Skin Wars (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 8 - Episode #2.8 - full transcript
- In the wild world
- of competitive body painting,
there's nothing more fierce than
the power of transformation.
Skin Wars.
The only limits
are your imagination.
You won't believe your eyes
as 12 of America's
most talented artists
compete and push the boundaries.
Absolutely breathtaking.
Some will rise to the top...
While others will watch
their dreams go down the drain.
It fell pretty flat.
It's the challenge
of a lifetime for $100,000
and the ultimate title
of Skin Wars champion.
- Anatomy.
- Ooh.
This morning,
we go into the work room
and we see all these
anatomy books,
all these different charts,
bones and stuff.
Hello, painters.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Well, we are down
- to the final five.
Yeah.
Being on the top five,
um, I'm actually exciting.
I'm just realizing
that I can actually do it.
- Now, it's--I need to bring
- next level
and show the judges
that I can win it.
- You've made it
- into the final five
based on your creative
and beautiful body of work.
But for your next challenge,
we're looking for you
to create your work
based on the human body.
You will have two hours to
create an anatomically correct
body painting that reveals
an internal part
of your model's body.
You get to choose which area
of the body you want to paint.
- Cool.
- The muscles, bones, organs,
or whatever else
you choose.
It's definitely difficult
to make anatomy body paintings
look really real,
and we only have two hours.
Now say hello to the judges who
will be analyzing your bodies.
World champion master
body painter, Craig Tracy.
- Hello, painters.
- Hey.
- And a man that knows
- a thing or two
- about transforming
- the body,
RuPaul Charles.
- Gluteus maximus.
- Craig, what advice can you give
- to our painters today?
Painters, I want you to get
hyper-realistic today.
- I want to see
- all the details.
Make sure that it feels
real.
Okay.
You will be judged on creativity
and design concept,
- technique,
- and execution of the challenge.
So make it count.
- Especially because the winner
- of this challenge
gets a years supply of
Wolfe FX makeup...
Wow.
That's amazing.
And you'll be featured
on the Wolfe website
for the entire year.
- Whoa.
- Ooh.
You ready?
- Yeah.
- Yes.
Good.
Because your time starts...
Now!
Excuse me.
- Hey.
- Hi.
At this point,
I'm one of the five,
- and I feel blessed
- that I made it this far.
- It's been a lot of crazy rides
- in my life.
- Guess I'll do
- the back.
- I left my job
- to come to Skin Wars,
and it's a big risk,
but I'm willing to take it.
I'm four people away
from 100 grand.
Can you step your feet
apart for me a little bit?
So, after the last challenge,
I am a little disheartened
because it was the first time
I had been in the bottom two.
I've got to make sure
it's even.
Luckily for me,
this is anatomy challenge.
So I've had three years
of anatomy study.
This is right up
my alley.
Okay, guys,
we only have one more hour.
I love anatomy.
It was one of my favorite,
like, lessons,
back to my university.
My paint today, I decided
to combine muscles
and vein system.
So I think I have some
advantage in this competition.
- I think the first thing
- I'm gonna do
- is go to Israel
- for a good few months.
Yeah.
- I was supposed to go
- to Israel actually
twice for the last two years,
- and my mom told me,
- "Just stay there,"
'cause it's really dangerous,
and I miss her a lot.
Dr. Sirah's coming around
- checking everyone's
- anatomical work
- Okay.
- Even though he has absolutely
- no anatomical knowledge
- whatsoever.
Can I have prescription
for something?
This isn't a challenge
where a whole lot
of a person's creativity
is really needed.
I'm very good at the cartoons,
and comic books,
and things like that.
Not so much realism.
- Are you done already?
- No, I'm not.
I'm really not.
It's really important
to do well at this point
because the $100,000 could
change my life in every aspect.
Veins are cool.
After college,
I worked in a copy center
for three or four years,
and working a normal
office job
was just so boring,
so I quit.
Being a freelance artist
is challenging.
My jobs barely pay the bills.
- If I were to win the
- competition,
it would be like
a whole different world.
Guys, only one minute left.
Time's up!
Tools down.
