London Ink 08

[maryjane]

I know the artists do a good job on this but what are the researchers playing at it sounds like a bad copy of Heat!? Glamour girls, a big brother runner up and someone off ship wrecked!?
I thought there viewing figures did quite well last time so why bring in all this trash.

Copied from a myspace bulletin...

"So filming has started for our BRAND NEW SERIES!!!! We’re psyched to be inking again, especially in our brand new shop which totally blows the place out of the water.

We thought we’d share some of what's happening with you all out there, so brace yourself for some clues about our clientele and details of the way out there tattoos that you guys are asking for!!!

Coming through our doors are glamour girls, rock guys and maybe a sporting hero or two. Both Dan and Louis have already had their hands on a couple of tabloid favourites, Nikole has had a big brother runner up from last year in the chair and Phil has left his mark on someone who can currently be seen on channel 4’s Ship Wrecked."

I dont even have real time at the moment so i dont know why i care. Maybe its time for bed.

[stickmankungfu]

Maybe time for the series to be in bed too.

[Eyectopus]

Who wants to see a Big Brother or Shipwrecked contestant getting tattooed. Them guys probably don't even want tattoos but would do anything to get on TV.

If they want to get famous people on the show they could make the effort and get someone who people would actually want to watch.

[Dahlia Black]

oh look! it's tattooings version of 'the salon'.

[nikolasb]

I think that it is a simple formula:

Great tattoo artist + celeb + editorial license = less credibility but funding for programmes

...instead of:


Great tattoo artist + joe public + real documentary = more credibility but less funding for programmes = no London Ink

(call me sceptical if you like)

Anyway - does the tattoo scene really need TV to support it's cause?

[Spikie Pixie]

I'm quite interested in the (z list) "celebs" "way out there" tattoos! Oooooh!
What ever could they have asked for??? Yawn...

No offence to anyone on the show but it sounds like the film makers are clutching at straws already, not a good sign really.

[Ink Minx]

Im optimistic about it. Phil said they had taken a lot of the crits from last series on board. All the work they are doing is huge stuff that really shows off the artists skills a lot more. They have an area set up purely for filming the finished pieces, nice long slow detailed shots of them. And they are leaving the whole Dan and Louis thing alone this time.

Who cares if its z listers or joe public being tattooed, it brings in the non tattoo obsessed viewers to up ratings. And at the end of the day if they are paying and we get to see cool working being done who gives a shit. Rather watch some big prother runner up get some cool work, then some Joe public getting some crappy tiny anchor done.

At the end of the day its an entertainment program that shows people getting tattoos. And maybee opens a few peoples eyes to what really good work can be. Its not really their to be analysed.

[Gilly]

I just don't like that it has to bring in Z-list celebrities to acheive ratings. Although granted that's more to do with the fact that I just really despise that everyone is so celebrity-obsessed these days. People can go buy shitty HEAT magazine or whatever but keep the annoying attention loving nobodies seperate from something that has no focus on celebrities.

[natstats]

Wonder if Nikole's client is that bloke Zak? that was on BB last year, if I remember correctly he had an old school type (blue) rose design on his chest that looked pretty good.

I am looking forward to London Ink 2, last year my biggest gripe was the whole Louis and Dan thing, but I liked it coz it was Tattoos, People you know and know of, Phil and light entertainment....This year if they are doing bigger and better tattoos and cutting out the 'drama' then I reckon it will be even better.

Good luck to the London Inkers and Inkees

[maryjane]

i would have thought joe public would be more likley to get larger more well thought out tattoos than some glamour girl. Most people in the public eye will be reluctant to get large pieces because they wont be able to get as much work then. I'd be quite happy to be proved wrong.
I also think some of these people will just be getting token tattoos just to be on tv.

Like i said before one of the reasons this surprised me was because i thought there ratings had been really good last year clearly not good enough. or maybe the makers just want more regardless.
Even Miami Ink doesnt rely on z list celebs and the ones on LA Ink are usually people i am interested in at least a bit.
I think its just going to attract the wrong kind of viewers.