Episode #3.3 (2016) - full transcript
- In the intense world
- of competitive body painting,
you can either keep your cool
or turn up the heat.
- ♪ This ain't no illusion,
babe ♪
♪ Yeah, you're heaven made ♪
- It's a sizzling season three
of "Skin Wars."
The art of body painting
is more powerful than ever.
12 of the most talented artists
from around the world
will push themselves
week after week...
- You painted your heart out.
- [screams]
- Proving who is brilliant
- with a brush...
- Yeah!
- Just amazing.
- Loved it.
- I came here to win.
[all gasp]
- And who can't handle
- the pressure.
- I'm freaking out.
- Wow.
- What?
- [crying]
Almost there.
- How dare you disgrace
this competition
with your bull****?
- Do you want to leave
the competition?
This week, ten remain
to fight for the grand prize:
$100,000 and the ultimate title
of "Skin Wars" champion.
[upbeat techno music]
♪ ♪
- Hello, painters!
all: Hi!
- Well, as you can see, Robin
and Ru are here with us today.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Watch out, children, because
we brought our baggage.
- Yes, thanks for
- the warning, Ru.
- Yes.
- [laughter]
- Guys, today we are
taking a journey back in time
to the art of the 1950s.
[all exclaim]
During this time,
the 2-D approach that emerged
is one of the most recognizable
styles of modern art.
For today's challenge,
you will have to make
your model look like
a piece of 2-D art.
- Yay!
- Yay!
- Each case on the table
contains a prop
and a speech bubble
that must be painted
and included
into your final design.
Your models will be assigned
by the case you choose,
- and they will be posing
- with your props
in front of this backdrop
to help create the feeling
of a true 2-D piece of art.
This is a waist-up design,
including the face.
You will have only three hours
to complete your work.
- We want to see a lot
of personality here.
- Should be vivid,
vivacious, be fierce!
[laughing]
- Are you ready to time travel?
- Yeah!
- Yes.
- Good, because your time
starts now!
[techno music]
[all gasp]
- Let's open this bad boy up,
see what we got.
- Birthday cake.
- How do you open this?
- Ah, it's a little ice cream!
- What is this?
- It's a paint roller.
- Hello, Andrew.
Meow.
♪ ♪
I get my sexy male model
and an oven mitt.
I'm going to make you a girl.
I almost went home last week,
and now I really
have to bring it.
- Yellow.
- Like, "Ooh!"
Something like that.
- I'm excited about this
challenge, because it's 2-D.
- That was my graphic design
- degree.
It's easy for me
to see art flat,
and I'm really good
at contouring
and making those lines.
Maybe I have a chance
of winning this challenge.
[upbeat music]
- My first idea is a
sarcastic tap on the shoulder
to the old-school elegant male
with the martini glass.
Well, Luis has got
a lot of his dots going.
- Yeah, he's a dotter.
- A dotter.
2-D art is a lot of dots
and a lot of straight lines.
- I'm looking at everyone else,
- and they're doing dots.
- I want my piece to be
- something completely different.
♪ ♪
- Otto's using cakes!
Hallelujah!
We've brought him over
to the other side!
- My concept is
'50s devilish pinup.
- I want to stay away
- from the airbrush,
- because it doesn't
- really work that good,
- especially when you want
- solid, crisp lines.
This whole not airbrush thing
is just so weird.
I feel like I'm cheating.
- [laughs]
- Want some pink eyelashes?
- Cute!
- Right?
- What's up, Luis?
- How come you went with
- green on your model?
- Mine has to do with, like,
- immigration and stuff.
- Got to stand up for
- our people, you know?
- I feel you on that.
- I was born in Mexico.
When I was five years old,
my parents migrated
- to the U.S. because they wanted
- a better opportunity
for myself and for them.
I did the Mexican
color flags,
and that's what I'm doing
on my horn right now.
- Out of high school,
- I wasn't able to go
straight into art school,
because the money wasn't there.
Winning "Skin Wars"
would change my life.
I would pay for school.
- All right, you guys,
- y'all better stop polka-dotting
- around!
We got 15 minutes left!
- [people cheering]
- ****.
- Wow, that's cool.
- I understand
exactly what 2-D is.
- Yours kind of looks
- like a Ken doll.
- I was in the top three
in the last challenge,
so I need to show
what I'm made of
- and that I do have
- my own place
in the spectrum
of the body-painting world.
[upbeat music]
- Ten, nine, eight.
- Oh, my God.
- Oh, here comes the judges.
- I'ma spray your hair.
I'ma spray my hair.
- All right, painters,
- time's up!
- Put your tools down!
- Okay.
- How's everyone feeling?
- Great.
- Awesome, amazing.
- All right, the judges
can't wait to take
- a closer look
- against the background.
- Yeah!
- Hi, Kyera.
- So this is Miss Lucy.
She got her ice cream,
and it was a very hot day,
so it started melting.
- Aw!
- "It melted
all over my breasts!"
[laughter]
- Look at her teardrop;
it's a giant gem.
- I know; I wasn't
- gonna use rhinestones
and glitter for this one,
because I was like, "2-D,"
but then I was like, oops.
- [laughter]
- You were like, "Oops, oopsie."
- I think it's really clever
how you did
between her fingers black.
Really gives the illusion
of a drawn outline.
- Thank you, Kyera.
- Thank you so much.
- This is David.
He's a painter.
He was running late,
so he decided he was just
gonna paint a suit on.
- Rolling the competition
into a big fat blunt.
[laughter]
- It's probably why
- he was late.
- Yeah, probably.
Were you okay on time?
- Yeah, make it
- more challenging.
Maybe an hour and a half.
- Gauntlet thrown down,
- Rick.
- Yup.
- I chose green, red, and white
to represent the Mexican flag.
When people
stereotype immigrants,
they automatically
go for Mexicans.
It represents for my people.
- That shadow is very clever.
That's the first thing
I noticed when he came out.
- Oh, thank you, yeah.
- I love this
- color combination.
- You did a great job,
- and I like how
you did the lines
on the megaphone too
just to delineate that.
- Hello.
- "If I don't clean her pipes
tonight,
I'll hear
a coy kitchen whine."
- There's a few little
riddles in there.
- Please explain.
- Yes, what is this?
- It's kind of
- a cartoon of myself.
I grew up with all sisters
and all women,
and I was the one that would do
- all the stuff
- around the house.
- Can you give us an example
- of what a coy
- kitchen whine--
- What's a coy kitchen whine?
- "Coy kitchen whine" rhymes
with which pop artist
from that era?
- Roy Lichtenstein.
- There you go.
- Well, this feels like
- a confident painting.
I mean, you really nailed
this genre.
- Thank you.
- Thanks a lot, Hans.
- This is the first time I've
ever done anything like 2-D,
- and I got to play
- with the cakes.
- I stayed away from the airbrush
- as much as I could.
- Have you never
- used sponge before?
- Not put it on for
a full-body application.
I learned a lesson through this.
I'm happy with that.
- I'm happy too.
- Thank you.
- So I remember the day that
same-sex marriage got voted in
- and everyone--
- like, "Did you hear?
- Did you hear?
- Did you hear?"
- Have we got two faces?
- No, I'd always thought
about trying to do
- a profile
- in the opposite direction.
I didn't have any idea if
it was gonna work or not.
- I admire you for
- taking the risk.
- Yeah.
- Thank you, Alison.
- Thank you.
- All right, hey, Jess.
- Hi.
This drunk is, you know,
the life of the party.
But we don't see what happens
behind the scenes to his family.
- Tell us about the technique.
- I actually went away
- from the dots.
I wanted to go with the
very sharp color gradations
that happen
in the old cartoon style.
- Great.
- Thanks, Jess.
- Thank you so much.
- This looks like a nice twist.
- So this is Harriet, and
she is dating Hans's model.
- Your model looks
like a Swedish housewife
with those amazing cheekbones.
Those are outrageous!
- Wow, painters, you've given
the judges a lot to talk about.
- We'll be back to announce
- the winner shortly.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- See you soon.
Wow.
- That was fun!
- Yeah.
- I really liked Kyera's piece.
- Oh, Kyera's was fun.
- It was so sweet,
and technically
I think it actually was
one of the best.
- It was poppy and fun to look at.
- Yeah.
- So what'd you think
- about Luis?
- For me, that was
- the perfect marriage
of great technique,
great message.
- It was pure,
it was simple,
and the saturation of color
was beautiful.
- And, man, he just had me
- at that shadow.
Really clever.
- What'd you think
- about Jess?
- My favorite part
of Jess's piece
was the collection of
colors on the chest.
- You know, I thought it was
- a perfect choice.
- It was kind of risky
- that she was the only artist
that decided
not to do the dots
and challenged herself, "Can
I pull this off without dots?"
And I think she did.
- I think so.
- I don't think she needed 'em.
- What'd you think about Hans?
- Conceptually,
completely bizarre,
- but the painting
- was very solid.
