Ink Master interview: Tim Lease on joining the show, team twist

Tim Lease found himself as the first artist eliminated from Ink Master season 12, and he went home in the midst of what was a strange, difficult first round of challenges. Rather than being able to tattoo on his own right out of the gate, he was forced to work with the rest of the men (a part of the Battle of the Sexes). From there, he ended up being placed in the bottom three by his teammates, and was then eliminated — supposedly for biting off more that he could chew. (We do contend that what he tried to create, conceptually, was the most interesting tattoo of the three.)

So what went into Tim’s decision to join Ink Master, and would he have preferred to work individually for his whole time in the competition? Check out some of what he had to say in the CarterMatt interview below.

CarterMatt – What made you want to be a part of Ink Master in the first place?

Tim Lease – Actually, I had serious reservations, but after being selected I figured it would be a unique experience that I am fortunate to have available to me.

Do you think that you would’ve been better off competing individually, as opposed to in teams?

I have no problem working with people, I have been a professional musician most of my life and a collaborative artist.  But what ended up happening to me was just unfortunate…  I would much rather have just rocked a tattoo out to start!

If people want to find you to get a tattoo done, what’s the best way to reach out?

My Instagram is @timleasetattoos. I also own Golden Tarot Ink Club in Winter Park.

Do we wish we’d had more Tim this season?

Absolutely. Not only did he prove that there was a lot artistically he was going to bring to the tattoo shop, but he was also an interesting personality — not of the typical vibe you get from most Ink Master contestants. We feel like a part of what makes this show so interesting is seeing people who have different styles and speeds, but are all unified by this fascinating and dedicated art form that is tattooing.

Want to get another Ink Master interview?

Then be sure to head over here, since that is where you can see what Elva Stefanie had to say about her decision to leave the competition. Meanwhile, share some of your thoughts on Tim’s elimination in the comments — did you want to see him stick around a little bit longer?

New episodes of Ink Master season 12 air Tuesday nights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. (Photo: Paramount Network.)

This interview was conducted by Jessica Carter. Be sure to follow her on Twitter here.