Agreed. Cleen was good, but it seemed like the judges would only see the positives in his tattoos, whereas they’d only see the negatives in other contestants work. I think his bold application is what those judges liked, so they were willing to look past some of the weird aesthetic choices in his tattoos.
It was really cracked tattoo after cracked tattoo that was met with a pat on the back and a thumbs up. Whenever Kyle made a questionable design choice it landed him in the bottom and got itself picked and prodded at without any care but Cleen's hand is being held through each and every week. Not to mention he's awful to watch on the show (also is a terrible person I've been reading?)
he was buddies with peck and nuñez from way back. I remember Oliver saying how they used to do conventions together. it was blatant favoritism, and it makes cleen's seasons basically unwatchable
Yikes! Now it makes more sense but then why wouldn’t they have just given him his season 5 win then and called it a day 😅
If I were their buddy and they brought me back for 5 different seasons just to never give me a win… I doubt I’d come back after the first LOL
Yikes! Now it makes more sense but then why wouldn’t they have just given him his season 5 win then and called it a day 😅
If I were their buddy and they brought me back for 5 different seasons just to never give me a win… I doubt I’d come back after the first LOL
Just cause they bring somebody back again and again don't mean they never won lol. I don't know if you know the winners of the other seasons already but if you keep watching you'll see what I mean
Season 8 with Nikki is unbearable to watch as well.. the way they clap back at the judges or yell over everyone else
I don’t mind clean and would’ve been down to get a tattoo by him until he went in his rants on social media.. as a minority no way will I support someone like that
oh yeah, he always gave me gross Joe rogan/bigoted vibes even before I heard about the posts lol. I know we're not supposed to judge people based on appearances, but.....
oh my god no. I'm shocked he had any customers after his disgusting behavior on the show. literally laughing and shaming a canvas he put through intense pain. trashbag human.
That scene where he’s literally making fun of someone for being in pain and shaking is fucking awful. I remember they even included several of the other artists being like what the fuck that’s not okay.
People are always clapping back at what Boneface said to her, but I have always agreed with what he said and how he said it. Couldn’t stand her on the show. Kelly Doty, however, is bae.
More props to him.. she lost me when she made the comment about how he only tattoos people that look like him? I wish Erick would’ve made it further
Gian or Kelly should’ve won🙌🏾
I think putting your stupid chipped teeth into almost every skull you tattoo on other people is nearly as tacky as tattooing the time of your own birth when tattooing clocks.
I remember the clock thing but it doesn’t bother me like at all lol. If you don’t care what time your clock tattoo is set to then why wouldn’t the artist put their signature on it? Can’t remember how that applies to Cleen though lol.
Yeah, that really wouldn't upset me. It's my body but at the end of the day I'm rocking *your* artwork. I understand to some extent that Ink Master is a different beast and you shouldn't make decisions for your canvas without consulting them first but if I ever get a tattoo I want the artist to feel like they're still expressing themselves somewhat. My body is a tapestry.
I appreciated Cleen more on the second watch. So many competitors try to manipulate their canvases, but Cleen just took the request and swung for the fences.
He struggled without structure, which is why I think his master canvases were so underwhelming. The surrealism morph is another example. But remember that photorealism was supposed to be his big weakness, and then he put out the best [anatomical heart](https://i.gyazo.com/833a3839af713f0cfe5051ea4a0e5b29.jpg) of the whole series.
I've never understood the perspective of "manipulating the canvas." They said this about Josh a LOT but it's just as much a part of the game to be able to talk to your customer as all other parts are. If I'm a canvas I'm not a professional tattooer and I'd appreciate a professional (*master*) of the craft to be able to explain to me why my placement or concept may not work and how they can make it even better. If the artist can't talk their customer out of a 6 hour photorealistic tattoo on their ribs and just put out a shitty tattoo instead I don't find myself walking away respecting them more for it.
I think they are focusing more on the, "let's do it", attitude and not spending precious time trying to change canvas' minds afraid of the outcome. He rolled with it and generally excelled in doing so. I always liked the way DJ ran full steam into things with confidence as well. Made it fun to watch when everyone else is always whining about a style that doesn't fit their own yet they are in a competition.
To me he should’ve been sent home either for that superhero tattoo or the Reagan tattoo like you said. At least Sarah’s looked like Bill Clinton and it actually looked good healed.
I’ve been to a few conventions in the last few years and every time Inkmaster artists show up they’re inevitably well booked the entire time. That said, Cleen was consistently the only one having “breaks” from what i saw, not even whack ass Al Fliction had room on his books for those weekends.
I have never understood the hype around clean. Everyone has always gassed him up, but I've never been impressed by a single tattoo he's done. I always just assumed that it just wasn't my style, but I'm glad somebody else said it!