The way that he did
the bald cap,
he was able to paint it
so it really read.
- So have you made
your decision?
- Yes.
- Yeah, I think so.
- Yeah.
- Okay, let's go tell 'em.
- All right.
[tense music]
- Hi, painters.
all: Hello.
- You've had three hours
to create your artwork.
Now it's time for the judges
to announce
their top three paintings.
- I'm not trying to be cocky
- or anything,
- but out of all
- the different pieces,
my piece is the most 2-D today.
- Hi, painters.
- all: Hello.
- You've had three hours
to create your artwork.
- Now it's time for the judges
- to announce
their top three paintings.
Jess.
Luis.
Kyera.
Congratulations, you have
the top three paintings.
Please step forward.
- Ah, my piece, it is
complete graphic everything.
The challenge was 2-D,
and I'm just pissed off.
- Judges, thoughts?
- Jess, you took a little risk
not doing the dots
like everybody else, but
your results were wonderful.
- I'm glad.
- I don't like dots.
- [laughs]
- Kyera, I really loved
- your concept.
I loved the sweetness
and the innuendo
and the clever use of your
ice cream cone as a prop.
- Thanks.
- Luis, you really
rocked this style.
The shadow on the arm,
I loved it.
- Thank you.
- And the winner of
this challenge is...
♪ ♪
Luis!
- Thank you!
- Congratulations.
You're the winner!
- When my name is called,
I'm just like: [gasps]
I can't believe it.
- All I'm thinking is just,
- "Viva Mexico,"
and it feels awesome!
- This piece spoke
from your heart.
It was really fun to look at
and also very moving.
- Thanks.
- Thank you, Cory.
- Thanks, Cory.
- In your first challenge, you
conquered the art of 2-D design.
Now it's time to take
your work to another level,
add dimension,
and create a 3-D mural.
[all exclaiming]
- I do a lot of murals.
That's what I do, and
that's what I do best.
I got this, you know.
This is too good to be true.
- A mural is usually flat,
but the curves
of the human body are
three-dimensional.
It's up to you to bring
your mural to life.
And for this concept challenge,
you'll be adding one more thing:
a partner.
- Aw!
- Nice.
- That's right; you'll be
working in teams of two.
- I feel a little bit nervous
about working in teams.
- I don't know who I'm
- gonna be paired with.
I'm just kind of like,
"Hmm, let's see
what happens here."
- Each team will turn four
models into three-dimensional
works of art,
and you'll have five hours.
One painter from the winning
team will be our winner,
and one painter from the
losing team will be going home.
Luis, since you won
the first challenge,
- you get to pick
- your painting partner.
- Jess.
- Yes!
- That was fast.
- Yeah.
I want to have the best team,
and Jess is a very
strong painter.
I'm excited.
- Okay, that's one team.
- Now we have to sort out
- the rest.
Luckily, I've got my trusty
paint can right here.
I'll pull out two paintbrushes,
and two names on them
will become a team.
Kyera and Alison.
- Hi!
- I knew it!
- Michael, Brittney.
- Yay, air five!
- Otto and Tiffany.
- Oh, wow.
- So that means Hans and Rick.
- Oh, yeah.
- [laughter]
- The two mural painters.
- This is amazing.
We both have a background
in street art.
- Rick and I are looking
- at each other like, "Get ready."
- We'll see you tomorrow,
- painters.
And remember,
there's no "I" in "team."
- But there is a "me."
[laughter]
Bye!
- Good luck!
[rock music]
♪ ♪
- Coming into this competition,
- I was very nervous
about working in teams
- but couldn't be more thrilled
- to work with Britt.
I wanted to give him wings
to fly high,
and then the other artist
can bring out their arms.
- Michael starts spitting
all darkness into light
and I was like, "Oh
my God, are you serious?"
He's a little bit more
on the quirky side.
That's typically not my style.
This will be interesting.
- That'll be like
the centerpiece of the owl.
- It's a shadow on top of it.
- Oh, yeah, there we go.
- On the owl's head.
- The basic idea of this is,
we've got this giant frog,
- and he opens his mouth,
- and all the water comes out,
and that makes everything green.
- In the boot camp, you'll
have your tents, training.
Our concept, it's a storyline.
There's a young soldier
from boot camp.
- Active duty.
- Your hometown.
- We have to create a 3-D mural,
and we're gonna
make it look 3-D by using
shadows and highlights.
- Like I said, we should do
- a big scene
- throughout
- the entire thing.
- I agree.
- On the way over here,
I just started missing
my son so much.
I just realized I feel
so deeply lonely, you know?
I'm just heartsick and homesick
and missing my son.
I don't want that to,
like, subconsciously
- sabotage what we're doing,
- you know?
- Alison is just having
an emotional day.
I'm gonna try to do my best
to uplift her spirits,
but I'm scared that she's
gonna bring us down.
I have a lot of
positive energy going on,
- and I've been at the bottom,
- so I really don't want
- to be there, so I'm going
- to be holding your hand.
I quit my job to be here.
I have nothing to go back to.
This is it.
[upbeat music]
- It's show time.
This is us!
- I love Michael,
but I'm a bit worried,
because I like to be in control
of my own artwork.
I've been in the top three
twice.
I know I need to make sure
- that Michael just can't
- hold me back.
- Are you guys working with us?
- Yes.
- Nice, welcome.
- Luis chose me as a partner,
and I'm not surprised.
I've won the Australian
championships three times.
I'm definitely one of the top
body painters here.
You're just putting your arm,
like, across you a bit.
We come up with this idea.
It's from the perspective
of a tiny fly
who's going to potentially be
zapped by this big bullfrog.
So I'm hoping
it's gonna turn out okay.
- Hi!
- Hey.
- Hey. Otto.
- Andrew.
- Andrew?
- The concept that me and Otto
- have is "Off to War,"
which is a salute to
all of our soldiers.
We have to make this
a very strong piece,
because I don't want Otto
going home;
I don't want myself to go home.
I would like Otto to go home
another day, to be honest.
You know, but now
is not that day.
- In the center of him is what?
- It's just gonna be,
- like, foliage peeking out
- between the leaves
- and the cocoon.
- For our design,
we just wanted to make up
a whimsical story of
the birth of a unicorn.
Concept's great, but
Alison is still emotional
because she misses her baby.
- I suddenly felt really,
really lonely, you know?
- I really hope
she can hold it together.
- I hope I don't have
- to start over.
I'm kind of nervous.
- Just like that.
I tattooed an owl on myself
when I first started tattooing
and it just fit perfectly
- with the vision
- that we had in mind.
Our concept is rising
above adversity
and just realizing how
powerful your knowledge is,
and the owl represents
knowledge.
I'm killing it.
- The frog should go, like,
right here as well.
My job on this one is the frog,
and Jess is responsible
for the fly.
- Right here, I'm blending
- the yellow, correct?
- Well, what I would do
is have a look at, like...
- 'Cause look,
- look at this one.
Jess, you know, she likes
to pretty much lead.
That red does not look good.
- What do you mean?
I haven't put any shadows
or anything yet.
- I think you should
- have done it with black.
- I'm gonna do black after.
- I'm nervous.
The judges aren't
gonna like this.
- The airbrush looks
- really sloppy.
- Well, okay, yeah,
but that was kind of the plan.
You do the airbrush first.
Luis is really stressed out,
but between the two of us,
- I don't intend to
- go home this week.
- Hey, Jess, I'm kind of
worried I'm going home.
- Stop it.
[upbeat music]
- We have five hours to paint
four models as a 3-D mural.
I feel like
this is too small.
Let me try
some bobby pins too.
I'm working on the caterpillar,
and Kyera is working
on the unicorn,
but we're spending too much
time on the bald caps,
so I'm hoping we can
get back on track.
Starting over.
♪ ♪
- Well, good morning, painters.
all: Good morning.
- I have Ru and Craig
with me today,
- who want to take a closer look
- at your work.
- Hi.
- Hi, Brittney and Michael.
- Hello.
- So what are you working on?
- We're working
- on a piece that is
going to transcend
before your eyes.
- Do you have a sketch or
- anything you can share?
- This is lightness
and darkness
trying to coexist.
- Oh.
- The universe
- is powerful.
- Michael and Brittney's concept
is voodoo hoodoo Zen thing?
I'm not sure what's going on,
and it seems like they don't
quite know either.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- Luis and Jess.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- It hit us that this is
actually a competition.
Pretty much, each challenge
is this giant frog, and, like--
- We're a little fly.
- We're the flies.
- Who came up with the concept?
- We kind of both did.
- We both did, but we--
- We brought two separate ideas.
- All right.
- I'm getting you're the
dominant force here, Jess.
- No, I just talk loudly.
- Because, Luis,
- you seem like, you know,
you could be a pushover.
Are you worried about that?
- No, I wouldn't want to work
with him if he were a pushover.
- You've got a lot
of work done already.
- Impressive-looking work.
- Thank you.
- Rick, how you feeling?
- I'm feeling great.