- Hello, Avi.
- Hey.
- Hello.
- How are you?
Give us an anatomy lesson.
Well, I know some basic stuff,
so I wanted to bring, like,
the skin ripped.
And I wanted to bring
kind of like cover,
not reveal,
more like a cover.
- Oh.
- Uh-huh.
And then there is
the reveal of the...
- Okay.
- Inside skin.
- A little pointer on realism.
- Mm-hmm.
Everything inside
should always look wet.
All right.
- Thank you, Avi.
- Thank you very much.
So I wanted to do
a really detailed face,
and I combined muscle,
structure,
with veins infrastructure.
- Veins?
- Veins.
- Okay.
- So we're looking at--
A lung, a liver, and a kidney.
So your design overall was
inspired by the illustrations
- that are in those
- medical books.
- I was following
- illustrations,
but I combined two different
structures
inside of your body,
veins and muscles.
- Great.
- Thank you, Lana.
Thank you.
Aryn, give us an anatomy lesson.
The main square of her face
- is just with, like,
- the skin removed,
and then the second square
here
is with the skin
and the muscles removed.
And it's kind of the same
in this section as well.
It's very informative 'cause
everything I know about anatomy
- I learned from playing
- spin the bottle.
Well, I call this type
of work a cutaway,
and I appreciate that you've
given us a cutaway
- from a cutaway.
- Yeah.
- Thank you, Aryn.
- Thank you.
- Hey, Cheryl Ann.
- Hi, Rebecca.
So today, I wanted to be
a little ambitious.
Everyone else was focusing more
on the top half of the body,
so I really wanted to pull out
the bottom half of the body.
So I've got her spinal column
and vertebrae
with the pelvic bone,
and I actually used the points
of her iliac crest right here
to be the mark
of my pelvic bone.
Have you studied anatomy?
- Yes.
- Uh-huh.
- I feel like I just had
- a lesson, yeah.
Well, I apprenticed under
- a couple of different
- master painters.
I apprenticed in Madrid, Spain
under Senor Javier Pamplona.
Cheryl Ann is definitely
aiming to impress
in the most saddest,
most pathetic ways.
She is kissing up to
the judges.
And then I apprenticed under
Ben Long IV,
who was a Fresco master...
I'm classically trained.
So if I didn't do a good job
on this challenge,
I would be receiving
some phone calls.
I mean, come on.
That's all I can do
is shake my head.
Great. Thank you, Cheryl Ann.
Rio, tell us about
your piece.
- I started looking through
- some of the images,
and I was, like,
I have to be careful
not to do something
that looks like a diagram.
I love the way
you've bordered this out.
- What's going on
- design-wise there?
In that sense, yes, I was
kind of thinking of this like
a bit of an artistic x-ray.
Rio is more
my competition
strategy-wise and mind-wise
than he is painting-wise.
I wish we could go
a little bit deeper
- with the shadows.
- Mm-hmm.
Even though he's
brilliant with his ideas
and his concepts,
he just simply lacks the
technical ability to paint them.
Thank you, Rio.
Painters, great job.
- We will be
- in the other room deliberating,
- and we'll be back shortly.
- Thank you.
What do you think?
- They all brought something
- different,
and all of it
was really, really good.
Cheryl Ann's
was spookily accurate
And I loved the proportions.
And it was just
beautifully done.
And then, of course,
our other blonde.
Lana.
The face on Lana's model
was exquisitely done.
Yes. It was scary. Yes.
It was kind of like, yes,
somebody pulled the skin
right off her face.
- Yeah, right.
- So how about Avi's piece?
It was real hit and miss
with me.
Rare for Avi's work.
I saw technical details
that bothered me.
The shadows and the highlights
were not where
I would have put them.
- How about Rio?
- That one scared me
because it really looked like
the skin had been peeled off.
Uh-huh.
So have you reached a decision?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Yeah, yeah.
- All right.
Painters, the judges were
impressed with all of your work,
but there can be
only one winner.
Lana,
Cheryl Ann,
please step forward.
- You are the top two
- painters.
- Oh!
- Yay!
