Ink Master: Turf War is the thirteenth season of the tattoo reality competition Ink Master that premiered on Paramount Network on January 7 and ended on April 14, 2020 with a total of fifteen episodes. The show is hosted and judged by Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, with accomplished tattoo artists Chris Núñez and Oliver Peck serving as series regular judges. The winner was to receive $100,000, a feature in Inked magazine and the title of Ink Master. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the live finale was cancelled and no winner was announced for this season.[1][2]
The premise of this season was having four teams based on their respective home region with each region being led by an Ink Master veteran.
This season saw the return of four veterans; season ten contestants Jason Elliott and Frank Ready, who originally finished the competition in 4th and 8th place respectively, and season eleven contestants Angel Rose and Jimmy Snaz, who originally finished the competition in 11th and 10th place respectively.
There was no winner for the thirteenth season of Ink Master, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The three finalists (Bob Jones, Angel Rose and Jimmy Snaz) were awarded an undisclosed value monetary prize instead. The master canvases were revealed on YouTube Live.
Judging and ranking
Judging Panel
The judging panel is a table of three or more primary judges in addition to the coaches. The judges make their final decision by voting to see who had best tattoo of the day, and who goes home.
Jury of Peers
The artist who wins best tattoo of the day gives his/her respective team and another team the power to put up one artist for elimination.
Pardon
Each of the three judges can give a pardon to any eliminated artist of their choosing so that they may return to the competition after being eliminated.
Contestants
Names, experience, and cities stated are at time of filming.
20 artists, including four returning artists, are split into four teams based on regions: east, south, mid-west, and west. Each region has one returning artist. The artists are then challenged to create a tattoo that represents their state. The outline of their respective state must be included in the design. The artists with six lowest scored tattoos face off, with the losing artist being eliminated. Andrew quit the competition because he felt that the judges were giving him too much criticism.
Patriotic Face Off Tattoo: K Lenore Siner, Jason Elliott, Patrick Flynn, Nychelle Elise, Jake Parsons, Arlene Salinas and Emac had one last chance to save themselves by tattooing a patriotic tattoo in the style of their choice.
Elimination Tattoo: The teams are tasked to compete in a tattoo marathon, who tattoos is completely up to them. For the first round, they can tattoo any subject and style they choose but they must collaborate to do one tattoo on one human canvas. In the second round, the remaining teams are required to tag team one tattoo on one human canvas in any subject and style. Two artist are required to tattoo at one time switching out every hour.
Best Tattoo of the Day: Midwest and West
Face Off Tattoo: Jessa Bigelow, Jimmy Snaz, K Lenore Siner, Money Mike Thornton, Patrick Flynn, Jordi Pla, Jason Elliott
Flash Challenge: The teams must work together to create a design on an 8’ x 12’ canvas, using only strands of yarn and nails to show a legible work of art.
Winner: West
Elimination Tattoo: The artists must create a schematic tattoo. During the Judge's Recall, Jerrel pointed out that Arlene's schematic tattoo of a Combat Knife was flipped, which reinforced the Judges' decision to eliminate her.
Best Tattoo of the Day: Jerrel Larkins
Bottom: Raul Ugarte, Arlene Salinas, Jordan Allred
Elimination Tattoo: Each region is given one of the four elements to create a series of tattoos. Every artist must tattoo on the same canvas at the same time. The tattoos do not need to be in same style, but must be consistent with their team's tattoos. The west draws fire, the east earth, the south wind, and the mid-west water.
Best Tattoo of the Day: East and West
Bottom: Midwest and South
Eliminated: Money Mike Thornton
Face Off Tattoo: Jason Elliott, Jordi Pla, Jordan Allred, Jerrel Larkins, Jake Parsons, Frank Ready and Kelly Severtson must face off to tattoo an illustrative insect to save themselves in a surprise second elimination.
Elimination Tattoo: Each member of the teams must start a tattoo. After one hour they must switch tattoos within their teams. Each tattoo must be a different style.
Best Tattoos of the Day: Midwest
Face Off Tattoo: Jason Elliott, Jimmy Snaz, Raul Ugarte
Eliminated: Jason Elliott (Pardoned by Dave Navarro)
Elimination Tattoo: The remaining artists, regardless of region, go head to head tattooing in different styles: fine line black and grey, American Traditional, Japanese, Biomech, and tribal.
Face off: Jason Elliot, Jimmy Snaz, Jerrel Larkins, Raul Ugarte and Frank Ready
Elimination Tattoo: The remaining contestants had to tattoo designs drawn by the other artist they called out. The artists then had to tattoo the design they originally drew for their opponent themselves.
Elimination Tattoo: The five remaining artists pick the style and subject for their opponents
Best Tattoo of the Day: Bob Jones
Eliminated: Kelly Severtson
Tattoo Marathon: Jerrel Larkins, Angel Rose and Jimmy Snaz each design five tattoos containing the number 13 for a 13 hours convention style elimination
Eliminated: Jerrel Larkins
In order to win the season, the three finalists must do two 25 hour Master Canvases. One on the chest and one on the back. In addition to the Master Canvases, the artists have to do a 6 hour piece at the live finale. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the live finale was cancelled and no winner was announced.