- What is the idea?
- Can you share it with us?
- Basically, the path
from the streets
to making your dreams happen.
- Pretty much just the meaning
- behind my owl
just being the king of
knowledge, you know?
It's working good so far.
- Who do you feel your
biggest competitors are?
- Oh, really?
- You're working with him.
- Standing right next
- to him, are ya?
- That's right.
- Keep your enemies close.
[laughter]
- Otto and Tiffany.
- Yes.
- Why, hello.
- Hello.
- So, basically, we have
a story that resonates
with the people that
are in the, like, armed forces.
- So it's going to be patriotic,
- it's looking?
- Oh, yes.
- Yes.
- Otto, you're very quiet.
- Are you letting her
- take the lead?
- Sometimes a woman
- should take that.
[laughing]
- We're still a little bare,
- aren't we?
- Yes.
- We had to get the--
- The bald caps took forever.
- You're telling me.
Story of my life!
- So our horned caterpillar's
going to go into a chrysalis
and then come out as a
unicorn with butterfly wings.
- What's going to be your
biggest challenge today?
- Time and
- lining everything up.
- And then we're gonna go in
- with color.
- Yeah.
- Thanks, guys.
- Wish us luck!
- All right, painters,
- thanks for letting us take
- a little peek.
- Now, remember, there's gonna be
- one winning team,
and there's going to be
one losing team.
And out of those,
one of you will win,
and one of you in this room
will be going home tonight.
Good luck, painters.
- Bye.
- See you soon!
[upbeat music]
- What if you open your mouth?
Brit.
- That's good.
We're telling a story about
this artist coming into his own,
going from darkness into light.
- Like this.
- Michael, he's
going to do darkness.
I'm working on the light.
- We're also just
communicating telepathically.
- Mm-hmm.
Mm-mm.
Oh!
I'm a bit nervous about it all
coming together.
I hope to God it makes sense.
- Ooh, you got
that airbrush skills.
- How are you doing over there?
- Pretty much almost done.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Shut up, Ricky.
Don't even talk to me right now.
- Rick always finishes quick.
- He's a street artist, and
- that's the name of the game.
But his work gets
a little bit sloppy.
Okay, see, this is
a little bit sloppy.
- Well, you were the one
- that did that line.
- Um...
Rick is only 20 years old,
but I've been doing murals
for 20 years.
- Whatever he does,
- I can just marry
this whole piece together
and make it great.
[upbeat music]
- Does it look 3-D?
- [gasps]
- Yeah, I need to pop
- this one leg out.
- I've been watching Kyera
struggle with her piece.
They're gonna be in trouble.
- So does that look
like a wing to you?
[sighs]
The image is there,
but we need more time.
I've done all that I could.
I've done most of this piece.
And at this point,
I wish I was alone.
[upbeat music]
- 45?
- There's 45?
[gasps] There's 45 minutes
remaining, guys!
♪ ♪
- If we got time, we gotta
throw boots on here too.
- I'll do the faces.
You do the boots.
♪ ♪
- I'm not really feeling this.
- In general?
- Like, for example,
we're prob--uh...
got me stuttering now,
made me nervous.
- When the judges came around,
- they said
Jess is dominating,
so I'm just thinking
if our piece makes the bottom,
- I'm the one that's
- gonna go home.
- So what I'm gonna do now--
this whole thing is a layer.
- How about you do that part?
- Because I'm just
- not visualizing it.
- Where's the white,
- white, white, white, white?
- White's over here.
- [coughing]
♪ ♪
- All right, painters.
- Time's up.
Put your tools down!
Wow!
- I don't know what
- I'm looking at,
- but everybody looks
- real good from here.
So let's all mosey on out
to the elimination stage
and show the judges.
- I don't know if my droopy dog
energy dragged Kyera down.
I'm just freaking out
about the mural.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Well, hello, painters.
all: Hi.
- For this challenge,
you worked in teams of two
to create 3-D murals
that tell a cohesive story.
Now let's say hello
to our esteemed judges.
Craig Tracy.
- Hello, painters.
- Robin Slonina.
- Hi, everybody.
- RuPaul Charles.
- What's up?
[laughter]
- And please welcome
- our special guest judge,
- who has mastered
- her own art form,
the incredibly
talented makeup artist
and YouTube sensation
Kandee Johnson.
- Hi!
- Hello.
- Oh, my God, Kandee Johnson?
She built herself up
as a makeup artist.
She's a huge inspiration that
I've been following for so long.
I'm so excited you're here.
- Thanks!
- Okay, painters.
It's time to present
your paintings.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- It feels really good to
see our models up there.
The wings look great.
- I'm hoping that I can win it
- with this one.
I really want to beat Rick.
♪ ♪
- The owl makes me
- feel proud of myself.
It's my design.
I hope the judges are able
to just see that off the bat.
- My favorite part of
the piece is the unicorn.
I worked really hard
on that position
to make it look like it was
jumping out of the body,
but overall I'm scared,
because it doesn't
- really connect with
- the caterpillar.
- My caterpillar looks great.
It looks fun.
It looks colorful.
I really like my side.
Kyera's unicorn
was a little rough
and not super well-rendered.
I don't want to lose because
of something that I didn't do.
- I just really love
- the gold leaf
and all of these details,
but it's the models' movements
that really make it magical.
- I love the way
it looks cohesively,
but I'm not liking my faces
that I put on their bodies.
I know my quality of work is a
lot better than what I put out.
It's a sickening feeling.
- Looking at all the models
together, I'm feeling good.
I love the tongue idea.
It's exactly what I wanted.
And I didn't let Jess take
full control of this mural.
Definitely has a chance.
- I spent a lot of time
working on the fly,
and it looks really very cool.
The frog doesn't
line up correctly.
I'll have to wait and
see what happens.
- I like the tanks.
I like the guns.
Tiffany did an awesome job
on the portrait,
which represents those soldiers
that didn't make it home.
For the first time,
- I'm not worried about
- getting kicked off.
To me, it just looks great.
- Our models look so beautiful.
I'm not 100% happy
with the boots,
but the rest of the piece
is really good.
- Okay, Hans and Rick,
please step forward.
- Our concept is about
how we've made it here.
It's called
"From Dreams to Reality."
- So you both have experience
doing mural painting?
- Yeah.
- 20 years, yeah.
- Well, I think that you guys
really nailed it
- as far as execution
- of the challenge.
It's just stunning.
- So who did what on the piece?
- So we kind of
- designed it together.
- I was focused on the owl,
and Hans threw some wings
on it,
- and he did some building
- on the bottom.
- The skyline, it's just
captivating to your eyes.
And then that owl?
- It looks like it's
- three-dimensional.
- Like, it looks like
- there are layers.
It is phenomenal.
- Thanks so much.
- Thank you.
- That's awesome.
- All right, square biz.
Between the two of you,
who should win?
- It's not for us to decide;
it's for you to decide.
- If it comes down to that,
I mean,
I don't mind taking the win.
[laughter]
- So why should you win?
- Well, see, now it gets
more technical, you know?
So I feel like I did a bigger
part of the project.
- Okay, thank you,
Rick and Hans.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Okay, Brittney and Michael,
- your turn.
- This piece is about an artist
who's afraid of darkness
but faces his fears
and seeks the universe.
- Were you worried that
- this was gonna be a bit much
for your models, to take on
three separate poses?
- We wanted to go
a bit above and beyond
what everyone was doing and
take a different approach.
- Instead of having
- a stagnant pose,
we wanted our story to come
to life in front of you.
- Who did
the center model's face?
- Brittney.
- I did.
- It's beautiful.
- Thank you.
- This is a very
theatrical piece.
However, I think it's more
cosmic than it is kickass.
From both of you,
I wanted to see
a little bit more technique,
something that
pulled me in closer.
- Okay, Brittney and Michael,
- thank you.
- Thank you, judges.
- Thank you guys.
- Okay, Luis and Jess.
- So the whole concept is about
that this is a competition,
that frog being
a huge challenge
and each of us being that fly
that's about to get eaten.
- This piece reminds me
of Nicki Minaj
in that I like the bottom
more than I like the top.
- Oh!
[dramatic music]
- I pretty much painted
the whole bottom.
- Hang on a sec.
♪ ♪
- What'd you paint?
- Oh!
- I pretty much painted
the whole bottom.
- What?
- And the crumbs.
- Hang on a sec.
- What'd you paint?
- Oh!
- So the thing
- that you're saying to me
is that you don't see the frog.
- Me no like the frog.
- Okay.
But the guy that spent
the most time on the frog
was this guy.
- The frog is the one part
- where I'm like--
- I feel like my eyes and my brain
- are working so hard.
- Like, "See a frog.
- See a frog."
I'm like, what kind
of frog are you?
I don't know.
- But I love how
- the tongue comes down.
Like, that part is so cool.
- Jess, do you think
that you should win today?
- Um, I think I should.
- I believe I should stay.
- I was pretty much the brains
- behind the piece.
