Montreal Tattoo Artist Aims for Glory on ‘Ink Master’ Season 17

The tattoo competition show Ink Master has returned for its 17th season, showcasing a diverse group of artists, including Montreal’s own Luka Lajoie. Lajoie is among 15 talented contestants from around the globe, eager to establish Montreal as a significant contender in the tattoo industry. The theme for this season, “hometown heroes,” resonates deeply with Lajoie, who feels proud to represent his city.

Lajoie’s journey into the world of tattoos began at the age of 12 when he watched his older brother receive a tattoo. “Seeing all the tattooed guys with art on the walls and portfolios gave me the little thing I needed to just have this idea in my head forever,” he recalls. At 18, he purchased a tattoo kit from eBay and began honing his skills on family friends, specializing in portraits of movie characters and celebrities.

Over the years, Lajoie has developed a reputation for his expertise in tattoo artistry, particularly in colour realism. His portfolio includes solo tattoos of the LA Lakers and intricate full sleeves featuring Spiderman. Despite his initial hesitations about participating in a reality show, an invitation from Ink Master changed his perspective. “I could never see myself doing a reality show or something like that before,” he told CTV News.

The competition offers a substantial prize of $250,000, which adds to the pressure of the challenges. One such challenge required artists to return to their roots by sketching on a whiteboard. Lajoie chose to represent Montreal through a unique lens. “We had to represent something that represents us and our city. I thought, okay, Montreal is a city of squirrels,” he explained. His drawing depicted a squirrel dropping its nuts as a metaphor for the changing cultural landscape of the city. Lajoie elaborated, “There’s more English-speaking. And not in the bad way, but mostly in the way, like, there’s a rivalry, and it’s been going on.”

As the competition unfolds, viewers are left to wonder how Lajoie will fare against his peers. He encourages fans to tune in to discover the outcome of his journey on the show. With his artistic talent and connection to Montreal, Lajoie is poised to make a memorable impact on this season of Ink Master.