‘Ink Master’ season 2, episode 9 review: Clint vs the dragon, who comes out on top?

On tonight’s episode of “Ink Master” season 2 we start with the flash challenge that is focused on balance – instead of tattooing skin they are burning designs into chaps. Clint and Sarah have some trouble with their designs and Jessie ends up doing more new school artwork again (shocker!)  In the end the judges were torn between Steve and Jamie’s work for the win, but Jamie came out on top and won the flash challenge.

At the elimination challenge Mike Rubendall is in as a guest judge and the theme is Japanese. Because  Jamie won the flash challenge he gets to choose who gets what canvas and he’s targeting Clint, Sebastian and Sarah – the people he feels are in the middle of the pack. Jamie gives Clint the dragon tattoo because he messed up on his dragon during the flash challenge.

Everyone has trouble with the Japanese styled tattoos, but it was nice to see Jessie move away from the new school art he does every time and actually attack the challenge in a traditional way. Clint definitely had trouble with his dragon tattoo and even though Sarah tried to get her canvas to change his idea, she ended up tattooing what he wanted.

At the judging panel everyone was put through the ringer.  The judges didn’t really like anyone’s work, but Clint and Steve were ripped the worst for their work (even though we actually liked what Clint did). Surprisingly the one piece that the judges did like was Jessie’s, which shows that he should really experiment more outside of what he feels comfortable with.

After the judges have deliberated, Jessie, Tatu Baby, Clint and Steve are called down to the judging panel. Jessie wins the challenge with the best tattoo of the day and unfortunately Clint is sent home for his dragon tattoo, which is a real shame because not only was Clint a great tattoo artist, he also brought some nice humor to the season that it desperately needed.

Do you think Clint should have been sent home or is there another artist you wanted to see eliminated tonight?  Leave us your thoughts below.