- [laughs]
- All right, thanks, guys.
[militant music]
- We wanted to commemorate
all of the active servicemen.
- We thought
- that it would be a good idea
to bring that on the show
- so that people across
- the world can know
that we appreciate them.
♪ ♪
- It's really beautiful,
and of course you know,
- you put an American flag
- on something,
and, well...
"America's number one, son!"
[laughter]
- Who can I blame for
painting those faces?
- Me.
- I was rushing to get something
- on the face
so that it wouldn't be bare.
- Speaking of faces, did you
render both portraits?
- I did.
- Beautifully done.
- Thank you.
- This is something that's
- so touching and powerful
for people who have lost
loved ones
- or have grandparents
- or fathers or friends
- or anybody
- who's fought in the war.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Okay, Kyera and Alison.
[upbeat music]
- Our piece
is the whimsical story
of the birth of a unicorn.
- I love all the detail
- that looks just like
- an illustration
- on the little--
- is that the horn
- of the caterpillar?
And of course I always love
glitter anywhere.
- Thank you.
- I love you, by the way.
- I love you too.
- I want to like this piece more
than I actually like this piece.
I don't feel like
you communicated
or planned as effectively
as you could have.
It's just not working for me.
- The unicorn is
- supposed to be coming out
of the chrysalis, but I think
something got lost there.
- Of the two of you,
who should win?
- I'm going to have to say me.
- Alison, do you agree
- with that?
- Um...
Overall, I feel like Kyera is
so, like, young and vibrant,
and I almost want to--
I almost feel like
throwing myself under the bus
if it came down to that,
because I feel like
Kyera should just be here.
Like, this is so her.
She's kind of on her upswing,
- and I feel like I'm on
- my downswing right now.
I don't know.
- That's ridiculous.
If you can't sell yourself,
then you're not gonna make it
as a freelance artist
in this business.
- Oh, my gosh,
did I make a mistake?
I don't think
I'm ready to go home.
- Well, painters,
that was pretty fantastic.
- The judges have
- a lot to discuss.
Please head back to the lounge,
and we'll call you back shortly.
- [sighs]
- That was rough, guys.
- That was brutal.
- Look, you know what?
The work will speak for itself,
- and that's what
- is most important.
- But you have to
- stand up for yourself.
- We're friends, and
- we all get along,
- but I didn't come here
- to make friends.
I came here to take
that money home.
- So, judges,
what'd you think?
- I love Hans and Rick.
The owl, that was mind-blowing.
- I was just--
just gobsmacked by it.
- And it was the symmetry
of the rest of it
- that helped keep focusing
- your eye
back on that
beautiful centerpiece.
- And even how they did
- the skyline,
it was really cohesive.
I liked it a lot.
- That was Hans,
and it was just
- such a pleasing thing
- to look at.
- I got the sense
- when talking to them
that Rick was the real painter
of the focal point.
- Rick is kind of
a soft-spoken alpha.
- Right?
- [laughter]
- How about Luis and Jess?
- I thought it was
a beautiful piece,
but the frog failed.
- The frog was a failure,
but the color scheme
- and everything else about it,
- I absolutely loved.
- And the tongue,
I really liked the tongue.
- What'd you think about
Michael and Brittney?
- It was a mix of many
different New Age elements,
but it just needed
more cohesion for me.
- That was a little confusing.
- The difference between the
faces was a little bit jarring.
- And the eyes were
- very simple,
- and I feel like it didn't look
- three-dimensional.
We didn't see details
that could have been like,
"Whoa, look at that wow factor!"
- I don't know
which one would be the bottom
in that mini train wreck.
- What about Kyera and Alison?
- Do you know what
- pissed me off?
- Hmm?
- Alison pissed me off today.
- Oh, yeah.
- What in the heck was that?
Saying that "oh, she's younger."
I just did not respect
that attitude that she took.
- I really did enjoy
Kyera and Alison's piece.
I loved the colors.
- That caterpillar
was very convincing,
but there's just some
little technical things.
The water droplets,
I wish that maybe they were
a little more white or blue.
- Kyera's unicorn,
it was a technical mess.
- Now, granted,
a caterpillar is a cylinder.
It's a lot easier.
I mean, it's much more
complicated to make a unicorn.
- And it was in movement,
with limbs coming at you,
- where I think, like,
- that is a challenge.
- Mm-hmm.
- The Tiffany and Otto piece,
for me, felt like a mural.
The actual story was cohesive.
- I agree.
- You knew exactly what it said.
- You didn't even need it
- to be explained to you.
And that's the purpose
of a mural.
- So, judges, have you
made your decision?
- Yeah.
- I think so.
- Yeah.
[dramatic music]
- Welcome back, painters.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- In this challenge,
you competed in teams,
and your 3-D murals came
to life.
Tonight, there can be
only one winner,
and one painter
will be going home.
Luis and Jess.
You are safe, so you may head
back to the painters' lounge.
both: Thank you.
- Otto and Tiffany.
Hans and Rick.
You are the top two teams.
Congratulations.
Please step forward.
- Otto and Tiffany,
your mural was passionate,
and it made me proud
to be an American.
- Hans and Rick, it all worked,
starting with the composition,
the pose.
Everything was
executed perfectly.
You should both be very proud.
- Thank you.
- Thanks so much.
- Hans and Rick,
congratulations.
You're the top team.
- Awesome.
- Otto and Tiffany, you may head
- back to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you, judges.
- Hans and Rick, one of you
will be tonight's winner.
- I know that I have
more experience than Rick.
- It's very important
- for me to show everyone
that I'm in this competition
for a reason.
- The winner of
this challenge is...
[tense music]
- Hans and Rick, you both did
exceptional work,
but only one of you
can come out on top.
The winner of this
challenge is...
[tense music]
Rick.
Congratulations.
- Yeah, I won.
I love it. I'm officially
a threat to everybody.
- [sighs]
- That feels good.
[laughter]
- Rick, that owl
that you painted
truly was the focal point
of an extraordinary piece
of art tonight.
- Congratulations, Rick.
- You and Hans may go back
- to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you, judges.
- Congrats.
- Great work, Hans.
- Thank you, awesome.
- Well done, guys.
- What up, playas?
- Welcome.
- Michael and Brittney,
Alison and Kyera.
The judges thought your murals
were the least effective
tonight.
- Michael and Brittney,
I wanted more technique here.
You spent too much time
on the transitions
and the theatrics
without actually putting
together a cohesive mural.
- Alison and Kyera,
- I know that you guys
got off to a rocky start,
and it did end up looking
a little bit rushed.
- Unfortunately, one of you will
be packing your brushes tonight.
[tense music]
Michael and Brittney...
♪ ♪
You're safe.
But the judges need to see
better work from you--and soon.
Please return
to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you.
♪ ♪
- I'm freaking out.
I'm in the bottom.
But if Alison is a woman
of her word and she doesn't
want to be here,
she will let that be known.
If she's two-faced
and I end up going home
- and she doesn't voice
- her opinion,
then everybody can see
her character.
- Alison and Kyera,
one of you is going home.
♪ ♪
The judges have made
their decision.
Alison...
♪ ♪
You're safe.
- [gasps]
- Although your overall mural
was lacking
in technique and composition,
the caterpillar
and the tropical aspects
- of your painting
- were well executed.
- [sighs]
- Kyera.
Unfortunately,
you are going home tonight.
- Kyera, the unicorn was not
as strong as the caterpillar.
It wasn't a clean rendering.
- Alison, it's time
for you to step up your work
and get ready to fight.
- Hell, yeah.
([sniffs)
- Alison, you may head back
to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- Wow, Alison.
Fake, everything fake.
I'm heartbroken.
- Kyera, I know in my heart
of hearts, you're a star.
You're a star,
and I know stars
when I see them.
This is just the beginning.
- Thank you.
I've made it to a point where
I never thought I could reach.
I'm finally in LA,
and I'm not leaving,
and I'm not going back home.
I feel truly blessed
to have met all of you.
Thank you all.
- Kyera, it's time to
wash off your canvas.
- I'm disappointed.
I wanted to make it
till the end.
I'm blessed and happy.
I've already won a family,
especially with Michael.
- [sobbing]
- Being a part of "Skin Wars"
has been the best experience
of my life,
and I know that I can be proud
of my work.
- Fly high, little unicorn.
Fly high.
- Till next time.
- Bye.
- I'm going to pursue
my dream in LA,
and I'm excited
that the world will see
that I am a great artist, and
this is only the beginning
for a greater life
that's about to be.
[upbeat music]
- Next time on "Skin Wars"...
- There's gonna be a pageant!
- Wait a minute.
That's not a woman.
[laughs]
- The men are here.
- Oh, [beep].
- Winning is the goal.
- Exactly.
- What is going on?
- Luis?
Yeah, he gonna howl.
- Oh, ****!
- 45 minutes, bitches!
- Are you ready
to crown Miss Skin Wars?
- I thought you'd never ask.
- I just want to win
one challenge.
