Contest Categories

SATURDAY CONTEST

This category is dedicated to healed tattoos. The only requirement is that the work must have been done by a tattoo artist who has an active stand at the convention.

Each healed piece will be judged within its specific category and a winner will be declared for each category (1st place in category).

Here are the categories for healed pieces:

• Tribal/Ornamental
  Realistic B/G
  Traditional
  Japanese
  Realistic Colour
  Cartoon/Newtrad
  Chicano/Lettering
  Blackwork/Whip Shading
  Otherstyle Colour
  Otherstyle B/G 

SUNDAY CONTEST

Best in Show

This category is reserved exclusively for tattoos done entirely during the convention (both Saturday and Sunday). The evaluation will take into account factors such as execution time, tattoo size and overall quality of the work.

The Best in Show award is the supreme recognition for the best tattoo of the entire convention, regardless of category or style.

It is divided into two phases:

• Initial phase: all tattoos entered for Best in Show go on stage at the same time. The jury will make an initial selection, identifying the 10 best pieces that stand out for their quality and overall impact.
• Final stage: the 10 selected tattoos return to the stage for the final evaluation. Among these, the jury will decide on the 3 overall winners: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in Best in Show.

Rules for healed piece categories

To ensure the quality and competitiveness of each category, the following rules apply regarding the number of participants:

• Minimum number of competitors: For a category to be valid and proceed with the award ceremony, a minimum of 5 registered competitors is required.
• Management of categories with insufficient numbers: if a category does not reach the minimum number of participants, two options will be considered:
  • Merger: the category will be merged with a stylistically similar category among the existing ones. The decision on the merger will be made by the jury and the organisation.
  • Cancellation: alternatively, the category may be cancelled and no prize will be awarded for that specific style in that edition.

Participation Requirements

To participate in the contest, it is essential to comply with the following points:

• Multiple Entries: Each tattoo artist may submit one piece per category, provided that the piece is appropriate for the category entered.
• Registration Opening: Registration opens 3 hours before the contest and closes 1 hour before. No registrations will be accepted after the established time.
• Registration Procedure: Registration for the categories is only possible on the established days and times at the registration desk. A pre-selection will be carried out to assess the relevance of the work to the chosen category. Tattoo artists must present themselves at the registration desk with their client to show the work that will be entered in the category.
• Stand Presence: Only tattoo artists with an active stand at the convention can participate in the contest.
• Presence at the Awards Ceremony: Tattoo artists who have performed the work must be present during the awards ceremony, otherwise they will be automatically eliminated.
• Contest attendance: Participants who do not show up when called will be automatically eliminated from the contest.

Conflict of interest

To ensure maximum impartiality, the following rule applies:

If the work of a colleague from one of the judges’ studios is presented, the judge will not be allowed to vote and will not be present on stage during the evaluation of that work. An impartial judge will be assigned to ensure fairness.