# Ink Master season 12

Ink Master: Battle of the Sexes is the twelfth season of the tattoo reality competition Ink Master that premiered on Paramount Network on June 11, 2019, with a total of 16 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 received $100,000, a feature in Inked magazine and the title of Ink Master.
The premise of this season was having two teams of 9 artists, split based on their gender, competing as teams until the finale. This season also featured Ink Master winners and veterans coaching the teams in individual episodes, with the males coaching the women's team and the females coaching the men's team. And depending on which gender was eliminated, one coach advanced to the live finale where they competed in the Clash of the Coaches Face-Off for $25,000. This was the last season to have a live finale.
The winner of the twelfth season of Ink Master was Laura Marie, with Dani Ryan being the runner-up. The winner of the Clash of the Coaches Face-Off was Ryan Ashley, with DJ Tambe being the runner-up.

## 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

In Season 12, the artist who wins best tattoo of the day gives their respective team the power to put up one artist for elimination.

## Contestants

Names, experience, and cities stated are at time of filming.
| Contestant Name | Years of experience | Hometown | Outcome |
| Laura Marie (Laura Marie Wachholder) | 6 | Geneseo, New York | Winner |
| Dani Ryan | 2$^{1/2}$ | Warren, Rhode Island | Runner-up |
| Creepy Jason (Jason Lynn) | 13 | Hampstead, Maryland | 3rd place |
| Jake Ross | 9 | Cleveland, Ohio | 4th place |
| Pon (Antonio DeCaro) | 19 | Queens, New York | 5th place |
| Cam Pohl (Cameron Pohl) | 6 | Lansing, Michigan | 6th place |
| Holli Marie | 5 | Deep River, Connecticut | 7th place |
| Janelle Hanson | 4 | Madison, Wisconsin | 8th place |
| Alexis Kovacs | 18 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | 9th place |
| Ash Mann | 6 | Newburgh, New York | 10th place |
| Fon (Taquan Carr) | 5 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 11th place |
| Tito Zambrano | 12 | Valdosta, Georgia | 12th place |
| Ashley Anoneison (Ashley McNamara) | 4 | Salem, New Hampshire | 13th place |
| Pony Wave | 6 | Los Angeles, California | 14th place |
| Justin Nordine | 10 | Grand Junction, Colorado | 15th place |
| Big Jaz | 24 | Brooklyn, New York | 16th place |
| Elva Stefanie | 7 | Poughkeepsie, New York | 17th place |
| Tim Lease | 5 | Orlando, Florida | 18th place |

### Notes

* ↑ Stefanie quit the competition.

## Clash of the Coaches Face-Off

| Coach | Original Season | Original Placement | Outcome |
| Ryan Ashley | Season 8 | Winner | Winner |
| DJ Tambe | Season 9 | Winner | Runner-up |
| Nikki Simpson | Season 8 | 5th place | 3rd place |
| Aaron "Bubba" Irwin | Season 4 | 11th/12th place | 4th place |
| Aaron "Bubba" Irwin | Season 9 | Winner | 4th place |
| Duffy Fortner | Season 6 | 5th place | 5th place |
| Jime Litwalk | Season 3 | Runner-up | 6th place |
| Jime Litwalk | Season 7 | 8th place | 6th place |
| Megan Jean Morris | Season 7 | 9th place | 7th place |

### Eliminated

| Coach | Original Season | Original Placement |
| Joey Hamilton | Season 3 | Winner |
| Sarah Miller | Season 2 | Runner-up |
| Sarah Miller | Season 7 | 10th place |
| Katie McGowan | Season 6 | 8th place |
| Katie McGowan | Season 9 | Runner-up |
| Walter "Sausage" Frank | Season 4 | Runner-up |
| Walter "Sausage" Frank | Season 7 | 7th place |
| Kelly Doty | Season 8 | 3rd place |
| James Vaughn | Season 1 | 3rd place |
| James Vaughn | Season 7 | 4th place |
| Josh Payne | Season 10 | Winner |