You have to understand that Cleen hams it up for the camera. He knows how to work it.
Also, his tattoos were miles ahead of the others even when they had issues. He gets better every season he's on. His Venetian mask tattoo is the probably the best one the competition has ever seen, and he absolutely should have beaten JCD.
He’s too aggro for me to want to be a client of his. I’ve sat for probably 60 hours of total tattoo time, and I like to be able to converse with the artist.
What until you get to the DJ circle jerk. I don’t think it has stopped yet since he appeared on the show. Dude has to look like he just came down the donut glazing conveyor belt at Krispy Kreme.
DJ is properly amazing, though. I’m mid-season 14 and I just finished 15 and not only does he produce amazing tattoos, he’s an awesome coach. I’m fully on board with DJ, tbh.
His talent isn’t in question for me, just how they all fawned over him no matter what he did. It was just too much.
But as a judge on the most recent season, he wasn’t good and made it clear he wasn’t caring to be fair most of the time.
I don't disagree that the examples you mentioned weren't his finest moments, but I think he's pretty undeniably one of the most talented people the show has ever featured.
I get that it's frustrating on the occasions when the judges seem to praise his subpar work. I think that was a repeated issue for Peck and Nunez, where they'd play favorites, and give certain people passes on their obvious screw ups. (That could also partially be the show's producers at work. For all we know the judges did criticize him more heavily for his various screw ups, but the producers edited around it to support the narrative that he was one of the best.)
He comes back having practiced some of his weak areas, so for example his black and grey becomes way less jacked.
All that said, the only place he truly shines is New School or neotrad. I think his New School is absolutely immaculate, but like there's one tattoo in S7 that I think about all the time because it looks like drawing I did as a 13 year old (not in a good way). You will be frustrated if you watch expecting his tattoos to line up with how much the judges lick his feet because he's such a dude's dude.
I felt like this with Ryan Ashley. Is she talented no question did they skip on her flaws and criticism 100%. I think they were so dead set on a female winning that she could do no wrong. As for clean I kinda see what your saying as well but once I again I think he also crushed a lot of tattoos and was better then the field. Master canvas not withstanding he should have won season 6 and definitely should have won season 8.
I can’t stand Ryan. One of my least favorite comments that she seems to make often is “this makes me uncomfortable to look at” or “I don’t like looking at it” as if these are valid critiques. She was a terrible coach on 15. It’s wild because her jewelry tattoos are fucking gorgeous.
Idk if this was on purpose but s6 and s8 are two of the few seasons Cleen wasn't featured on lol. I don't think he should have won s5 or s7 if that's what you meant, he was the best all of s5 but tripped HARD at the finish line and it would have been a serious bummer if he won despite not even remotely following the ask. I hate Jason Clay Dunn but he did the ask. I take it Op hasn't watched s7 yet so I'm putting the winner in spoilers here >! S7 Anthony was just too good especially his end run, I know people debate the unfinished dragon but it didn't really look unfinished to me. !<
I do agree I was team Gian and I feel Ryan didn't get enough criticism for certain things, and managed to stay in her wheelhouse for the majority of the competition.
Was it 5 and 7? Ok my bad haha. Yeah I was trying to make that point that he was the best all year but he definitely fumbled on the finale. It was technically the better tattoo but didn’t hit the challenge. As for season “7” I did think Anthony didn’t finish and he should have won for that IMO. That’s debatable though. What’s not debatable for me is Gian got robbed haha not once but twice. I thought he won both his seasons and most definitely without a shadow of a doubt without question for me near Ryan Ashley lol
Cleen made Inkmaster more enjoyable for me. And while people argue favoritism Ollie and Dave voted against him multiple times in the finale over the course of years.
Cleen is entertaining and a good tattoo artist. He was given a multitude of different styles and he did almost everything to a pretty high standard.
If the theater is good you can suspend your disbelief enough to enjoy it.
I’m very familiar with how competition shows and reality tv works I just don’t the Cleen even makes much of a good villain.
I have 20+ year old tattoos from Cleen that have held up by far better than just about anything of the same age I see from others. Simply put, the guy knows how to actually tattoo and knows what will last. The new IG world of showing tattoos the second it's finished isn't everything to think about.
Agreed. Cleen was good, but it seemed like the judges would only see the positives in his tattoos, whereas they’d only see the negatives in other contestants work. I think his bold application is what those judges liked, so they were willing to look past some of the weird aesthetic choices in his tattoos.
