Tattoo Competition
Best of Show:
- BEST OF SHOW
Must have been done at the show to qualify. - GRANDMASTER CONTENDER
Must have won a “Tattoo of the day” Master Award to qualify.
Grandmaster winners will be announced Sunday, April 26th.
Friday
April 24th
Registration: 1:00pm
Contest: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Winners: 10:00pm – 11:00pm
Contest: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Winners: 10:00pm – 11:00pm
Categories:
All categories include 1st & 2nd place trophies
- ORIGINAL FLASH (ARTWORK)
Original hand-drawn flash created by the artist. No copies, no references, no AI-generated work, and no copy-and-paste elements. Digital work is allowed if it is fully original. - FINE ART (ARTWORK)
Original hand-drawn “fine art” style artwork created by the artist. No copies, no references, no AI-generated work, and no copy-and-paste elements. Digital work is allowed if it is fully original. - BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Fresh Only | No color added at ALL! No opaque greys, no muted colors - BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Healed Only | No color added at ALL! No opaque greys, no muted colors - COLOR TATTOO
Fresh Only - COLOR TATTOO
Healed Only - BLACK & GREY INFUSED W/ COLOR
Healed or Fresh | Primarily a black and gray tattoo (approximately 80–90%) enhanced with selective use of color or opaque tones. Color should complement, not overpower, the black and gray foundation. - AMERICAN TRADITIONAL TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Limited color palette such as primary colors, additive primary colors and limited secondary colors - CARTOON STYLE TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Inspired by animation, cartoons, and pop culture (including Disney-style work). Features bold outlines, vibrant colors, and exaggerated or animated characteristics. - FINE LINE TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Any style tattoo executed with fine, delicate linework. Focus is on precision, consistency, and clean execution regardless of size or subject. - LETTERING TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | All styles and sizes of lettering tattoos. Judged on readability, flow, spacing, and overall design composition. - DARK CANVAS BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Melanated dark skin needs to have a darker tone - DARK CANVAS COLOR TATTOO
Healed or Fresh
Tattoo of the day:
- MASTER OF THE BLACK & GREY AWARD
- MASTER OF THE COLOR AWARD
- MASTER OF THE BLACK & GREY W/ COLOR AWARD
Saturday
April 25th
Registration: 12:00pm
Contest: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Winners: 10:00pm – 11:00pm
Categories:
All categories include 1st & 2nd place trophies
- TRADITIONAL JAPANESE TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Traditional Elements, background work, technique and saturation, linework with cultural accuracy and respect to style - BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Healed Only - COLOR TATTOO
Healed Only - BLACK & GREY INFUSED W/ COLOR
Healed or Fresh - DARK CANVAS BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - DARK CANVAS COLOR TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - DARK CANVAS B&G W/ COLOR TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - SM/MED BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Under 8X8 | Healed or Fresh - SM/MED COLOR TATTOO
Under 8X8 | Healed or Fresh - LARGE BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Over 8X8 | Healed or Fresh - LARGE COLOR TATTOO
Over 8X8 | Healed or Fresh - ARM & LEG SLEEVE TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Full or partial sleeves judged on overall coverage, flow, and composition. A higher percentage of completed tattoo work increases competitiveness. Cohesion, meaning, and how the design flows with the body are key factors. - BACK & CHEST TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - AVANT-GARDE TATTOO
Expressive, Unusual, Modern Style | Healed or Fresh - ANIME TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Inspired by Japanese anime and manga. Can include characters, scenes, or original interpretations in anime style. Judged on accuracy, color, linework, and overall execution of the style. - REALISM TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - SURREALISM TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - NEO-TRADITIONAL TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Done with a two dimensional shape with NO three dimensional depth - NEW SCHOOL TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - ORNAMENTAL AND GEOMETRIC TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Focuses on patterns, symmetry, and design flow. Includes ornamental, mandala, and geometric work. Judged on precision, balance, line consistency, and how the design fits the body. - HEALED COVER-UP TATTOO
Any style, any placement. Must provide a clear photo of the original tattoo before the cover-up. Judged on how effectively the old tattoo was concealed and the quality of the final healed result.
Tattoo of the day:
- MASTER OF THE BLACK & GREY AWARD
- MASTER OF THE COLOR AWARD
- MASTER OF THE BLACK & GREY W/ COLOR AWARD
Sunday
April 26th
Registration: 12:00pm
Contest: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Winners: 8:00pm – 9:00pm
Categories:
All categories include 1st & 2nd place trophies
- BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Fresh Only - BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Healed Only - COLOR TATTOO
Fresh Only - COLOR TATTOO
Healed Only - BLACK & GREY INFUSED W/ COLOR
Healed or Fresh - DARK CANVAS BLACK & GREY TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - DARK CANVAS COLOR TATTOO
Healed or Fresh - TRIBAL / POLYNESIAN / BLACKWORK TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Includes tribal, Polynesian, and blackwork styles. Focus is on bold, solid black application, clean lines, symmetry, and how the design flows with the body. - SALVADOR DALI INSPIRED TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | A tattoo inspired by the surreal style of Salvador Dalí. Can include original interpretations or portraits of Dalí himself. Focus on creativity, surreal elements, and artistic execution. - COLLABORATION TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | A tattoo completed by two artists on the same piece. No size or style restrictions. Judged on teamwork, cohesion, and overall execution. - FULL BODY FEMALE TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Judged on overall body coverage, composition, and flow. A higher percentage of tattoo coverage increases competitiveness. Evaluation includes cleanliness, artistic quality, meaning, and how well the tattoos work together across the body. - FULL BODY MALE TATTOO
Healed or Fresh | Judged on overall body coverage, composition, and flow. A higher percentage of tattoo coverage increases competitiveness. Evaluation includes cleanliness, artistic quality, meaning, and how well the tattoos work together across the body.
Tattoo of the day:
- MASTER OF THE BLACK & GREY AWARD
- MASTER OF THE COLOR AWARD
- MASTER OF THE BLACK & GREY W/ COLOR AWARD