RULES OF THE COMPETITIONS

ORLANDO TATTOO SHOW

 2025

1. Only works by Exhibitors of the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025 may be submitted to the FRESH competitions. This means that a prerequisite for entering a work into the FRESH competition is that the artist must have a booth at the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025. For all HEALED categories, it is not necessary to have a booth at the show.

2. It is strictly prohibited to start the Tattoo before the convention (e.g., outlining) for all FRESH categories.

3. If a category only has one contestant, the category will be cancelled and there will be no awarding for that category.

4. To maintain fairness the name of the artist must not be revealed until awarded.

5. Contest registration is $15 for all categories with the exception of Best of Day Friday, Best of Day Saturday, Best of Day Sunday, and Best of Show which are free of charge.

6. A tattoo may be entered  in multiple applicable categories.

The Artist Services desk serves as a verification zone for tattoos created during the convention.

REGISTRATION FOR COMPETITIONS IN “HEALED” or “FRESH”

 (INCLUDES SUBMISSIONS IN “HEALED AND FRESH” CATEGORIES)

1. When registering a tattoo for the competition, the participant must provide the model's name.

2.  Upon registration in a chosen category, the participant will receive a number.

3.  Tattoos must be registered at the Artist Services desk no later than 30 minutes before the competition starts (please do this as early as possible).

REGISTRATION FOR MULTI-DAY COMPETITIONS

 (INCLUDES BEST OF DAY,TWO-DAY TATTOO, THREE-DAY TATTOO, ARTIST COLLABORATION)

1. To ensure fair competition for all participants in the best of day, two-day tattoo, three-day tattoo, and collaboration categories, the Artist Services desk serves as a verification zone for tattoos created during the convention.

2. Tattoos competing in the two-day tattoo, three-day tattoo, and artist collaboration categories must be registered BEFORE starting and must undergo verification at the Artist Services desk.

3. For tattoos entered into competitions that are created during the convention, it is prohibited to start the composition before the convention and before verification (e.g., outlining) or to tattoo outside the official convention hours.

4. Participants must attend the first verification with a stencil already applied.

5. When registering a tattoo for the competition, the participant must provide the model's name.

6. Upon registration in a chosen category, the participant will receive a number.

7. Artists working in the competition categories (two-day tattoo, three-day tattoo, collaboration) must allow the organizers to document the beginning of the work, as well as progress at the end of the day and the start of the next day.

8. For multi-day work, competition verification at the Artist Services desk takes place before and after tattooing each day. The contest number and category must be shown during the documentation process.

9. The photographic documentation will include the area on the body where the tattoo will be performed along with the contest number and category 

10. The progress of the tattoo between the evening and morning verification must remain the same. If it is found that the tattoo was worked on outside of convention hours, it will be disqualified.

11. If a participant misses the required verification, the competition piece will be disqualified.

THE VERIFICATION PROCESS WILL START AT

10AM DAILY AND END AT 8:30PM DAILY

JURY EVALUATION & COMPETITION PROCEDURE

1. The jury evaluates tattoos based on artistic and technical merit, composition, and adherence to the competition category.

2. The scheduled time for each competition may change. However, competitions will never start earlier than stated in the program. Any changes will be announced by the event host from the stage.

PRIZES

1. Prizes are awarded at the end of each competition.
2. The organizers reserve the right to disqualify a winner and revoke a prize if the winning piece is verified as plagiarism or if a multi-day piece was not properly verified at the Artist Services desk.

COMPETITION RULES FOR INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES DAY 1 – FRIDAY (09.12.2025)

1. TRIBAL:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Bold black lines
3. No shading
4. Emphasis on flow and body contour

2. BIOORGANIC/BIOMECH/BIOTECH:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Organic, biological, mechanical, bionic elements in composition
3. Emphasis on flow and body contour

3. CYBERSIGILISM:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Strong use of black ink, negative space, or geometric structure
3. Should reflect a futuristic or coded visual
4. Non-representational (no portraits,animals,or realism)
5. May include symmetry, circuit style linework

4. ORNAMENTAL/GEOMETRIC:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Must feature decorative, sacred geometry, or symmetrical elements
3. Mandalas, dotwork, filigree, lace, or line based pattern work
4. Balance and repetition in body flow
5. Non-figurative: no realism or illustrative content