## Contestant progress

Indicates the contestant was a part of the Men's team.  Indicates the contestant was a part of the Women's team.
| Contestant | Contestant | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode |
| Contestant | Contestant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| | Laura Marie | SAFE | SAFE | TOP2 | SAFE | HIGH | SAFE | WIN | HIGH | WIN | SAFE | HIGH | BTM6 | WIN | BTM3 | ADV | Winner |
| | Dani Ryan | SAFE | TOP2 | HIGH | HIGH | SAFE | TOP2 | BTM6 | TOP2 | TOP2 | SAFE | SAFE | BTM6 | BTM3 | WIN | WIN | Runner-up |
| | Creepy Jason | BTM3 | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | HIGH | SAFE | BTM6 | HIGH | BTM3 | WIN | WIN | SAFE | BTM3 | BTM3 | ADV | Eliminated |
| | Jake Ross | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | SAFE | HIGH | BTM3 | WIN | BTM3 | SAFE | BTM3 | HIGH | BTM6 | HIGH | TOP2 | ELIM | Guest |
| | Pon | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | WIN | SAFE | BTM6 | SAFE | SAFE | TOP2 | HIGH | BTM6 | SAFE | ELIM | | Guest |
| | Cam Pohl | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | HIGH | WIN | WIN | BTM3 | SAFE | HIGH | BTM3 | BTM6 | ELIM | | | Guest |
| | Holli Marie | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | WIN | HIGH | HIGH | SAFE | BTM3 | ELIM | | | | Guest |
| | Janelle Hanson | SAFE | SAFE | BTM3 | LOW | SAFE | HIGH | BTM6 | HIGH | HIGH | BTM3 | ELIM | | | | | Guest |
| | Alexis Kovacs | SAFE | BTM3 | SAFE | SAFE | BTM4 | SAFE | WIN | WIN | BTM3 | ELIM | | | | | | Guest |
| | Ash Mann | SAFE | SAFE | BTM3 | BTM3 | BTM4 | BTM3 | BTM6 | HIGH | ELIM | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Fon | SAFE | WIN | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | ELIM | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Tito Zambrano | BTM3 | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | BTM4 | SAFE | ELIM | | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Ashley Anoneison | SAFE | LOW | HIGH | BTM3 | HIGH | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Pony Wave | SAFE | SAFE | HIGH | HIGH | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Justin Nordine | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Big Jaz | SAFE | BTM3 | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Elva Stefanie | SAFE | QUIT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Guest |
| | Tim Lease | ELIM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Guest |
* ↑ Creepy Jason and Tito defeated Tim in the Face-Off challenge to determine who would stay in the competition.
* ↑ Alexis, Ash and Tito defeated Pony in the Face-Off challenge to determine who would stay in the competition.
* ↑ Ash, Creepy Jason, Dani, Janelle and Pon defeated Tito in the Face-Off challenge to determine who would stay in the competition.
* ↑ Cam, Dani, Jake, Laura and Pon defeated Holli in the Face-Off challenge to determine who would stay in the competition.
    The contestant won Ink Master.
    The contestant was the runner-up.
    The contestant was eliminated during the finale.
    The contestant advanced to the finale.
    The contestant was exempt from the first elimination.
    The contestant won Best Tattoo of the Day.
    The contestant won their Head-to-Head challenge.
    The contestant was among the top.
    The contestant received positive critiques.
    The contestant received negative critiques.
    The contestant was in the bottom.
    The contestant was put in the bottom by the Jury of Peers
    The contestant was eliminated from the competition.
    The contestant was put in the bottom by the Jury of Peers and was eliminated from the competition.
    The contestant quit the competition.
    The contestant returned as a guest for that episode.

