Ink Master interview: Lil’ D reacts to elimination, talks overall experience

Going into Ink Master season 10 Lil’ D was absolutely one of the most intriguing contestants for a wide array of different reasons, starting with the fact that he was one of the most-experienced artists heading into the season. He had experienced a very different career as a tattoo artist than many of the other contestants this year and was there simply on the basis of hard work. As the show went along, you could tell how much many of the other contestants respected him. From that standpoint alone, seeing him leave the show on Tuesday was rather sad.

So what does Lil’ D have to say about his elimination after the fact? We had a chance to find out during our most-recent exit interview with him.

CarterMatt – How did you prepare for being a part of Ink Master this season?

Lil’ D – Well I thought I was super-prepared to go before I went. You know. tattooing every day and always drawing and painting. I even brought stacks of art references. But, what I didn’t realize was that with so many twists and turns and crazy asks of the canvases there is no way to know whats coming; it was a real challenge to be prepared. So i just took one step at a time and tried to do the best I could.

You come from such a different background than most of the other artists. How did you interact with many of them?

Being A Tattooer you really have to be able to get along with the richest of rich and the poorest of poor and everyone in between so for me I got along with everyone in the house tried to show respect and be low maintenance and stay humble. I had a great experience made some great friends.

What was your relationship like with DJ as a coach?

DJ is awesome. He is a truly gifted artist and tattooer. He really helped me throughout the whole competition. He’s an Awesome coach and I wouldn’t have made it as far as I did without him. I love DJ, I’m really glad I got to meet him and be on his team. He’s a stand up guy.

There were times this season when you could have played it safe and stayed in your comfort zone, but you chose instead to take some risks and try different styles. What made you want to do that in this competition?

As an artist I’m always wanting to learn new things and to stay creative; so, with being around so many unbelievably talented artists and tattooers I wanted to take advantage of that and learn some new tricks and try them out. I felt it was the perfect environment for that so I took some risks; but, I really think that being there and doing that made me a better artist and tattooer so it was totally worth it.

Were you surprised to be eliminated on this week’s episode?

Honestly, I thought I was going home instead of Matt Buck so getting to hang out some more was a blessing in itself. In my heart I knew my time had come and excepted it. I had a good run and it’s a tough competition, way harder than I could of ever imagined. It was an honor to have been there.

What did you take away from being on the show this season?

After doing this show I have mad respect for every single person that has ever been on Ink Master. It takes a lot to wear your heart on your sleeve and go out and do the best tattoos you can. Getting judged on your own art is a hard thing to do and it takes a strong person to go through that experience.

Josh has been the center of a lot of conflict this season. What was your relationship with him like?

Mr. Josh Payne. I love Josh. He’s got an abrasive personality and he reminds of a lot of the punk rock kids I grew up with. He is an amazing artist and tattooer and a real force to be reckoned with. He’s a good friend and great teammate. I’m rooting for Team DJ all day, two thumbs up.

Do you want to be on Ink Master again if you are given the chance in the future?

So I’m old enough now to never say never. I will leave that up to the universe. I really enjoyed everyone I met during the show, everyone was great and I’m so very thankful I got to have that experience in my life. Thank you Ink Master!

Related – Did you read our most-recent Ink Master review?

Are you going to miss Lil’ D being a part of Ink Master this season? Share right now in the comments below! Meanwhile, you can like CarterMatt on Facebook in the event you want to get some more insight when it comes to the series. (Photo: Paramount Network.)