5. FINELINE:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Must be done with a single-needle or fine liner grouping
3. Focus on delicate, clean, precise linework
4. Can include florals, script, microillustration
5. Minimal shading- no bold lines or heavy shaded areas

6. WATERCOLOR:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Must mimic the look of watercolor paint- soft edges, splashes and gradients

7. ILLUSTRATIVE:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Must use drawing based technique (sketching, hatching, stippling, etching, inking)

8. FLORAL:

1. Must feature botanical elements
2. Can be any style

9. LETTERING:

1. Must focus on typography-ie: script, calligraphy, graffiti, stylized fonts,etc.
2. Can include embellishments: flourishes, shading, filigree, etc.

10. TRASH POLKA

1. Black and red as core palette
2. Mix of realism and abstract
3. Chaotic yet balanced composition
4. Graphic typography

11. COLOR MOVIE/GAME:

1. Full color saturation
2. Can be a movie or game character or scene

12. B&G MOVIE/GAME:

1. Black ink and gradients or opaques
2. Can be a movie or game character or scene

13. COLOR ANIME:

1. Full color saturation
2. Anime in subject matter

14. B&G ANIME:

1. Black ink and gradients or opaques
2. Anime in subject matter

15. COLOR FRIDAY:

1. Must verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk.10am
2. Must be done during the convention on Friday (09.12.2025).
3. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
4. All subject matter and sizes accepted
5. Must be full color saturation
6. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

16. B&G FRIDAY:

1. Must verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk.10am
2. Must be done during the convention on Friday (09.12.2025).
3. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
4. All subject matter and sizes accepted
5. Must be black and diluted black only
6. No opaques or the use of white to dilute
7. The use of white as highlight points are accepted
8. No use of white as gradient
9. The tattoo must only be done by one artist
10. Poopoo’s  

17. FUSION AND OPAQUES FRIDAY:

1. Must verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk.
2. Must be done during the convention on Friday (09.12.2025).
3. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
4. All subject matter and sizes accepted
5. May have areas of color
6. Opaques or color or the use of white to dilute allowed
7. Gradients of white allowed
8. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

18. BEST OF DAY FRIDAY

1. ● This award is contested by the 3 tattoos that won 1st place in the 3 competition categories for tattoos done on Friday: Color, B&G, Fusion and Opaques.
2. ● Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories.

DAY 2 – SATURDAY (09.13.2025)

1. AMERICAN TRADITIONAL:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Consistent lineweight in black ink
3. Color palette limited to black, red, yellow, and green, blue, brown
4. 2D flat appearance
5. Minimal shading, heavy use of solid fill color
6. Simple imagery
7. Clean bold and readable from a distance

2. BLACKWORK:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Tattoo must be done entirely in black ink
3. No sooth gradient

3. JAPANESE TRADITIONAL:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Bold outlines
3. Flat color: black, red, green, white, blue, and purple
4. Black & Grey
5. Iconic background elements (wind bars, waves, clouds, fire)
6. No realism

4. NEOTRADITIONAL:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Multiple line weights
3. Color or black&grey

5. NEW SCHOOL/CARTOON:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Exaggerated proportions
3. Multiple line weights
4. Bold saturated colors

6. SMALL B&G (<4X4):

1. Any Black&Grey or opaques that fits within a bounding box of 4inx4in (10cmx10cm)

7. MEDIUM B&G (<8X8):

1. Any Black&Grey or opaques that fits within a bounding box of 8inx8in (20cmx20cm)

8. LARGE B&G (>8X8):

1. Any Black&Grey or opaques that fits outside a bounding box of 8inx8in (20cmx20cm)

9. SMALL COLOR (<4X4):

1. Any color tattoo that fits within a bounding box of 4inx4in (10cmx10cm)

10. MEDIUM COLOR (<8X8):

1. Any color tattoo that fits within a bounding box of 8inx8in (20cmx20cm)

11. LARGE COLOR (>8x8):

1. Any color tattoo that fits outside a bounding box of 8inx8in (20cmx20cm)

12. COLOR PORTRAIT:

1. Tattoo must be started at the Orlando Tattoo Show on Friday or Saturday and verified at the Artist Services desk
2. Must have a clean non-contaminated reference
3. Full color saturation