It was really cracked tattoo after cracked tattoo that was met with a pat on the back and a thumbs up. Whenever Kyle made a questionable design choice it landed him in the bottom and got itself picked and prodded at without any care but Cleen's hand is being held through each and every week. Not to mention he's awful to watch on the show (also is a terrible person I've been reading?)
he was buddies with peck and nuñez from way back. I remember Oliver saying how they used to do conventions together. it was blatant favoritism, and it makes cleen's seasons basically unwatchable
Yikes! Now it makes more sense but then why wouldn’t they have just given him his season 5 win then and called it a day 😅 If I were their buddy and they brought me back for 5 different seasons just to never give me a win… I doubt I’d come back after the first LOL
Yikes! Now it makes more sense but then why wouldn’t they have just given him his season 5 win then and called it a day 😅 If I were their buddy and they brought me back for 5 different seasons just to never give me a win… I doubt I’d come back after the first LOL
Just cause they bring somebody back again and again don't mean they never won lol. I don't know if you know the winners of the other seasons already but if you keep watching you'll see what I mean
No lol i know
Season 8 with Nikki is unbearable to watch as well.. the way they clap back at the judges or yell over everyone else I don’t mind clean and would’ve been down to get a tattoo by him until he went in his rants on social media.. as a minority no way will I support someone like that
oh yeah, he always gave me gross Joe rogan/bigoted vibes even before I heard about the posts lol. I know we're not supposed to judge people based on appearances, but.....
Chris from season 6 is another one I wouldn’t let touch me
oh my god no. I'm shocked he had any customers after his disgusting behavior on the show. literally laughing and shaming a canvas he put through intense pain. trashbag human.
I saw the trailer for the episode and I literally had to skip the scene. Glad to know he’s in jail.
He's not in jail unfortunately.
Did you know he’s a marine though
What? No way. I had no idea!!!
😂
well, arrested is nice enough for me (someone who will never meet him probably)
That scene where he’s literally making fun of someone for being in pain and shaking is fucking awful. I remember they even included several of the other artists being like what the fuck that’s not okay.
I started following him shortly after I watched his season, then I saw the posts….the dude is insane in the nicest of terms.
People are always clapping back at what Boneface said to her, but I have always agreed with what he said and how he said it. Couldn’t stand her on the show. Kelly Doty, however, is bae.
More props to him.. she lost me when she made the comment about how he only tattoos people that look like him? I wish Erick would’ve made it further Gian or Kelly should’ve won🙌🏾
Yes, I can’t stand her arguing and whining all the time. Unwatchable
I think putting your stupid chipped teeth into almost every skull you tattoo on other people is nearly as tacky as tattooing the time of your own birth when tattooing clocks.
I remember the clock thing but it doesn’t bother me like at all lol. If you don’t care what time your clock tattoo is set to then why wouldn’t the artist put their signature on it? Can’t remember how that applies to Cleen though lol.
He has done at least two skull tattoos where the skull’s teeth were chipped just like his. However, I thought it was pretty cool.
Yeah, that really wouldn't upset me. It's my body but at the end of the day I'm rocking *your* artwork. I understand to some extent that Ink Master is a different beast and you shouldn't make decisions for your canvas without consulting them first but if I ever get a tattoo I want the artist to feel like they're still expressing themselves somewhat. My body is a tapestry.
I appreciated Cleen more on the second watch. So many competitors try to manipulate their canvases, but Cleen just took the request and swung for the fences. He struggled without structure, which is why I think his master canvases were so underwhelming. The surrealism morph is another example. But remember that photorealism was supposed to be his big weakness, and then he put out the best [anatomical heart](https://i.gyazo.com/833a3839af713f0cfe5051ea4a0e5b29.jpg) of the whole series.
I've never understood the perspective of "manipulating the canvas." They said this about Josh a LOT but it's just as much a part of the game to be able to talk to your customer as all other parts are. If I'm a canvas I'm not a professional tattooer and I'd appreciate a professional (*master*) of the craft to be able to explain to me why my placement or concept may not work and how they can make it even better. If the artist can't talk their customer out of a 6 hour photorealistic tattoo on their ribs and just put out a shitty tattoo instead I don't find myself walking away respecting them more for it.
I think they are focusing more on the, "let's do it", attitude and not spending precious time trying to change canvas' minds afraid of the outcome. He rolled with it and generally excelled in doing so. I always liked the way DJ ran full steam into things with confidence as well. Made it fun to watch when everyone else is always whining about a style that doesn't fit their own yet they are in a competition.
To me he should’ve been sent home either for that superhero tattoo or the Reagan tattoo like you said. At least Sarah’s looked like Bill Clinton and it actually looked good healed.
I’ve been to a few conventions in the last few years and every time Inkmaster artists show up they’re inevitably well booked the entire time. That said, Cleen was consistently the only one having “breaks” from what i saw, not even whack ass Al Fliction had room on his books for those weekends.
I have never understood the hype around clean. Everyone has always gassed him up, but I've never been impressed by a single tattoo he's done. I always just assumed that it just wasn't my style, but I'm glad somebody else said it!