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original release date | US viewers (millions) |
| 156 | 1 | "The Ink Will Speak for Itself" | June 11, 2019 (2019-6-11) | 0.54 |
| Nine men and nine women kick off an epic battle of the sexes by going head to head in a team collaboration tattoo to prove they have what it takes to be the next Ink Master Winning Team: Women's Team Face Off Tattoo: Creepy Jason, Tim Lease, Tito Zambrano Eliminated: Tim Lease |||||
| 157 | 2 | "A Storm is Brewin'" | June 18, 2019 (2019-6-18) | 0.64 |
| Team leaders emerge in a shocking new season-long twist that sends the Artists a wake-up call and shakes up the competition; The Battle of the Sexes continues for $100K and the title of Ink Master. Skill of the Week: Shading Flash Challenge: For their first flash challenge, Ryan Ashley, winner of season 8, and Joey Hamilton, winner of season 3, coached the men's and women's team to construct art made entirely of coffee beans. Winner: Men's Team Elimination Tattoo: In their first elimination tattoo as individuals, the artist are tasked with tattooing in their coach's (Ashley and Hamilton) specialty, black & grey. During the elimination, Elva admits to the judges that her biopolar disorder was too much to handle. And due to her withdrawal, Ryan earned the first spot to compete at the live finale for $25,000. Best Tattoo of the Day: Fon Bottom: Alexis Kovacs, Big Jaz, Elva Stefanie |||||
| 158 | 3 | "Down to the Wire" | June 25, 2019 (2019-6-25) | 0.57 |
| Skill of the Week: Legibility Flash Challenge: Bubba Irwin of season 4 and winner of season 9, and Sarah Miller of season 2 and season 7 return to help coach the men's and women's team to construct a 3D sculpture made entirely of different colored electrical wire. Winner: Women's Team Elimination Tattoo: The contestants created surrealistic tattoos. With Big Jaz's elimination, Bubba advances as the second coach for the Clash of the Coaches Face-Off in the live finale. Best Tattoo of the Day: Fon Bottom: Janelle Hanson, Big Jaz, Ash Mann Eliminated: Big Jaz |||||
| 159 | 4 | "The Hunter & The Hunted" | July 2, 2019 (2019-7-02) | 0.53 |
| Skill of the Week: Contrast Flash Challenge: 2-time winner DJ Tambe from seasons 9 and 10 and Katie McGowan of seasons 6 and 9 help coach the men's and women's team for the episode. For this flash challenge, the teams must work with their respective coaches to create a masterpiece that hits contrast. They must paint an image on walls that are staggered so that when you view the image from a certain angle you see the completed picture. Winner: Women's Team Elimination Tattoo: The artists are challenged to tattoo neo-traditional animals. With Justin's elimination, DJ becomes the third coach to advance in the Coaches Face-Off in the live finale. Best Tattoo of the Day: Creepy Jason Bottom: Ashley Anoneison, Ash Mann, Justin Nordine Eliminated: Justin Nordine |||||
| 160 | 5 | "The Art Stands Alone" | July 9, 2019 (2019-7-09) | 0.64 |
| Skill of the Week: Artistic Ability Elimination Tattoo: The artists create a tattoo to show their artistic ability. Best Tattoo of the Day: Pon Bottom: Pony Wave, Alexis Kovacs Called Down into Face-Off: Ash Mann, Tito Zambrano Eliminated: Pony Wave |||||
| 161 | 6 | "Art of War" | July 16, 2019 (2019-7-16) | 0.57 |
| Skill of the Week: Consistency Flash Challenge: Sausage from seasons 4 and 7 coaches the women's team while Duffy from season 6 coaches the men's team. For this flash challenge, the teams must work with their respective coaches to engrave suits of armor. Winner: Men's Team Elimination Tattoo: To show consistency, the artists are challenged with creating cross-stitch tattoos. With Ashley's elimination, Duffy advances into the Coaches Face-Off in the live finale. Best Tattoo of the Day: Cam Pohl Bottom: Ash Mann, Ashley Anoneison, Jake Ross Eliminated: Ashley Anoneison |||||
| 162 | 7 | "Sabotage" | July 23, 2019 (2019-7-23) | 0.62 |
| Skill of the Week: Technical Application Elimination Tattoo: There were no teams this week and the artists faced off against one another. Each artist chose skulls which determined if they would get to choose their opponent or what they tattooed. There would be one winner of each face off. The loser would be up for elimination. All the artists that lost their face off tattooed Japanese traditional color hannya masks. Bottom: Ash Mann, Tito Zambrano, Dani Ryan, Creepy Jason, Janelle Hanson, Pon Eliminated: Tito Zambrano |||||
| 163 | 8 | "Pins & No Needles" | July 30, 2019 (2019-7-30) | 0.56 |