Lana, amazing attention
to detail.
I absolutely loved the face,
and I loved the way that you
brought those main colors
throughout the design.
Really well done.
- Thank you.
- My pleasure.
Cheryl Ann,
you really turned it.
I loved that you used so much
of your model's body,
and the proportions.
- Very good.
- Thank you.
All right, let's find out
who came out on top.
- The winner of this challenge
- is...
- All right, painters,
- you've had two hours
to create your artwork.
The winner of this challenge
is...
Yay!
Cheryl Ann,
congratulations.
- You are the winner.
- Oh, my God!
I love paint so bad.
I am the winner.
It feels amazing
to get back on top.
Thank you.
I am a little bit sad
I didn't win this one
- 'cause she did
- bottom half,
but it wasn't
that detailed.
My painting looks better.
Okay, thank you, Kiana.
- All right, painters,
- your first challenge
was all about the anatomy
of man.
For your next challenge,
it's all about...
the machine.
Ooh.
And for that, we're bringing out
the big guns.
What?
- Bodybuilders?
- Holy ****.
These guys are huge.
Like, they're so much bigger
than our regular models.
Hello, gorgeous.
- I'm looking forward
- to getting my hands on them.
It's true.
I can't tell a lie.
Muscles. Yay!
Blecch!
As you can see,
these guys are the ultimate
human specimens.
And because they are
a bigger canvas,
you will have to flex
your artistic muscles.
You will each have
four hours
to create a head to toe,
front and back
robot-inspired design.
Front and back?
- Yeah.
- Are you panicking?
A little bit.
Four hours is not a long time.
You will create
your own bot,
give it a purpose,
and give it a name.
Please use the body
wisely.
- The devil is in
- the details.
All right.
Well, good luck and good-bye.
Robots, guys.
- I'm a little freaked out
- about this challenge.
I think I'm, like,
overwhelmed
- with the amount of time
- that we're gonna have,
and with the amount
of person that we have,
and I'm drawing a blank.
I don't know what to do.
I wonder what crazy concept
Rio's gonna come up with.
Probably something awesome.
At this point,
I'm one out of the five,
and this is very important
to me.
My training is 100%
self-taught.
For many years, I've been trying
to get my art seen,
and it's been a long
uphill climb.
Hell, I was 19 years old
when my father passed away,
and then, um,
I've been homeless twice,
- but I never backed down,
- and I don't quit,
and I don't run away.
- Good morning.
- What's up, guys?
Good morning.
- I don't think I've ever
- been close to this many muscles
in my lifetime,
so it's pretty exciting.
You're gonna be, like,
a Secret Service robot.
I love it.
So, I'll show you
the overall idea.
So I spend all night trying
to think of different ideas,
and I am having
a painter's block,
and I just can't come up
with anything that I like,
and so finally in the morning,
I have this concept
for making my model, like,
a Transformer robot.
- He's a robot on the front,
- and then he'll be
a jet plane on the back.
So you kind of travel around
and you collect trinkets.
- It's really challenging
- getting started
on a concept that I don't have
fully fleshed out.
So at no point am I, like,
"This is a great idea."
I decided to take it more
kind of personal.
I want the judges to know
a little bit more about me
and who I am.
Are you familiar Israel?
- Oh, yeah, I'm fa--
- yeah.
My concept,
it's the Iron Dome,
Gaza sending a lot of missiles
into Israel,
and my mom lived
very close to Gaza.
Every time Gaza sending
rockets into Israel,
the Iron Dome machine
finding the rockets in the air,
and attacking it
before it's landing in Israel,
but it's only 30%
successful,
so I'm going to create
my machine
100% successful.
All right, people,
we have three hours left.
This is going to really be
important for me.
I had a very powerful dream
- where I had to face
- this bear
that I believe was
a representation of my fear.
Everyone else is doing
a typical traditional robot.
I'm doing my
inspired version of a robot.
There's going to be
this giant grizzly bear
coming out of your chest.
I'm looking at
Cheryl Ann's model
and I see no robot.
- I see Smokey the Bear,
- and I was, like,
- "What the hell
- is she doing?"