Please just one.
- of competitive body painting,
you can either keep your cool
or turn up the heat.
- ♪ This ain't no illusion,
babe ♪
♪ Yeah, you're heaven made ♪
- It's a sizzling season three
of "Skin Wars."
The art of body painting
is more powerful than ever.
12 of the most talented artists
from around the world
will push themselves
week after week...
- You painted your heart out.
- [screams]
- Proving who is brilliant
- with a brush...
- Yeah!
- Just amazing.
- Loved it.
- I came here to win.
[all gasp]
- And who can't handle
- the pressure.
- I'm freaking out.
- Wow.
- What?
- [crying]
Almost there.
- How dare you disgrace
this competition
with your bull****?
- Do you want to leave
the competition?
This week, ten remain
to fight for the grand prize:
$100,000 and the ultimate title
of "Skin Wars" champion.
[upbeat techno music]
♪ ♪
- Hello, painters!
all: Hi!
- Well, as you can see, Robin
and Ru are here with us today.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Watch out, children, because
we brought our baggage.
- Yes, thanks for
- the warning, Ru.
- Yes.
- [laughter]
- Guys, today we are
taking a journey back in time
to the art of the 1950s.
[all exclaim]
During this time,
the 2-D approach that emerged
is one of the most recognizable
styles of modern art.
For today's challenge,
you will have to make
your model look like
a piece of 2-D art.
- Yay!
- Yay!
- Each case on the table
contains a prop
and a speech bubble
that must be painted
and included
into your final design.
Your models will be assigned
by the case you choose,
- and they will be posing
- with your props
in front of this backdrop
to help create the feeling
of a true 2-D piece of art.
This is a waist-up design,
including the face.
You will have only three hours
to complete your work.
- We want to see a lot
of personality here.
- Should be vivid,
vivacious, be fierce!
[laughing]
- Are you ready to time travel?
- Yeah!
- Yes.
- Good, because your time
starts now!
[techno music]
[all gasp]
- Let's open this bad boy up,
see what we got.
- Birthday cake.
- How do you open this?
- Ah, it's a little ice cream!
- What is this?
- It's a paint roller.
- Hello, Andrew.
Meow.
♪ ♪
I get my sexy male model
and an oven mitt.
I'm going to make you a girl.
I almost went home last week,
and now I really
have to bring it.
- Yellow.
- Like, "Ooh!"
Something like that.
- I'm excited about this
challenge, because it's 2-D.
- That was my graphic design
- degree.
It's easy for me
to see art flat,
and I'm really good
at contouring
and making those lines.
Maybe I have a chance
of winning this challenge.
[upbeat music]
- My first idea is a
sarcastic tap on the shoulder
to the old-school elegant male
with the martini glass.
Well, Luis has got
a lot of his dots going.
- Yeah, he's a dotter.
- A dotter.
2-D art is a lot of dots
and a lot of straight lines.
- I'm looking at everyone else,
- and they're doing dots.
- I want my piece to be
- something completely different.
♪ ♪
- Otto's using cakes!
Hallelujah!
We've brought him over
to the other side!
- My concept is
'50s devilish pinup.
- I want to stay away
- from the airbrush,
- because it doesn't
- really work that good,
- especially when you want
- solid, crisp lines.
This whole not airbrush thing
is just so weird.
I feel like I'm cheating.
- [laughs]
- Want some pink eyelashes?
- Cute!
- Right?
- What's up, Luis?
- How come you went with
- green on your model?
- Mine has to do with, like,
- immigration and stuff.
- Got to stand up for
- our people, you know?
- I feel you on that.
- I was born in Mexico.
When I was five years old,
my parents migrated
- to the U.S. because they wanted
- a better opportunity
for myself and for them.
I did the Mexican
color flags,
and that's what I'm doing
on my horn right now.
- Out of high school,
- I wasn't able to go
straight into art school,
because the money wasn't there.
Winning "Skin Wars"
would change my life.
I would pay for school.
- All right, you guys,
- y'all better stop polka-dotting
- around!
We got 15 minutes left!
- [people cheering]
- ****.
- Wow, that's cool.
- I understand
exactly what 2-D is.
- Yours kind of looks
- like a Ken doll.
- I was in the top three
in the last challenge,
so I need to show
what I'm made of
- and that I do have
- my own place
in the spectrum
of the body-painting world.
[upbeat music]
- Ten, nine, eight.
- Oh, my God.
- Oh, here comes the judges.
- I'ma spray your hair.
I'ma spray my hair.
- All right, painters,
- time's up!
- Put your tools down!
- Okay.
- How's everyone feeling?
- Great.
- Awesome, amazing.
- All right, the judges
can't wait to take
- a closer look
- against the background.
- Yeah!
- Hi, Kyera.
- So this is Miss Lucy.
She got her ice cream,
and it was a very hot day,
so it started melting.
- Aw!
- "It melted
all over my breasts!"
[laughter]
- Look at her teardrop;
it's a giant gem.
- I know; I wasn't
- gonna use rhinestones
and glitter for this one,
because I was like, "2-D,"
but then I was like, oops.
- [laughter]
- You were like, "Oops, oopsie."
- I think it's really clever
how you did
between her fingers black.
Really gives the illusion
of a drawn outline.
- Thank you, Kyera.
- Thank you so much.
- This is David.
He's a painter.
He was running late,
so he decided he was just
gonna paint a suit on.
- Rolling the competition
into a big fat blunt.
[laughter]
- It's probably why
- he was late.
- Yeah, probably.
Were you okay on time?
- Yeah, make it
- more challenging.
Maybe an hour and a half.
- Gauntlet thrown down,
- Rick.
- Yup.
- I chose green, red, and white
to represent the Mexican flag.
When people
stereotype immigrants,
they automatically
go for Mexicans.
It represents for my people.
- That shadow is very clever.
That's the first thing
I noticed when he came out.
- Oh, thank you, yeah.
- I love this
- color combination.
- You did a great job,
- and I like how
you did the lines
on the megaphone too
just to delineate that.
- Hello.
- "If I don't clean her pipes
tonight,
I'll hear
a coy kitchen whine."
- There's a few little
riddles in there.
- Please explain.
- Yes, what is this?
- It's kind of
- a cartoon of myself.
I grew up with all sisters
and all women,
and I was the one that would do
- all the stuff
- around the house.
- Can you give us an example
- of what a coy
- kitchen whine--
- What's a coy kitchen whine?
- "Coy kitchen whine" rhymes
with which pop artist
from that era?
- Roy Lichtenstein.
- There you go.
- Well, this feels like
- a confident painting.
I mean, you really nailed
this genre.
- Thank you.
- Thanks a lot, Hans.
- This is the first time I've
ever done anything like 2-D,
- and I got to play
- with the cakes.
- I stayed away from the airbrush
- as much as I could.
- Have you never
- used sponge before?
- Not put it on for
a full-body application.
I learned a lesson through this.
I'm happy with that.
- I'm happy too.
- Thank you.
- So I remember the day that
same-sex marriage got voted in
- and everyone--
- like, "Did you hear?
- Did you hear?
- Did you hear?"
- Have we got two faces?
- No, I'd always thought
about trying to do
- a profile
- in the opposite direction.
I didn't have any idea if
it was gonna work or not.
- I admire you for
- taking the risk.
- Yeah.
- Thank you, Alison.
- Thank you.
- All right, hey, Jess.
- Hi.
This drunk is, you know,
the life of the party.
But we don't see what happens
behind the scenes to his family.
- Tell us about the technique.
- I actually went away
- from the dots.
I wanted to go with the
very sharp color gradations
that happen
in the old cartoon style.
- Great.
- Thanks, Jess.
- Thank you so much.
- This looks like a nice twist.
- So this is Harriet, and
she is dating Hans's model.
- Your model looks
like a Swedish housewife
with those amazing cheekbones.
Those are outrageous!
- Wow, painters, you've given
the judges a lot to talk about.
- We'll be back to announce
- the winner shortly.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- See you soon.
Wow.
- That was fun!
- Yeah.
- I really liked Kyera's piece.
- Oh, Kyera's was fun.
- It was so sweet,
and technically
I think it actually was
one of the best.
- It was poppy and fun to look at.
- Yeah.
- So what'd you think
- about Luis?
- For me, that was
- the perfect marriage
of great technique,
great message.
- It was pure,
it was simple,
and the saturation of color
was beautiful.
- And, man, he just had me
- at that shadow.
Really clever.
- What'd you think
- about Jess?
- My favorite part
of Jess's piece
was the collection of
colors on the chest.
- You know, I thought it was
- a perfect choice.
- It was kind of risky
- that she was the only artist
that decided
not to do the dots
and challenged herself, "Can
I pull this off without dots?"
And I think she did.
- I think so.
- I don't think she needed 'em.
- What'd you think about Hans?
- Conceptually,
completely bizarre,
- but the painting
- was very solid.
The way that he did
the bald cap,
he was able to paint it
so it really read.
