worst part of the whole thing is when someone is poor at artwork, and then allows themselves to permanently mess up someones body instead of knowing when to say they can’t do something.
Not to mention, people pay big bucks for artwork, so any artist who is going to permanently mark up someone better know what they are doing.
It’s a shame that Kat allowed herself to do what she does.
I just happen to click this link. The site looks interesting. It is dark and intriguing.
What is LA Link all about? Is this some kind of TV show?What is the story about. I can’t quite follow.
peace!