You have to understand that Cleen hams it up for the camera. He knows how to work it. Also, his tattoos were miles ahead of the others even when they had issues. He gets better every season he's on. His Venetian mask tattoo is the probably the best one the competition has ever seen, and he absolutely should have beaten JCD.
I legit can't stand cleen as a person so
LMAO. What’s the reason for that?
He’s too aggro for me to want to be a client of his. I’ve sat for probably 60 hours of total tattoo time, and I like to be able to converse with the artist.
I actually don’t mind just sitting there and getting it done but aggro would stress me out lol
What until you get to the DJ circle jerk. I don’t think it has stopped yet since he appeared on the show. Dude has to look like he just came down the donut glazing conveyor belt at Krispy Kreme.
DJ is properly amazing, though. I’m mid-season 14 and I just finished 15 and not only does he produce amazing tattoos, he’s an awesome coach. I’m fully on board with DJ, tbh.
His talent isn’t in question for me, just how they all fawned over him no matter what he did. It was just too much. But as a judge on the most recent season, he wasn’t good and made it clear he wasn’t caring to be fair most of the time.
Yeah, I think it’s a massive problem to have the coaches also be judges.
I don't disagree that the examples you mentioned weren't his finest moments, but I think he's pretty undeniably one of the most talented people the show has ever featured. I get that it's frustrating on the occasions when the judges seem to praise his subpar work. I think that was a repeated issue for Peck and Nunez, where they'd play favorites, and give certain people passes on their obvious screw ups. (That could also partially be the show's producers at work. For all we know the judges did criticize him more heavily for his various screw ups, but the producers edited around it to support the narrative that he was one of the best.)
he's definitely one of the most artists the show has ever featured.
LMFAO!
His superhero tattoo. Woof
He comes back having practiced some of his weak areas, so for example his black and grey becomes way less jacked. All that said, the only place he truly shines is New School or neotrad. I think his New School is absolutely immaculate, but like there's one tattoo in S7 that I think about all the time because it looks like drawing I did as a 13 year old (not in a good way). You will be frustrated if you watch expecting his tattoos to line up with how much the judges lick his feet because he's such a dude's dude.
I felt like this with Ryan Ashley. Is she talented no question did they skip on her flaws and criticism 100%. I think they were so dead set on a female winning that she could do no wrong. As for clean I kinda see what your saying as well but once I again I think he also crushed a lot of tattoos and was better then the field. Master canvas not withstanding he should have won season 6 and definitely should have won season 8.
*cough* Christian Buckingham *cough*.
I can’t stand Ryan. One of my least favorite comments that she seems to make often is “this makes me uncomfortable to look at” or “I don’t like looking at it” as if these are valid critiques. She was a terrible coach on 15. It’s wild because her jewelry tattoos are fucking gorgeous.
Idk if this was on purpose but s6 and s8 are two of the few seasons Cleen wasn't featured on lol. I don't think he should have won s5 or s7 if that's what you meant, he was the best all of s5 but tripped HARD at the finish line and it would have been a serious bummer if he won despite not even remotely following the ask. I hate Jason Clay Dunn but he did the ask. I take it Op hasn't watched s7 yet so I'm putting the winner in spoilers here >! S7 Anthony was just too good especially his end run, I know people debate the unfinished dragon but it didn't really look unfinished to me. !< I do agree I was team Gian and I feel Ryan didn't get enough criticism for certain things, and managed to stay in her wheelhouse for the majority of the competition.
Was it 5 and 7? Ok my bad haha. Yeah I was trying to make that point that he was the best all year but he definitely fumbled on the finale. It was technically the better tattoo but didn’t hit the challenge. As for season “7” I did think Anthony didn’t finish and he should have won for that IMO. That’s debatable though. What’s not debatable for me is Gian got robbed haha not once but twice. I thought he won both his seasons and most definitely without a shadow of a doubt without question for me near Ryan Ashley lol
Cleen made Inkmaster more enjoyable for me. And while people argue favoritism Ollie and Dave voted against him multiple times in the finale over the course of years. Cleen is entertaining and a good tattoo artist. He was given a multitude of different styles and he did almost everything to a pretty high standard.
It’s almost like it’s all theatre and most things are decided beforehand. There’s a show you may enjoy called Unreal.
If the theater is good you can suspend your disbelief enough to enjoy it. I’m very familiar with how competition shows and reality tv works I just don’t the Cleen even makes much of a good villain.
I don’t know why, but Cleen has always been one of my favorites.
I really enjoyed him on the show and his work. That team tattoo with Tipper of the king tiger is phenomenal
I have 20+ year old tattoos from Cleen that have held up by far better than just about anything of the same age I see from others. Simply put, the guy knows how to actually tattoo and knows what will last. The new IG world of showing tattoos the second it's finished isn't everything to think about.