Craig Foster proud of his 2nd trip to 'Ink Master' despite missing finals

He survived 15 rounds and outlasted 14 other tattoo artists in his second trip to the show. During season three, he finished eighth and wanted to do better. He succeeded.

Foster won two main challenges and several mini "flash" challenges. But the judges were unhappy with some of his work and critiqued him pretty harshly, especially closer to the end.

"I was seriously exhausted by then," said Foster, who spent two and a half months in the metro New York area doing nearly 30 different tattoos. "The judges were really tough on me. I feel they expected more from me over everyone else because I was the only one who had done the show before."

On the show, Foster got progressively more combative with the judges but was never disrespectful. The challenge on Tuesday in which he had to do four tattoos in six hours was especially grueling and the judges didn't particularly like any of his work. He acknowledged his first tattoo was essentially unfinished but stands by his other three. He said the editors had even washed out the color saturation on his popsicle tattoo to make it look duller. Below is what it looks like on Spike's website:

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

But overall, he was happy the way the show edited him. He came across as determined, hard working and competitive - but not obnoxious. The twist this season was booking nine apprentices with their masters. Although Foster has worked in the business for 20 years, he brought his master along on the show Miami Burgess, who was unfortunately eliminated third.

"I was last apprentice standing," Foster noted. "I feel like that was a tribute to Miami." He never told Burgess how far he made it on the show and he said Burgess was shocked Foster missed the finals. "He took it really personally," Foster said.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

And though Foster didn't always get accolades from the judges, I don't recall a single canvas who was unhappy with what he did. Sometimes, he said he didn't follow the rules of the challenge in order to please the person receiving the tattoo. "Those people have to live with the tattoo forever," he said. "I hold that in serious consideration even when I'm competing."

The toughest challenge was the one featuring NFL football players. His subject wanted something Foster felt was not a good idea. He spent an hour convincing the guy to change his mind, costing him time. But ultimately, all the football players were difficult and in the end, the judges declared no winner at all.

Rival contestant Chris Blinston was painted the bad guy, especially in the second half of the season.

"The first couple of weeks, he was like, 'I'm a military persona, a man of honor.' He slowly showed his true colors," Foster said. "He became a bully. He was a controlling power freak. That's what caused a lot of separation in the house. He had people hiding under him."

He hopes either Matt O'Baugh and Kruseman take home the $100,000 prize - mostly to spite Chris. Matt has shown versatility and consistency. Kruseman, he feels, played it too safe for the first part of the competition.

From the judges' standpoint, Chris probably provided the most "wow" with his tattoos but also a level of arrogance that irritated many of the contestants, an attitude that showed up occasionally at the judges' table as well.

Foster's take: "Everyone [in the finale] has had a moment they could have gone home. There is no front runner."

Despite missing the finals, Foster received plenty of airtime and viewers learned personal tidbits about his life such as his youthful indiscretions that led to prison time before he became a tattoo artist. The editors included him talking about his mom Eleanor this past Tuesday, which warmed his heart.

"I was very versatile doing things I normally don't do," Foster said. "The first time I went through [season three], they questioned my ability to step out of my actual style: new school. They questioned my black and grey."

He think he did enough quality black and grey this season to shut the judges down - although they were mixed in his final statue-esque black and grey tattoo of Neptune.

"You did an amazing drawing but then you went in and muddied it up, " said judge Chris Nunez. "You are so tonal in so many places."

After he was cut, judge Oliver Peck said, "Your strengths are so strong. Unfortunately, you tripped a little bit and couldn't get your footing back."

"It's been a good trip," Foster said on the show, resigned and accepting. "The last time I was here, leaving was more confusing. This time, I understand it."

Foster is looking forward to traveling the country at tattoo conventions with fans. He recently did his first since the show debuted in Toronto.

"All these people got to know you from watching the show," he said. "They come up, they look into your story and bring up the high points, things they enjoyed on the show. People really got into what I was doing - in a totally different country. That's amazing!"

He was entering Lenox Square Mall a few days ago and someone driving by had her friend in the car get out and chase him down at the Apple Store and make him wait until she got to meet him. "It's very uplifting," he said. "The show does a great job marketing tattoo artists as actual artists."

SEASON FINALE

"Ink Master," 10 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, 2015, Spike TV