Dallas-born and bred tattoo artists Ron Givens and Clint Cummings are taking on Spike TVs Ink Master and though only one man (or woman) can prevail on the show both of these young guns are reinventing the genre.
Ron Givens
What was the experience like competing on Ink Master?
Eye opening.
Really. How so?
I was really expecting some of the things that were going on like the hours and being around that many people – trapped in a cage so to speak.
What has been your favorite part of being a tattoo artist?
Meeting new people and being able to create.
10 years ago the “tramp stamp” was the lower back tattoo. What is the 2012 tramp stamp?
Ribs. Everybody wants their ribs done and it’s one of the toughest spots to get a tattoo and give a tattoo.
What’s one thing that we will learn about you in the show?
I don’t stop smiling, no matter what I don’t stop smiling.
Clint Cummings
Craziest off-camera experience
Me, Steven, Jesse and a couple other guys went bowling and got crazy hammered [laughing]. We were working so much so when they finally said we’ll give you guys a break and let you guys go out, we just wild’d out.
With the counter-culture of tattooing now being so mainstream is tattooing still looked at as rebellious?
No, not at all. That’s a good and a bad thing because for so many years tattoos were a reserved fucking industry. It was something that was meant for certain people – bikers, sailors, military…things like that. It was bound to happen that one day they would crack the mold and the general population got a hold of it. Now a tattoo kids because they want to fit a certain look or scene rather than get tattoos to remember certain things in my life or never forget where I have been, something of that nature. You can find tattoos now on t-shirts and lunchboxes and hats. Its good and bad. Good because so many good artists are getting their names out there so people can know who they are and experience that persons art. It’s bad because it opened up the door for people to see tattooing as something easy they can get into and now it’s driving the industry down due to the amount of people doing tattoos that aren’t artistic at all.
Worst celebrity tattoo
Just about 90% of the players in the NFL have shit tattoos. You would think if you’re getting paid $6 million dollars for a three-year contract to play cornerback, which means all that you’re doing is running up and down the field. On your offseason you would figure you would be smart enough to be like, “hey I’m going to get a rockin’ ass half sleeve.” But they don’t. They go some bullshit guy who doesn’t know art from anything and I can’t believe it.
Tune into Ink Master Tuesdays at 9c only on Spike TV