Oh, my goodness.
I am just using the airbrush
because there's so much
body to cover.
Okay, turn the other way.
I am a little reluctant
- going all the way through
- using the airbrush
because I don't really
use this airbrush a whole lot.
I am teaching myself
on the spot somewhat,
and I am struggling
a little bit
with making sure that
my lines are good,
- but if airbrush paint is what
- I'm gonna have to use
- to get it done,
- I'm just gonna have to buck up
and get it done.
Oh, here come the judges.
Wow.
- Hi.
- Good morning, painters.
Good morning.
- How's everybody feeling?
- Awesome.
- Everybody, please welcome back
- Robin...
Hi, Robin.
- Hi, everybody.
- Who can't wait to walk
- around and talk to you
about your ideas, and I think
we'll start down here.
- Awesome.
- Avi.
So I wanted to bring
the Iron Dome from Israel
into my piece.
- Okay.
- In Israel, like, you know,
Gaza sending rockets
to Israel, like, all the time.
- And my mom live very close
- to Gaza.
- Mm-hmm.
- Now the Iron Dome is only
30% successful.
This robot never miss.
When you were a kid,
did you see these kinds of...
- Every time.
- Violence?
And actually every 20 minutes
you have to run to shelters.
Wow.
- Okay, great.
- Thank you, Avi.
- Thank you very much.
- Lana.
- Hello.
- Hello.
My robot,
he's a donor machine.
He carries the blood inside,
and he'll have, like,
a big pumping heart,
- and it's, like,
- emergency call
going and save people.
- And then does he store
- the different blood types
- in his muscles?
- Yes.
- It will be, like,
- right here.
Like, containers.
- Aryn. Hi.
- Hi.
Now we haven't seen a whole lot
of prosthetics
- this morning.
- No.
I see you've gone with a helmet.
I have.
My concept is to do kind of
a jet plane-based robot thing.
- Are you worried
- about time?
Mm-hmm.
- I have a couple more
- prosthetics to add on, so...
- Do you really?
- Yeah.
- Oh, so more prosthetics
- are coming.
- All right.
- Yeah, we'll see.
Good morning, Rio.
Good morning, Rebecca.
- How's it going?
- Good morning, Robin.
My robot is going to be
just a robot android brand
- of soldiers
- that protect the President
instead of having
a real-life person.
- Right.
- I noticed you are
double-fisting
your airbrush guns here.
Is this mostly
gonna be airbrushed for you?
- This one I feel I can get done
- with it a little faster
in certain areas if I just
use the airbrush.
Technically, Rio's piece
doesn't look very clean
at all.
That's a huge factor
in your points.
You know, Rio, when you have
this perfect canvas
- to work on, and you're trying
- to create
something structured
and uniform,
- make sure that it looks
- real perfect.
- You gotta keep checking
- your work from the front
- to be sure that
- it's symmetrical.
Gotcha.
- Good morning.
- You both look fierce today.
The night before last,
I had a really vivid dream.
And my dream was
I had to pass this grizzly bear.
- I just heard a voice in the back
- of my head that said,
"Just keep walking
and don't look back."
So today, I'm doing, like,
this giant grizzly bear
coming out of this robot.
- And how are you
- making sense
of this natural element
of a very realistically
painted bear
with the metallic
of a robot?
A metallic robot would have
an emblem or something
- on their chest.
- Okay.
So he is, like, the bear.
I look over, I see Cheryl Ann
come up with a reason
for her robot
- 'cause she didn't
- have one.
- Does your robot have a name?
- The Golden Grizzly.
Come on, you made up a story,
and it just sounds
like a bunch of crap.
Okay, painters,
your work is looking really,
really good so far.
Robin, any advice?
At this point,
everything counts.
You've got these amazing
canvasses,
so use the structure
of your model's bodies
to really show off
your work.
Indeed.
Definitely.
- Thank you very much.
- Be careful with your time.
- Good luck,
- and we'll see you soon.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
It's just gonna be
amazing.
I know it's a risk,
but this body painting
is me.
It's a representation
of my personal journey.