- So have you made
your decision?
- Yes.
- Yeah, I think so.
- Yeah.
- Okay, let's go tell 'em.
- All right.
[tense music]
- Hi, painters.
all: Hello.
- You've had three hours
to create your artwork.
Now it's time for the judges
to announce
their top three paintings.
- I'm not trying to be cocky
- or anything,
- but out of all
- the different pieces,
my piece is the most 2-D today.
- Hi, painters.
- all: Hello.
- You've had three hours
to create your artwork.
- Now it's time for the judges
- to announce
their top three paintings.
Jess.
Luis.
Kyera.
Congratulations, you have
the top three paintings.
Please step forward.
- Ah, my piece, it is
complete graphic everything.
The challenge was 2-D,
and I'm just pissed off.
- Judges, thoughts?
- Jess, you took a little risk
not doing the dots
like everybody else, but
your results were wonderful.
- I'm glad.
- I don't like dots.
- [laughs]
- Kyera, I really loved
- your concept.
I loved the sweetness
and the innuendo
and the clever use of your
ice cream cone as a prop.
- Thanks.
- Luis, you really
rocked this style.
The shadow on the arm,
I loved it.
- Thank you.
- And the winner of
this challenge is...
♪ ♪
Luis!
- Thank you!
- Congratulations.
You're the winner!
- When my name is called,
I'm just like: [gasps]
I can't believe it.
- All I'm thinking is just,
- "Viva Mexico,"
and it feels awesome!
- This piece spoke
from your heart.
It was really fun to look at
and also very moving.
- Thanks.
- Thank you, Cory.
- Thanks, Cory.
- In your first challenge, you
conquered the art of 2-D design.
Now it's time to take
your work to another level,
add dimension,
and create a 3-D mural.
[all exclaiming]
- I do a lot of murals.
That's what I do, and
that's what I do best.
I got this, you know.
This is too good to be true.
- A mural is usually flat,
but the curves
of the human body are
three-dimensional.
It's up to you to bring
your mural to life.
And for this concept challenge,
you'll be adding one more thing:
a partner.
- Aw!
- Nice.
- That's right; you'll be
working in teams of two.
- I feel a little bit nervous
about working in teams.
- I don't know who I'm
- gonna be paired with.
I'm just kind of like,
"Hmm, let's see
what happens here."
- Each team will turn four
models into three-dimensional
works of art,
and you'll have five hours.
One painter from the winning
team will be our winner,
and one painter from the
losing team will be going home.
Luis, since you won
the first challenge,
- you get to pick
- your painting partner.
- Jess.
- Yes!
- That was fast.
- Yeah.
I want to have the best team,
and Jess is a very
strong painter.
I'm excited.
- Okay, that's one team.
- Now we have to sort out
- the rest.
Luckily, I've got my trusty
paint can right here.
I'll pull out two paintbrushes,
and two names on them
will become a team.
Kyera and Alison.
- Hi!
- I knew it!
- Michael, Brittney.
- Yay, air five!
- Otto and Tiffany.
- Oh, wow.
- So that means Hans and Rick.
- Oh, yeah.
- [laughter]
- The two mural painters.
- This is amazing.
We both have a background
in street art.
- Rick and I are looking
- at each other like, "Get ready."
- We'll see you tomorrow,
- painters.
And remember,
there's no "I" in "team."
- But there is a "me."
[laughter]
Bye!
- Good luck!
[rock music]
♪ ♪
- Coming into this competition,
- I was very nervous
about working in teams
- but couldn't be more thrilled
- to work with Britt.
I wanted to give him wings
to fly high,
and then the other artist
can bring out their arms.
- Michael starts spitting
all darkness into light
and I was like, "Oh
my God, are you serious?"
He's a little bit more
on the quirky side.
That's typically not my style.
This will be interesting.
- That'll be like
the centerpiece of the owl.
- It's a shadow on top of it.
- Oh, yeah, there we go.
- On the owl's head.
- The basic idea of this is,
we've got this giant frog,
- and he opens his mouth,
- and all the water comes out,
and that makes everything green.
- In the boot camp, you'll
have your tents, training.
Our concept, it's a storyline.
There's a young soldier
from boot camp.
- Active duty.
- Your hometown.
- We have to create a 3-D mural,
and we're gonna
make it look 3-D by using
shadows and highlights.
- Like I said, we should do
- a big scene
- throughout
- the entire thing.
- I agree.
- On the way over here,
I just started missing
my son so much.
I just realized I feel
so deeply lonely, you know?
I'm just heartsick and homesick
and missing my son.
I don't want that to,
like, subconsciously
- sabotage what we're doing,
- you know?
- Alison is just having
an emotional day.
I'm gonna try to do my best
to uplift her spirits,
but I'm scared that she's
gonna bring us down.
I have a lot of
positive energy going on,
- and I've been at the bottom,
- so I really don't want
- to be there, so I'm going
- to be holding your hand.
I quit my job to be here.
I have nothing to go back to.
This is it.
[upbeat music]
- It's show time.
This is us!
- I love Michael,
but I'm a bit worried,
because I like to be in control
of my own artwork.
I've been in the top three
twice.
I know I need to make sure
- that Michael just can't
- hold me back.
- Are you guys working with us?
- Yes.
- Nice, welcome.
- Luis chose me as a partner,
and I'm not surprised.
I've won the Australian
championships three times.
I'm definitely one of the top
body painters here.
You're just putting your arm,
like, across you a bit.
We come up with this idea.
It's from the perspective
of a tiny fly
who's going to potentially be
zapped by this big bullfrog.
So I'm hoping
it's gonna turn out okay.
- Hi!
- Hey.
- Hey. Otto.
- Andrew.
- Andrew?
- The concept that me and Otto
- have is "Off to War,"
which is a salute to
all of our soldiers.
We have to make this
a very strong piece,
because I don't want Otto
going home;
I don't want myself to go home.
I would like Otto to go home
another day, to be honest.
You know, but now
is not that day.
- In the center of him is what?
- It's just gonna be,
- like, foliage peeking out
- between the leaves
- and the cocoon.
- For our design,
we just wanted to make up
a whimsical story of
the birth of a unicorn.
Concept's great, but
Alison is still emotional
because she misses her baby.
- I suddenly felt really,
really lonely, you know?
- I really hope
she can hold it together.
- I hope I don't have
- to start over.
I'm kind of nervous.
- Just like that.
I tattooed an owl on myself
when I first started tattooing
and it just fit perfectly
- with the vision
- that we had in mind.
Our concept is rising
above adversity
and just realizing how
powerful your knowledge is,
and the owl represents
knowledge.
I'm killing it.
- The frog should go, like,
right here as well.
My job on this one is the frog,
and Jess is responsible
for the fly.
- Right here, I'm blending
- the yellow, correct?
- Well, what I would do
is have a look at, like...
- 'Cause look,
- look at this one.
Jess, you know, she likes
to pretty much lead.
That red does not look good.
- What do you mean?
I haven't put any shadows
or anything yet.
- I think you should
- have done it with black.
- I'm gonna do black after.
- I'm nervous.
The judges aren't
gonna like this.
- The airbrush looks
- really sloppy.
- Well, okay, yeah,
but that was kind of the plan.
You do the airbrush first.
Luis is really stressed out,
but between the two of us,
- I don't intend to
- go home this week.
- Hey, Jess, I'm kind of
worried I'm going home.
- Stop it.
[upbeat music]
- We have five hours to paint
four models as a 3-D mural.
I feel like
this is too small.
Let me try
some bobby pins too.
I'm working on the caterpillar,
and Kyera is working
on the unicorn,
but we're spending too much
time on the bald caps,
so I'm hoping we can
get back on track.
Starting over.
♪ ♪
- Well, good morning, painters.
all: Good morning.
- I have Ru and Craig
with me today,
- who want to take a closer look
- at your work.
- Hi.
- Hi, Brittney and Michael.
- Hello.
- So what are you working on?
- We're working
- on a piece that is
going to transcend
before your eyes.
- Do you have a sketch or
- anything you can share?
- This is lightness
and darkness
trying to coexist.
- Oh.
- The universe
- is powerful.
- Michael and Brittney's concept
is voodoo hoodoo Zen thing?
I'm not sure what's going on,
and it seems like they don't
quite know either.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- Luis and Jess.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- It hit us that this is
actually a competition.
Pretty much, each challenge
is this giant frog, and, like--
- We're a little fly.
- We're the flies.
- Who came up with the concept?
- We kind of both did.
- We both did, but we--
- We brought two separate ideas.
- All right.
- I'm getting you're the
dominant force here, Jess.
- No, I just talk loudly.
- Because, Luis,
- you seem like, you know,
you could be a pushover.
Are you worried about that?
- No, I wouldn't want to work
with him if he were a pushover.
- You've got a lot
of work done already.
- Impressive-looking work.
- Thank you.
- Rick, how you feeling?
- I'm feeling great.
- What is the idea?
- Can you share it with us?
