Long before he gained television fame with the Spike TV series , Oliver was a legitimate master of .
is a specializing in American Traditional work, travelling the US and around the world to perfect his before his transition to television personality.
“His precise and traditional style making him one of the best and well-known ‘old school’ American style artists,” according to the website of Elm Street , the he co-owns in , .
Read on to learn more about ’s life as a , and his commitment to badass .
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Professional Start and Early Career
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A native, learnt the basics by his friends with old school stick and poke tattoos, then moved to he scavenged and re-built.
His development as an accelerated after purchasing his kit, exchanging the he created for the chance to buy a legitimate machine.
got his start as at age 19, and never looked back. Even at the start of his career, were focused purely on American traditional style . was a instrumental in bringing the of the 13th flash to the masses.
He paid his dues with the time honored, old school way of , putting in long hours at the , working guest spots across the US, local and international conventions, and travelling expansively to perfect his as a traditional .
The long hours paid off. become recognized as a master of the his appointment book was always full, and even were a part of his portfolio.
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Style
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As an was almost revered by the contestants. He’s long been considered one of American traditional style’s leading artists.
Old school designs feature a limited but solid color palette – generally black, green, yellow, and red – bold use of thick linework and simple design. Even with the advancements in guns and needles, traditional application is a bold, recognizable form off .
Some artists and their clientele look to traditional for nostalgia. is one such , citing legendary master Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins as his greatest influence. He was a huge of Sailor Jerry.
“My specialty is exactly what Norman Collins did himself,” told the OC Weekly in 2017. “The style that I’ve done over my career is directly based on the foundations he laid down, so I kept my designs really true to the traditional Americana style and Sailor Jerry’s imagery.”
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Guinness
once held a place in the of World Records. To get his , in 2008 completed 415 tattoos of the number 13 in a consecutive 24-hour period. His record was quickly broken by an named Hollis Cantrell from Arizona who tattooed the letters AZ 808 times in 24 hours.
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television personality
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got his first taste of television when appearing briefly on then wife Kat Von D’s reality show , His renown as an and stature within the industry saw him tapped to when it launched in 2012 alongside former star Chris Nunez and .
is a that features artists who compete in various challenges assessing specific and related artistic skills. At least one is eliminated each , until the last standing each season receives a $100,000 prize, title of , and a featured story in Inked Magazine.
“I didn’t think about making it mainstream or making it accepted,” says in the OC Weekly interview. “I just did it because I liked it, and the people I was influenced by didn’t really care what the world thought.
“Some tattooers nowadays shun away from the popularity, but I embrace it. It’s something that I love, and I think it’s awesome that more people like it now. I love the culture of and where we came from, but I also embrace the future of .”
The enduring popularity of , , and LA has seen other reality television shows gain traction, including extreme ventures such as How Far is Far, and Just the of Us.
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Controversy and Exit
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After thirteen seasons as an Oliver left the show the abruptly when old of him wearing , , and racist turned up on the internet.
“The producers and I have decided it’s best to part ways,” said in a January statement. “The offensive photos of me which recently surfaced from many years ago can only be a distraction to the amazing show I have loved being a part of and its many talented artists.”
had been with the since it began in 2012, along with and fellow Chris Nunez.
took to his Instagram account to apologize about the incident.
“I want to profusely apologize for my completely inappropriate, insensitive, and immature behavior. I look at those photos and it’s hard for me to believe that I could have been so clueless, insensitive and dumb. I hope that I’ve matured a great deal since then and I’m deeply sorry for everyone I’ve offended.
I was 100% wrong to depict myself this way and I take full responsibility for my immature, misguided perspective, total lapse of judgment and sensitivity.”
A replacement on for hasn’t been chosen.
Since his split from , will likely move back to doing full time . He currently does guest spots at the Elm Street he co-owns owns in suburb . is also of in .
Oliver FAQ
What type of tattoos does Oliver do?
is a specializing in work. feature strong, clean lines, a limited color palette, and expert precision in custom and flash images.
Was Oliver Married to Kat Von D?
and Kat Von D were married from 2003 – 2007. ’s first appearance as a was popping in to the on an of , the show that helped launch Kat Von D to international stardom.
Why did Oliver leave Master?
left abruptly when old photos of him wearing , and , and racist turned up on the internet.
Does Oliver still ?
Oliver still works doing traditional tattoos. Since his split from , he’ll likely move back to doing full time . does guest spots at the Elm Street he part owns in , Texas. He is also the of in .
Looking for more awesome traditional inspiration? Click on the links below for more old school galleries: