‘Ink Master’ exclusive: Craig Foster talks elimination, fan reaction, and making mom proud

Craig Foster is easily one of our favorite “Ink Master” contestants ever. We first saw him on season 3 and were convinced that he was going to run away with the title from the very first episode, but he was eliminated for his black & grey work during pinup week (this was a few weeks after black & grey week was over), and also because the judges didn’t like the design of the pinup he did – even though his client got the exact pinup he wanted. Many fans (including us) were disappointed to say the least, so when we heard he was coming back again for season 6 we were beyond excited!

Craig made it pretty far in the competition this time around and was eliminated right before the finale. We had a chance to talk to Craig in a candid interview about his elimination, his amazing Popsicle tattoo that we would wear like a boss if we had the chance, and his mom’s reaction to his time on the show. Why was he sent home over Chris? Craig has his theories and we have to say we agree with him – check out what he had to say below.

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CarterMatt.com: We were sure that you were going to make it to the finale this year after showing the judges that you are a pro at black and grey: Why do you think they eliminated you over Chris?

Craig Foster: Well… Chris seemed to clearly develop into a villain. I on the other hand began to withdraw from the conflict in the house. It started to get quite personal. I felt the need to be a responsible adult and stay out of it. I can only guess that Chris would bring more fire to the finale. That’s just me though…

We have seen a pretty overwhelming reaction of mass disappointment from fans online over you not being in the finale: What has the fan reaction been like on your end?

It’s quite overwhelming. Fun fact, i do my best to answer all questions and comments on my media (especially Instagram). I had to reply to over 200 messages in that platform alone. There were so many on Facebook, I could only hit the “like” button on all of them that I came across. The fans are great! It seems that my choice to take the high road, and gracefully accept my loss was a great choice. Can’t say choice… I was not really pondering between ideas of what to do. It was just my natural reaction to the loss. I was really exhausted also. I just wanted to see my family. I really missed them!

You mentioned that your mom helped you buy your first tattooing supplies to start your career: How did she feel about seeing you on “Ink Master”?

Man! She has been so excited about it. She is super proud of my accomplishments. She gets very involved with the characters and the judges. Sometimes even angry. She is actually coming out to New York with me to watch the finale! I am really excited.

We loved your Popsicle tattoo (and many other fans did too), but the judges were hard on it: Do you feel that most of the judge’s critiques this season were fair?

I may sound crazy… but there were times that it seemed the photos of my color work were desaturated. Almost to push a point. I felt a bit uncomfortable doing any color work for the final tattoo. But the critiques did not seem too fair all of the time. I feel like I spent a lot of time doing things Not-New-School… you know… to show versatility, but they would never acknowledge it.

There were a lot of alliances going on this season: What was it like teaming up with Matt?

For the record… I did not really team up with Matt. We just became a group of people that did not want Chris to have control over the skull picks. He seemed to be controlling so many people in the house. It was surely difficult. Way too many corners to guard.

You have been on “Ink Master” season 3 and season 6: What was the main difference between these two seasons for you?

I did not spend way too much time making friends. I really felt like it was best to try my best to keep to myself when possible. There seemed to be a way different lay out with the head to head challenges. There was a balance in power at all times. It seemed that it was everybody’s game at some point. There were other seasons that there was always a very clear “top”.

We know that you probably have a line up around the block of clients wanting to get tattooed by you, but if anyone else wants to also book you, what’s the best way of doing that?

Contacting my studio (770.214.3654) on a Friday or Saturday (12-11) is usually the best bet. I have a charming young lady that handles my appointments. She is always able to update people on my availability. Looking to find conventions to do here and there. So staying updated with my Instagram (@skinwerks) will be the best way to learn of my whereabouts at all times!

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It was a pleasure to hear about Craig’s time on the show and we want to thank him for sharing his experiences with us. Not only is he an incredibly talented artist, but he’s such a down to earth guy. It would be an absolute honor to ever get tattooed by Craig – it’s on our bucket list.

Do you think that Craig should be in the finale next week? Leave us a comment below and tell us what you think.