| Skill of the Week: Color Theory Flash Challenge: Jime from seasons 3 and 7 coaches the women's team while Kelly from season 8 coaches the men's team. The teams must create an image showing color theory by filling a field of ink caps with tattoo ink. They are only given the primary colors, black, and white. They must mix their other colors. Winner: Women's Team Elimination Tattoo: In order to show color theory, the artists are tasked with tattooing a style that both of their coaches specialize in: New School. The women successfully made a comeback thanks to their coach Jime Litwalk, and they even managed to give a couple men some of the toughest canvases including frontrunner Fon. Men's team coach Kelly Doty was unable to participate in the critique due to family emergency. With Fon's elimination, Jime advances into the Coaches Face-Off in the live finale. Best Tattoo of the Day: Alexis Kovacs Bottom: Cam Pohl, Fon, Jake Ross Eliminated: Fon |||||
| 164 | 9 | "Drawing Alliances" | August 6, 2019 (2019-8-6) | 0.58 |
| Skill of the Week: Composition Flash Challenge: Coaching each team respectively are James Vaughn of season 1 and 7 as well as Megan Jean Morris of season 7. The teams are challenged to create a 3-D sculpture with half a million toothpicks. Winner: Women's Team Elimination Tattoo: The artists must create freehand tattoos, creating designs that flow with the area they are tattooing. With Ash eliminated, Megan advances to the Coaches Face-Off in the live finale. Best Tattoo of the Day: Laura Marie Bottom: Alexis Kovacs, Creepy Jason, Ash Mann Eliminated: Ash Mann |||||
| 165 | 10 | "By Accident or By Design" | August 13, 2019 (2019-8-13) | 0.59 |
| Skill of the Week: Adaptability Elimination Tattoo: Each team must tattoo a design done by the opposing team. After they were also tasked with tattooing their own design as well. Best Tattoo of the Day: Creepy Jason Bottom: Jake Ross, Janelle Hansen, Alexis Kovacs Eliminated: Alexis Kovacs |||||
| 166 | 11 | "Roll of the Dice" | August 20, 2019 (2019-8-20) | 0.68 |
| Skill of the Week: Detail Flash Challenge: Nikki Simpson of season 8 and Josh Payne, winner of season 10, coach both men's and women's teams respectively. The teams are challenged with creating a mosaic out of dice. Winner: Women's Team Elimination Tattoo: The artists are challenged to create cover up tattoos whilst showing detail. With Janelle's elimination, Nikki advances into the Coaches Face-Off in the live finale. Best Tattoo of the Day: Creepy Jason Bottom: Holli Marie, Janelle Hanson, Cam Pohl Eliminated: Janelle Hanson |||||
| 167 | 12 | "Put Your Ink Where Your Mouth Is" | August 27, 2019 (2019-8-27) | 0.67 |
| Skill of the Week: Marketability Elimination Tattoo 1: Each canvas was interviewed by the artists about the tattoo the canvas wanted done. Going by order in where they stood in line, the canvas picked the artist they wanted to tattoo them and if multiple canvas' wanted that artist, the artist picked who they tattooed. Elimination Tattoo 2: The previous tattoo each artist had done were displayed to four canvases and the three artists who weren't picked were up for elimination. Afterwards, the judges looked at the two tattoos done by each artist to determine if they were safe from elimination and only Creepy Jason was granted immunity. Artists Not Chosen: Laura Marie, Pon, Cam Pohl Artists Chosen: Dani Ryan, Jake Ross, Holli Marie, Creepy Jason Safe from Elimination: Creepy Jason Elimination Tattoo 3: The remaining artists were tasked with creating two tattoos with different styles, preferably styles the artists hadn't already done in the competition. Eliminated: Holli Marie |||||
| 168 | 13 | "Moving Pictures" | September 3, 2019 (2019-9-3) | 0.58 |
| Skill of the Week: Finesse Flash Challenge: The artists get the chance to design custom wheelchair spoke guards. Winner: Pon Elimination Tattoo: The remaining artists are challenged to tattoo the back of the neck. Best Tattoo of the Day: Laura Marie Bottom: Cam Pohl, Dani Ryan, Creepy Jason Eliminated: Cam Pohl |||||
| 169 | 14 | "Unfriendly Fire" | September 10, 2019 (2019-9-10) | 0.58 |
| Skill of the Week: Precision Flash Challenge: Create a work of art using paintball marker and seven different colors of paintballs. Winner: Men's Team Elimination Tattoo: The final five had to carefully apply precision in traditional illustrative portrait tattoos. Best Tattoo of the Day: Dani Ryan Bottom: Creepy Jason, Pon, Laura Marie Eliminated: Pon |||||
| 170 | 15 | "Step Up or Shut Up" | September 17, 2019 (2019-9-17) | 0.55 |
| Tattoo Marathon: The artists must compete in a tattoo marathon. Each artist designed a tattoo and style must be completed in 90 minutes. All the artists were required to tattoo each design. At the end of the marathon the judges determined that no artist had earned a spot in the finale. Elimination Tattoo: Each artist had to tattoo a design one of their fellow artists had completed and the judges deemed was their best work so far in the competition. Best Tattoo of the Day: Dani Ryan Bottom: Creepy Jason, Jake Ross, Laura Marie Eliminated: Jake Ross |||||
| 171 | 16 | "Battle of the Sexes Finale" | September 24, 2019 (2019-9-24) | 0.65 |
| The three finalists reveal their 36 hour Master Canvas. Coaches Face Off Winner: Ryan Ashley 3rd Place: Creepy Jason Runner-Up: Dani Ryan Winner: Laura Marie |||||