13. B&G PORTRAIT:

1. Tattoo must be started at the Orlando Tattoo Show on Friday or Saturday and verified at the Artist Services desk
2. Must have a clean non-contaminated reference
3. Black and grey or opaques

14. FINE ART PAINTING:

1. Manual technique: Pencil.pen, graphite, oil, acrylic etc. on canvas or linen
2. Mixed media accepted only if paint is the primary medium
3. Work must be original and not digital or printed and painted over digital

15. MIXED MEDIA:

1. Must combine two or more distinct mediums
2. Can include non-traditional elements (textiles, found objects, metal, paper, etc.)

16. DIGITAL PAINTING:

1. Must be originally created using digital tools
2. Must be painted by hand digitally
3. Ai content no accepted

17. COLOR SATURDAY:

1. Must verify at the Artist Services desk BEFORE starting
2. Must be done during the convention on Saturday (09.13.2025).
3. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
4. All subject matter and sizes accepted
5. Must be full color saturation
6. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

18. B&G SATURDAY:

1. Must verify at the Artist Services desk BEFORE starting.
2. Must be done during the convention on Saturday (09.13.2025).
3. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
4. All subject matter and sizes accepted
5. Must be black and diluted black only
6. No opaques or the use of white to dilute
7. The use of white as highlight points are accepted
8. No use of white as gradient
9. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

19. FUSION AND OPAQUES SATURDAY:

1. Must verify at the Artist Services desk BEFORE starting .
2. Must be done during the convention on Saturday (09.13.2025).
3. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
4. All subject matter and sizes accepted
5. May have areas of color
6. Opaques or the use of white to dilute allowed
7. Gradients of white allowed
8. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

20. TWO-DAY TATTOO:

1. The tattoo must be done by a single artist over two days (09.12.2025 and 09.13.2025)
2. It is prohibited to prepare the composition before the festival (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker) or to tattoo outside of the show hours.
3. The color, theme, and style of the work are unrestricted.
4. The piece must be submitted for verification at the Artist Services desk where staff will document the tattoo process.
5. Only photos/videos taken by the Artist Services desk will be considered in the verification process
6. Verification is required three times: Friday before the start of work, Friday at the end of the day, and Saturday before the start of tattooing. 
7. Documenting the tattoo’s progress prevents rule violations such as starting work before the festival begins or tattooing outside the festival hours.

21. BEST OF DAY SATURDAY

1. This award is contested by the 3 tattoos that won 1st place in the 3 competition categories for tattoos done on Saturday: Color, B&G, Fusion and Opaques
2. Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories

DAY 3 – SUNDAY (09.14.2025)

1. COLOR:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Must have full color saturation

2. B&G:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. Must be black and diluted black only
3. No opaques or the use of white to dilute
4. The use of white as highlight points are accepted
5. No use of white as gradient

3. OPAQUES:

1. Must be fully healed prior to the competition
2. May have areas of color
3. Opaques or the use of white to dilute allowed
4. Gradients of white allowed

4. MALE COLLECTOR:

1. Multiple collections of work throughout the body

5. FEMALE COLLECTOR:

1. Multiple collections of work throughout the body

6. FRONT OR BACK PANEL:

1. Must use the torso or back as the primary focus point of the composition and may include adjacent areas of the body

7. HEAD/FACE/NECK:

1. Must use the head face or neck as the primary focus point of the composition and may include adjacent areas of the body

8. HAND/FOOT:

1. Must use the hand or foot as the primary focus point of the composition and may include adjacent areas of the body

9. OPAQUES COVERUP:

1. Must provide a clear “before” picture of the coverup
2. May have areas of color
3. Opaques or the use of white to dilute allowed
4. Gradients of white allowed

10. COLOR COVERUP:

1. Must provide a clear “before” picture of the coverup
2. Full color saturation

11. B&G COVERUP:

1. Must provide a clear “before” picture of the coverup
2. Must be black and diluted black only
3. No opaques or the use of white to dilute
4. The use of white as highlight points are accepted
5. No use of white as gradient

