Best Ink - Season 1 (2012)

"Best Ink" is a so new competition reality series laying bare the cutthroat and wildly unpredictable world of tattoo artistry. Tattooists are on the cutting edge of an ever-growing phenomenon: permanent body art. With nothing but their needles, ink, and passion, ten respected tattoo artists from across the country compete over eight episodes for $100,000 and a cover and feature spread in Tattoo magazine. Each artist produces bona fide masterpieces on skin—a permanence rarely seen in the reality competition world. The indelible body art will be created for, and on, real people in a variety of challenges designed to showcase the artists' talents. The contestants are guided through the competition by television host and recording artist Kimberly Caldwell. After each challenge, the head judge, world-renowned tattoo artist Joe Capobianco, along with international pinup model and tattoo shop owner Sabina Kelley and a rotating guest judge, critique the artists' work to find the most skilled tattooist. But the drama doesn't stop there—with the competitors sharing common "free time" space, sparks will fly, and egos will clash. As the stakes get higher and the challenges become more difficult, only one artist will get the ultimate bragging rights to call their work "Best Ink."