LA Ink

From LoveToKnow Reality-TV

LA Ink is a TLC reality TV show that is a spin-off from Miami Ink. The show follows tattoo artist Kat Von D as she sets up her own studio in Los Angeles. The shop has become very successful and the show has developed a following of its own.

Tattoo studio sign

How LA Ink Began

Kat Von D was originally one of the featured tattoo artists on the reality show Miami Ink, and she gained a huge fan base there. She had a tendency to butt heads with the shop owners, Ami James and Chris Nunez, and soon decided to leave Miami and head back to California, where she grew up.

TLC picked up LA Ink and recorded Kat as she set up her new tattoo studio, selected the artists who would work there, and grew her business.

The LA Ink Studio

The studio in Los Angeles where LA Ink is filmed is called High Voltage Tattoo and is located in West Hollywood. The shop is open from noon until midnight every day, and walk-in clients are always welcome. Prices for tattoos start at $200.

About Kat Von D

Kat Von D is short for Katherine Von Drachenberg. She was born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on March 8, 1982. At the age of four her family moved to California and she currently lives in Los Angeles in the center of Hollywood. She also owns a home in Dallas, Texas.

Kat began tattooing at the age of 14 and has been studying and practicing the art ever since. Her specialty is life-like portraits in black and gray ink. She is divorced and currently dating Nikki Sixx from the heavy metal band Motley Crue.

Though she has a love of hard rock music, Kat is a classically trained piano player and says that her favorite artist is Beethoven.

The LA Ink Tattoo Artists

Besides Kat Von D, there are many tattoo artists working at High Voltage Studio, and featured on the show. They include:

  • Pixie Acia – Pixie was Kat's best friend and helped manage the shop until the end of season two. At that point, Pixie was fired because the other artists complained that she wasn't doing her job.
  • Corey Miller – Corey has been a tattoo artist for over 23 years. He owns his own shop, called Six Feet Under Tattoo Parlor.
  • Hannah Aitchison – Hannah works primarily at Deluxe Tattoo in Chicago, but appears frequently at High Voltage. She specializes in life-like portraits in color, with images of pin-up models and comic book style heroes.
  • Kim Saigh – Kim is the founder of Cherry Bomb Tattoo in Chicago. She creates highly detailed tattoos with lots of color featuring a wide variety of images. Many of her tattoos are large ones, scaling entire arms, legs, or sections of a client's back and shoulders.

Show Format

Like Miami Ink, each episode of LA Ink takes a look at the inside workings of a tattoo parlor. Clients - who are screened by TLC - come in to get inked, and viewers learn more about the clients themselves and the reasons behind their tattoo designs. Many of the stories are moving as customers get their body art to memorialize loved ones who have passed away, or to celebrate a milestone in their lives.

There are also segments in each show that give us a glimpse at the relationships within the studio, and viewers learn about Kat Von D's personal life as well.

Celebrity Clients

Many famous faces have walked in to the High Voltage Tattoo Studio to get work done by Kat and her team. Some celebrities featured on the show include:

  • Rapper Eve
  • Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian
  • Pro skateboarder Mike Vallely
  • Porn star Jenna Jameson
  • Skid Row lead singer Sebastian Bach
  • Comedian Margaret Cho
  • Actor Jared Leto
  • Comedian Tom Green
  • Skateboarder and prankster Bam Margera
  • Rock guitarist Dave Navarro

Where to Learn More

To find out more about LA Ink and the tattoo artists themselves, here are some great websites to visit.

Retrieved from "http://reality-tv.lovetoknow.com/LA_Ink"

 


Comments

Carlos, most people will agree that you shouldn't get a tattoo until you're absolutely sure about the design you want. Watch LA Ink for more ideas on designs or check out LoveToKnow's Tattoo Channel.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

hi la in my name is carlos and i am 28 years old and i'm still thinking about make me a tatto i love tatto but i d'not know tell me what can i do give me your opinion pls

-- Contributed by: carlos hernandez

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