12. AMERICAN TRADITIONAL:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
5. Consistent lineweight in black ink
6. Color palette limited to black, red, yellow, and green, blue, brown
7. 2D flat appearance
8. Minimal shading, heavy use of solid fill color
9. Simple imagery
10. Clean bold and readable from a distance

13. NEOTRADITIONAL:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. Bold black outline
5. multiple line weights
6. Color or black&grey

14. ORNAMENTAL/GEOMETRIC:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. Must feature decorative, sacred geometry, or symmetrical elements
5. Mandalas, dotwork, filigree, lace, or line based pattern work
6. Balance and repetition in body flow
7. Non-figurative: no realism or illustrative content

15. FINELINE:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. Must be done with a single-needle or fine liner grouping
5. Focus on delicate, clean, precise linework
6. Can include florals, script, microillustration
7. Minimal shading- no bold lines or heavy shaded areas

16. COLOR REALISM:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. Full color saturation
5. No heavy use of lines

17. B&G Realism:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. Must be black and diluted black only
5. No opaques or the use of white to dilute
6. The use of white as highlight points are accepted
7. No use of white as gradient
8. No heavy use of lines

18. Opaques Realism:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo
3. The tattoo must only be done by one artist.
4. May have areas of color
5. Opaques or the use of white to dilute allowed
6. Gradients of white allowed
7. No heavy use of lines

19. COLOR SUNDAY:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk.
3. Must be done during the convention on Sunday(09.14.2025).
4. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
5. All subject matter and sizes accepted
6. Must be full color saturation
7. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

20. B&G SUNDAY:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk.
3. Must be done during the convention on Sunday(09.14.2025).
4. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
5. All subject matter and sizes accepted
6. Must be black and diluted black only
7. No opaques or the use of white to dilute
8. The use of white as highlight points are accepted
9. No use of white as gradient
10. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

21. FUSION AND OPAQUES SUNDAY:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Must verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk.
3. Must be done during the convention on Sunday(09.14.2025).
4. It is prohibited to start the composition before the convention (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker).
5. All subject matter and sizes accepted
6. May have areas of color 20%
7. Opaques or the use of white to dilute allowed
8. Gradients of color, opaques, white allowed
9. The tattoo must only be done by one artist

22. THREE-DAY TATTOO:

1. The tattoo must be done by a single artist over three days (09.12.2025, 09.13.2025 and 09.14.2025)
2. It is prohibited to prepare the composition before the festival (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker) or to tattoo outside of the show hours.
3. The color, theme, and style of the work are unrestricted.
4. The piece must be submitted for verification at the Artist Services desk where staff will document the tattoo process.
5. Only photos/videos taken by the Artist Services desk will be considered in the verification process
6. Verification is required 5 times: Friday before the start of work, Friday at the end of the day, Saturday before the start of tattooing, Saturday at the end of the day, and Sunday before tattooing) 
7. Documenting the tattoo’s progress prevents rule violations such as starting work before the festival begins or tattooing outside the festival hours.

23. BEST OF DAY SUNDAY

1. ● This award is contested by the 3 tattoos that won 1st place in the 3 competition categories for tattoos done on Sunday: Color, B&G, Fusion and Opaques
2. ● Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories

24. ARTIST COLLABORATION:

1. Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show 2025
2. Multiple artists on one piece of work
3. It is prohibited to begin the process before the show (e.g., outlining, stencil transfer, marking lines with a marker) or to tattoo outside of the show hours.
4. The color, theme, and style of the work are unrestricted.
5. The piece must be submitted for verification at the Artist Services desk where staff will document the tattoo process.
6. Only photos/videos taken by the Artist Services desk will be considered in the verification process

25. BEST OF SHOW:

1. This award is contested by the 6 tattoos that won 1st place in the 6 competition categories for tattoos done at the show: Best of day Friday, Best of day Saturday, Best of day Sunday, Two-Day tattoo, Three-Day tattoo, Artist Collaboration
2. Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories

To all the artists who showed up and showed out— thank you.
 Your dedication, talent, and drive to push the craft forward remind us why tattooing is more than art — it’s culture, community, and legacy.

Whether you came to compete, to support your peers, or just to be part of the movement…

Your presence means everything

This show doesn’t exist without the heart you all bring to it.
Here’s to continuing to grow, inspire, and elevate the industry — together.
We’ll see you in 2026.