Authors/Film & TV

Published on December 23rd, 2016 | by Dr. Jerry Doby

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Spike Crowns first ever female winner Ryan Ashley as “Ink Master”

Tattoo competition series Ink Masters has crowned its first female champion in 8 seasons, Ryan Ashley made history when she cleaned house in Season 8 of the Spike Network hit show. Anchored by musician, filmmaker and artist Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction), this season’s panelists including team captains Chris Núñez (Hand Crafted Tattoo) and Oliver Peck (Elm Street Tattoo) had their hands full as the competition’s stress level increased with each challenge. I’m not a tattoo expert but when I look at the winner Ashley’s work, it’s the depth of expression…the eyes…#ijs

Here’s the official line on the crowning of Ink Masters Season 8 winner Ryan Ashey

For the first time in “Ink Master” history, the show has a female winner.  Ryan Ashley was named winner of Ink Master Season 8, earning a cash prize of $100,000, a feature article in the premiere tattoo publication Inked, the ultimate bragging rights title of ‘Ink Master’ and a guest spot at Oliver Peck’s Elm Street Tattoo.  In addition to these winnings, Ashley won a brand new Dodge Charger.

This season it was Peck vs. Núñez as the judges picked their own teams of tattoo artists to advise throughout the competition.  Thirty of the top tattoo artists from around the country were whittled down to two teams of nine, who battled it out all season in permanent ink in various tattoo challenges that not only tested the artists’ technical skills, but also their on-the-spot creativity, with competitors creating and executing original tattoos on “human canvases.”

Each week’s challenges focused on a different tattoo technique and style. After every challenge, the contestants faced a tough panel made up of musician, filmmaker and artist Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction) as well as world-renowned tattoo artists Chris Núñez (Hand Crafted Tattoo) and Oliver Peck (Elm Street Tattoo).

The final three contestants – Kelly Doty, owner and artist at Helheim Gallery in Salem, MA; Gian Karle, traveling tattoo artist from Puerto Rico; and Ryan Ashley, owner and artist at The Strange & Unusual Oddities Parlor in Kingston, PA – were each assigned a master canvas and sent back to their home bases to complete a 24-hour chest-piece tattoo.

The final three – Kelly Doty, owner and artist at Helheim Gallery in Salem, MA; Gian Karle, traveling tattoo artist from Puerto Rico; and Ryan Ashley, owner and artist at The Strange & Unusual Oddities Parlor in Kingston, PA (Photo courtesy of SpikeTV)

In addition, the three finalists also completed seven-hour tattoos leading into the live finale.  During the finale, fans voted to determine who completed this challenge the best, with the most votes earning a spot in the top two.  After thousands of tweets, it was determined that Ryan Ashley had the best live tattoo of the evening, which secured her spot in the final two.  After the judges reviewed the artwork, Gian Karle earned the second spot in the final two.

As Ashley and Karle revealed their master canvases to the judges – and America – in the end, Ryan Ashley was named the season 8 winner of “Ink Master.”

Ryan Ashley Wins A Cash Prize Of $100,000, A Feature Article In Inked, A Guest Spot At Oliver Peck’s Shop Elm Street Tattoo, And A Dodge Charger

“Ink Master” is produced for Spike by Original Media (“Swamp People,” “Comic Book Men,” “The Horn”) with Glenda Hersh, Steven Weinstock and Andrea Richter serving as executive producers. Original Media is a subsidiary of Endemol Shine North America.

About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.

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