- Basically, the path
from the streets
to making your dreams happen.
- Pretty much just the meaning
- behind my owl
just being the king of
knowledge, you know?
It's working good so far.
- Who do you feel your
biggest competitors are?
- Oh, really?
- You're working with him.
- Standing right next
- to him, are ya?
- That's right.
- Keep your enemies close.
[laughter]
- Otto and Tiffany.
- Yes.
- Why, hello.
- Hello.
- So, basically, we have
a story that resonates
with the people that
are in the, like, armed forces.
- So it's going to be patriotic,
- it's looking?
- Oh, yes.
- Yes.
- Otto, you're very quiet.
- Are you letting her
- take the lead?
- Sometimes a woman
- should take that.
[laughing]
- We're still a little bare,
- aren't we?
- Yes.
- We had to get the--
- The bald caps took forever.
- You're telling me.
Story of my life!
- So our horned caterpillar's
going to go into a chrysalis
and then come out as a
unicorn with butterfly wings.
- What's going to be your
biggest challenge today?
- Time and
- lining everything up.
- And then we're gonna go in
- with color.
- Yeah.
- Thanks, guys.
- Wish us luck!
- All right, painters,
- thanks for letting us take
- a little peek.
- Now, remember, there's gonna be
- one winning team,
and there's going to be
one losing team.
And out of those,
one of you will win,
and one of you in this room
will be going home tonight.
Good luck, painters.
- Bye.
- See you soon!
[upbeat music]
- What if you open your mouth?
Brit.
- That's good.
We're telling a story about
this artist coming into his own,
going from darkness into light.
- Like this.
- Michael, he's
going to do darkness.
I'm working on the light.
- We're also just
communicating telepathically.
- Mm-hmm.
Mm-mm.
Oh!
I'm a bit nervous about it all
coming together.
I hope to God it makes sense.
- Ooh, you got
that airbrush skills.
- How are you doing over there?
- Pretty much almost done.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Shut up, Ricky.
Don't even talk to me right now.
- Rick always finishes quick.
- He's a street artist, and
- that's the name of the game.
But his work gets
a little bit sloppy.
Okay, see, this is
a little bit sloppy.
- Well, you were the one
- that did that line.
- Um...
Rick is only 20 years old,
but I've been doing murals
for 20 years.
- Whatever he does,
- I can just marry
this whole piece together
and make it great.
[upbeat music]
- Does it look 3-D?
- [gasps]
- Yeah, I need to pop
- this one leg out.
- I've been watching Kyera
struggle with her piece.
They're gonna be in trouble.
- So does that look
like a wing to you?
[sighs]
The image is there,
but we need more time.
I've done all that I could.
I've done most of this piece.
And at this point,
I wish I was alone.
[upbeat music]
- 45?
- There's 45?
[gasps] There's 45 minutes
remaining, guys!
♪ ♪
- If we got time, we gotta
throw boots on here too.
- I'll do the faces.
You do the boots.
♪ ♪
- I'm not really feeling this.
- In general?
- Like, for example,
we're prob--uh...
got me stuttering now,
made me nervous.
- When the judges came around,
- they said
Jess is dominating,
so I'm just thinking
if our piece makes the bottom,
- I'm the one that's
- gonna go home.
- So what I'm gonna do now--
this whole thing is a layer.
- How about you do that part?
- Because I'm just
- not visualizing it.
- Where's the white,
- white, white, white, white?
- White's over here.
- [coughing]
♪ ♪
- All right, painters.
- Time's up.
Put your tools down!
Wow!
- I don't know what
- I'm looking at,
- but everybody looks
- real good from here.
So let's all mosey on out
to the elimination stage
and show the judges.
- I don't know if my droopy dog
energy dragged Kyera down.
I'm just freaking out
about the mural.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Well, hello, painters.
all: Hi.
- For this challenge,
you worked in teams of two
to create 3-D murals
that tell a cohesive story.
Now let's say hello
to our esteemed judges.
Craig Tracy.
- Hello, painters.
- Robin Slonina.
- Hi, everybody.
- RuPaul Charles.
- What's up?
[laughter]
- And please welcome
- our special guest judge,
- who has mastered
- her own art form,
the incredibly
talented makeup artist
and YouTube sensation
Kandee Johnson.
- Hi!
- Hello.
- Oh, my God, Kandee Johnson?
She built herself up
as a makeup artist.
She's a huge inspiration that
I've been following for so long.
I'm so excited you're here.
- Thanks!
- Okay, painters.
It's time to present
your paintings.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- It feels really good to
see our models up there.
The wings look great.
- I'm hoping that I can win it
- with this one.
I really want to beat Rick.
♪ ♪
- The owl makes me
- feel proud of myself.
It's my design.
I hope the judges are able
to just see that off the bat.
- My favorite part of
the piece is the unicorn.
I worked really hard
on that position
to make it look like it was
jumping out of the body,
but overall I'm scared,
because it doesn't
- really connect with
- the caterpillar.
- My caterpillar looks great.
It looks fun.
It looks colorful.
I really like my side.
Kyera's unicorn
was a little rough
and not super well-rendered.
I don't want to lose because
of something that I didn't do.
- I just really love
- the gold leaf
and all of these details,
but it's the models' movements
that really make it magical.
- I love the way
it looks cohesively,
but I'm not liking my faces
that I put on their bodies.
I know my quality of work is a
lot better than what I put out.
It's a sickening feeling.
- Looking at all the models
together, I'm feeling good.
I love the tongue idea.
It's exactly what I wanted.
And I didn't let Jess take
full control of this mural.
Definitely has a chance.
- I spent a lot of time
working on the fly,
and it looks really very cool.
The frog doesn't
line up correctly.
I'll have to wait and
see what happens.
- I like the tanks.
I like the guns.
Tiffany did an awesome job
on the portrait,
which represents those soldiers
that didn't make it home.
For the first time,
- I'm not worried about
- getting kicked off.
To me, it just looks great.
- Our models look so beautiful.
I'm not 100% happy
with the boots,
but the rest of the piece
is really good.
- Okay, Hans and Rick,
please step forward.
- Our concept is about
how we've made it here.
It's called
"From Dreams to Reality."
- So you both have experience
doing mural painting?
- Yeah.
- 20 years, yeah.
- Well, I think that you guys
really nailed it
- as far as execution
- of the challenge.
It's just stunning.
- So who did what on the piece?
- So we kind of
- designed it together.
- I was focused on the owl,
and Hans threw some wings
on it,
- and he did some building
- on the bottom.
- The skyline, it's just
captivating to your eyes.
And then that owl?
- It looks like it's
- three-dimensional.
- Like, it looks like
- there are layers.
It is phenomenal.
- Thanks so much.
- Thank you.
- That's awesome.
- All right, square biz.
Between the two of you,
who should win?
- It's not for us to decide;
it's for you to decide.
- If it comes down to that,
I mean,
I don't mind taking the win.
[laughter]
- So why should you win?
- Well, see, now it gets
more technical, you know?
So I feel like I did a bigger
part of the project.
- Okay, thank you,
Rick and Hans.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Okay, Brittney and Michael,
- your turn.
- This piece is about an artist
who's afraid of darkness
but faces his fears
and seeks the universe.
- Were you worried that
- this was gonna be a bit much
for your models, to take on
three separate poses?
- We wanted to go
a bit above and beyond
what everyone was doing and
take a different approach.
- Instead of having
- a stagnant pose,
we wanted our story to come
to life in front of you.
- Who did
the center model's face?
- Brittney.
- I did.
- It's beautiful.
- Thank you.
- This is a very
theatrical piece.
However, I think it's more
cosmic than it is kickass.
From both of you,
I wanted to see
a little bit more technique,
something that
pulled me in closer.
- Okay, Brittney and Michael,
- thank you.
- Thank you, judges.
- Thank you guys.
- Okay, Luis and Jess.
- So the whole concept is about
that this is a competition,
that frog being
a huge challenge
and each of us being that fly
that's about to get eaten.
- This piece reminds me
of Nicki Minaj
in that I like the bottom
more than I like the top.
- Oh!
[dramatic music]
- I pretty much painted
the whole bottom.
- Hang on a sec.
♪ ♪
- What'd you paint?
- Oh!
- I pretty much painted
the whole bottom.
- What?
- And the crumbs.
- Hang on a sec.
- What'd you paint?
- Oh!
- So the thing
- that you're saying to me
is that you don't see the frog.
- Me no like the frog.
- Okay.
But the guy that spent
the most time on the frog
was this guy.
- The frog is the one part
- where I'm like--
- I feel like my eyes and my brain
- are working so hard.
- Like, "See a frog.
- See a frog."
I'm like, what kind
of frog are you?
I don't know.
- But I love how
- the tongue comes down.
Like, that part is so cool.
- Jess, do you think
that you should win today?
- Um, I think I should.
- I believe I should stay.
- I was pretty much the brains
- behind the piece.
- [laughs]
- All right, thanks, guys.
