I got tattooed on TV for 'Ink Master.' Being a 'human canvas' wasn't what I expected.

• Six years after first applying, I was chosen to be tattooed on Paramount's "Ink Master."
• My journey was filled with emotion, from preproduction nerves to reassurance from my artist.
• The experience was more relaxed than what I've seen when watching the reality TV show at home.

It took me six years to get tattooed on "Ink Master," a reality series where tattoo artists compete in various challenges.

I've been a huge fan of the show since it started in 2012, and in 2016, I sent a cold email to its casting team. Although my initial attempt went unanswered, I was determined to be part of the competition.

In 2018, I saw that the show was accepting online applications. I answered questions about what style of tattoo I wanted, where I wanted it on my body, the longest I'd sat for a tattoo, and how many I had.

The team responded four years later, in 2022, and my dream finally came true. I was chosen to be a "human canvas" on season 14 of "Ink Master."

The set's environment was way less intense than what's seen on TV

Before going on the show, I had a quick call with showrunners who asked me in-depth questions about the design I wanted. After that, they only told me the set's location and that the episode's challenge was fine-art tattooing.

The series features exceptionally talented tattoo artists, but I was about to let someone I'd never met — whose style and personality I didn't know — permanently ink my body. 

Still, I showed up to set. The human canvases got to hang out in a break room before filming, but we didn't get much time to mingle with the artists themselves.

Eventually, I was assigned to tattoo artist Holli Marie, and we started to collaborate and refine our ideas. I had a lot of say in my tattoo's design, which evokes special childhood memories and pays homage to Salvador Dalí.

I originally wanted the design on my stomach, but the artist and I agreed it would be too painful and not manageable for the six-hour session we were given. Instead, we moved the design to my thigh. Her concern about my comfort showed the importance of the connection between the artist and canvas, even when the stakes are high in a televised competition. 

From there, filming was a whirlwind of activity. Cameras and lights were everywhere, and the crew's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to getting the right shots added to the tension I usually see on my screen at home.

But what surprised me the most was how much fun the artists were having. The competition seems cutthroat on TV, but I witnessed wholesome moments when the artists admired each other's work.

Viewers also usually see drama surrounding unhappy or difficult canvases on "Ink Master," but I felt at ease during the entire process. 

I wasn't able to watch the judges' critiques of my tattoo, but it wouldn't have changed how I felt 

On every episode of "Ink Master," a screen displays photos of each tattoo for the judges to critique before choosing which artist to eliminate. Season 14's judges were popular tattoo artists Ryan Ashley, Ami James, and Nikko Hurtado.

Human canvases generally don't get to watch critiques, so I constantly wondered how my ink would be received until the day my episode aired. 

It turns out that my tattoo got mixed reviews from the judges. They weren't huge fans of the cubes and thought Holli Marie's lines were a little off, but I didn't mind. I love the finished product, and my overall experience was worth the wait. 

For me, it wasn't about the tattoo itself but the memories that came with it. It was an emotional roller-coaster from the initial nervousness of being on the show to the surprising sensitivity of my thigh as I got it inked. 

Being a human canvas on "Ink Master" felt like a journey of self-discovery — and it gave me a newfound appreciation for the artistry behind tattooing.