[militant music]
- We wanted to commemorate
all of the active servicemen.
- We thought
- that it would be a good idea
to bring that on the show
- so that people across
- the world can know
that we appreciate them.
♪ ♪
- It's really beautiful,
and of course you know,
- you put an American flag
- on something,
and, well...
"America's number one, son!"
[laughter]
- Who can I blame for
painting those faces?
- Me.
- I was rushing to get something
- on the face
so that it wouldn't be bare.
- Speaking of faces, did you
render both portraits?
- I did.
- Beautifully done.
- Thank you.
- This is something that's
- so touching and powerful
for people who have lost
loved ones
- or have grandparents
- or fathers or friends
- or anybody
- who's fought in the war.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Okay, Kyera and Alison.
[upbeat music]
- Our piece
is the whimsical story
of the birth of a unicorn.
- I love all the detail
- that looks just like
- an illustration
- on the little--
- is that the horn
- of the caterpillar?
And of course I always love
glitter anywhere.
- Thank you.
- I love you, by the way.
- I love you too.
- I want to like this piece more
than I actually like this piece.
I don't feel like
you communicated
or planned as effectively
as you could have.
It's just not working for me.
- The unicorn is
- supposed to be coming out
of the chrysalis, but I think
something got lost there.
- Of the two of you,
who should win?
- I'm going to have to say me.
- Alison, do you agree
- with that?
- Um...
Overall, I feel like Kyera is
so, like, young and vibrant,
and I almost want to--
I almost feel like
throwing myself under the bus
if it came down to that,
because I feel like
Kyera should just be here.
Like, this is so her.
She's kind of on her upswing,
- and I feel like I'm on
- my downswing right now.
I don't know.
- That's ridiculous.
If you can't sell yourself,
then you're not gonna make it
as a freelance artist
in this business.
- Oh, my gosh,
did I make a mistake?
I don't think
I'm ready to go home.
- Well, painters,
that was pretty fantastic.
- The judges have
- a lot to discuss.
Please head back to the lounge,
and we'll call you back shortly.
- [sighs]
- That was rough, guys.
- That was brutal.
- Look, you know what?
The work will speak for itself,
- and that's what
- is most important.
- But you have to
- stand up for yourself.
- We're friends, and
- we all get along,
- but I didn't come here
- to make friends.
I came here to take
that money home.
- So, judges,
what'd you think?
- I love Hans and Rick.
The owl, that was mind-blowing.
- I was just--
just gobsmacked by it.
- And it was the symmetry
of the rest of it
- that helped keep focusing
- your eye
back on that
beautiful centerpiece.
- And even how they did
- the skyline,
it was really cohesive.
I liked it a lot.
- That was Hans,
and it was just
- such a pleasing thing
- to look at.
- I got the sense
- when talking to them
that Rick was the real painter
of the focal point.
- Rick is kind of
a soft-spoken alpha.
- Right?
- [laughter]
- How about Luis and Jess?
- I thought it was
a beautiful piece,
but the frog failed.
- The frog was a failure,
but the color scheme
- and everything else about it,
- I absolutely loved.
- And the tongue,
I really liked the tongue.
- What'd you think about
Michael and Brittney?
- It was a mix of many
different New Age elements,
but it just needed
more cohesion for me.
- That was a little confusing.
- The difference between the
faces was a little bit jarring.
- And the eyes were
- very simple,
- and I feel like it didn't look
- three-dimensional.
We didn't see details
that could have been like,
"Whoa, look at that wow factor!"
- I don't know
which one would be the bottom
in that mini train wreck.
- What about Kyera and Alison?
- Do you know what
- pissed me off?
- Hmm?
- Alison pissed me off today.
- Oh, yeah.
- What in the heck was that?
Saying that "oh, she's younger."
I just did not respect
that attitude that she took.
- I really did enjoy
Kyera and Alison's piece.
I loved the colors.
- That caterpillar
was very convincing,
but there's just some
little technical things.
The water droplets,
I wish that maybe they were
a little more white or blue.
- Kyera's unicorn,
it was a technical mess.
- Now, granted,
a caterpillar is a cylinder.
It's a lot easier.
I mean, it's much more
complicated to make a unicorn.
- And it was in movement,
with limbs coming at you,
- where I think, like,
- that is a challenge.
- Mm-hmm.
- The Tiffany and Otto piece,
for me, felt like a mural.
The actual story was cohesive.
- I agree.
- You knew exactly what it said.
- You didn't even need it
- to be explained to you.
And that's the purpose
of a mural.
- So, judges, have you
made your decision?
- Yeah.
- I think so.
- Yeah.
[dramatic music]
- Welcome back, painters.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- In this challenge,
you competed in teams,
and your 3-D murals came
to life.
Tonight, there can be
only one winner,
and one painter
will be going home.
Luis and Jess.
You are safe, so you may head
back to the painters' lounge.
both: Thank you.
- Otto and Tiffany.
Hans and Rick.
You are the top two teams.
Congratulations.
Please step forward.
- Otto and Tiffany,
your mural was passionate,
and it made me proud
to be an American.
- Hans and Rick, it all worked,
starting with the composition,
the pose.
Everything was
executed perfectly.
You should both be very proud.
- Thank you.
- Thanks so much.
- Hans and Rick,
congratulations.
You're the top team.
- Awesome.
- Otto and Tiffany, you may head
- back to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you, judges.
- Hans and Rick, one of you
will be tonight's winner.
- I know that I have
more experience than Rick.
- It's very important
- for me to show everyone
that I'm in this competition
for a reason.
- The winner of
this challenge is...
[tense music]
- Hans and Rick, you both did
exceptional work,
but only one of you
can come out on top.
The winner of this
challenge is...
[tense music]
Rick.
Congratulations.
- Yeah, I won.
I love it. I'm officially
a threat to everybody.
- [sighs]
- That feels good.
[laughter]
- Rick, that owl
that you painted
truly was the focal point
of an extraordinary piece
of art tonight.
- Congratulations, Rick.
- You and Hans may go back
- to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you, judges.
- Congrats.
- Great work, Hans.
- Thank you, awesome.
- Well done, guys.
- What up, playas?
- Welcome.
- Michael and Brittney,
Alison and Kyera.
The judges thought your murals
were the least effective
tonight.
- Michael and Brittney,
I wanted more technique here.
You spent too much time
on the transitions
and the theatrics
without actually putting
together a cohesive mural.
- Alison and Kyera,
- I know that you guys
got off to a rocky start,
and it did end up looking
a little bit rushed.
- Unfortunately, one of you will
be packing your brushes tonight.
[tense music]
Michael and Brittney...
♪ ♪
You're safe.
But the judges need to see
better work from you--and soon.
Please return
to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you.
♪ ♪
- I'm freaking out.
I'm in the bottom.
But if Alison is a woman
of her word and she doesn't
want to be here,
she will let that be known.
If she's two-faced
and I end up going home
- and she doesn't voice
- her opinion,
then everybody can see
her character.
- Alison and Kyera,
one of you is going home.
♪ ♪
The judges have made
their decision.
Alison...
♪ ♪
You're safe.
- [gasps]
- Although your overall mural
was lacking
in technique and composition,
the caterpillar
and the tropical aspects
- of your painting
- were well executed.
- [sighs]
- Kyera.
Unfortunately,
you are going home tonight.
- Kyera, the unicorn was not
as strong as the caterpillar.
It wasn't a clean rendering.
- Alison, it's time
for you to step up your work
and get ready to fight.
- Hell, yeah.
([sniffs)
- Alison, you may head back
to the painters' lounge.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- Wow, Alison.
Fake, everything fake.
I'm heartbroken.
- Kyera, I know in my heart
of hearts, you're a star.
You're a star,
and I know stars
when I see them.
This is just the beginning.
- Thank you.
I've made it to a point where
I never thought I could reach.
I'm finally in LA,
and I'm not leaving,
and I'm not going back home.
I feel truly blessed
to have met all of you.
Thank you all.
- Kyera, it's time to
wash off your canvas.
- I'm disappointed.
I wanted to make it
till the end.
I'm blessed and happy.
I've already won a family,
especially with Michael.
- [sobbing]
- Being a part of "Skin Wars"
has been the best experience
of my life,
and I know that I can be proud
of my work.
- Fly high, little unicorn.
Fly high.
- Till next time.
- Bye.
- I'm going to pursue
my dream in LA,
and I'm excited
that the world will see
that I am a great artist, and
this is only the beginning
for a greater life
that's about to be.
[upbeat music]
- Next time on "Skin Wars"...
- There's gonna be a pageant!
- Wait a minute.
That's not a woman.
[laughs]
- The men are here.
- Oh, [beep].
- Winning is the goal.
- Exactly.
- What is going on?
- Luis?
Yeah, he gonna howl.
- Oh, ****!
- 45 minutes, bitches!
- Are you ready
to crown Miss Skin Wars?
- I thought you'd never ask.
- I just want to win
one challenge.
Please just one.