We got this.
This is what the judges
- have been pushing me
- to do,
so if I don't do it,
I'm going home.
Hey, guys,
we have two hours more to go.
I don't have enough time.
For this challenge,
we have four hours
to turn bodybuilders
into robots,
and this is, like,
a really big challenge
'cause my model,
he's 230 pounds,
so, like, I'm half of him.
- What's up, chica?
- Not much.
Check out my grizzly.
So he's like a bear capsule.
Well, kind of like
a bear-bot.
- Ah. Bear-bot.
He can do anything,
so he's the defender of animals.
So, like, wait, the bear's
controlling him on the inside?
Yeah, like he embodies
the spirit of the bear.
He released the wrath
of the bear.
It's the same Cheryl Ann
that's been painting this way
since she started.
- She drew a bunch
- of circle bubbles,
and she tried to act like
she was going to connect that
to some type
of robotic way.
It's--it's not a robot.
- Cheryl Ann, how do you feel?
- I feel pretty good.
- All right, baby.
- I'm getting a lot done.
- I'm using airbrush,
- you guys.
All right.
Clap my hands, stomp my feet.
Ever since the incident that
happened with the drag queen,
Rio has looked at me
differently.
- There's been a little bit
- of bullying.
So here I have Cheryl Ann
under the bus,
by our drag queen,
who is driving the bus.
I think
that's silly and immature,
but obviously
my painting style
is intimidating enough
to unsettle him so much.
Rio's piece looks
really sloppy.
At least my lines
are very clean
His lines are not clean
at all.
All right, people.
We have an hour left.
Uh, um, ****
I don't think four hours
is enough time on a bodybuilder
to do an awesome robot
because robots are all
about details.
- Oh, we'll have to see
- if the back
- actually looks
- kind of like a plane
if I can't get
the things done.
I still have to finish
half the armor pieces.
I still have to detail
the tubes that are inside
of my robot.
And I realize that I'm just
not gonna have time to do that.
I have to change
the concept
- because he does not
- look like a jet plane.
So my new concept
is a robot
that gets alerts from different
places in the world
when they are having
a water crisis.
Okay.
Hey, you guys,
we have 15 minutes left.
- I'm just over
- this time thing.
- Okay, turn around
- please.
I'm panicking because
I'm looking at the clock,
- looking at my painting,
- looking at the clock.
At this point, I realize
that the amount of things
that I have to do
in order to make this even
- sort of seem like
- it's finished,
they're just not feasible.
Time's up!
Tools down.
You ready to show the judges
your big, beautiful bots?
Yes.
All right.
Everybody, follow me.
Okay.
I'm really nervous.
- I'm probably going to get
- points off
if the judges question
my concept change.
I'm freaking out.
Welcome, painters.
You had four hours to create
a robot-inspired design.
In the end, there will be
one winner,
and one of you
will be going home.
Now let's say hello
to our esteemed judges.
Craig Tracy.
Hello, painters.
Robin Slonina.
Hello, everyone.
RuPaul Charles.
Power up.
And we thought we'd bring in
a true robot expert.
He is the visual
and makeup effects genius
behind such films as X-Men,
Aliens, Starship Troopers,
and Spider-Man to name a few.
He also wrote and directed
the upcoming sci-fi horror
feature Harbinger Down.
Please welcome the
Oscar-nominated Alec Gillis.
- Wow.
- Hi.
Alec Gillis has created
characters
- that I have drawn
- over and over as a kid.
- He's become a part
- of everything
that we watch in
the superhero world,
so salute.
Alec, what makes a good
special effects character?
- It's about what is
- it's motivation,
and what is it's purpose.
That's what I look for
in designing a character,
and that's what
I'm looking forward to
with the work tonight.
Okay, painters,
it's time to get
those machines in motion.
I'm really proud of
bringing Israel into my piece.
- My main colors are
- blue,
that's the Israeli flag,
- and I'm bringing the green
- that it's the Israeli uniform,
and I'm really proud
to bring the Star of David,
and the meaning of
my life into the piece.
- I feel good and bad
- kind of at the same time.
I feel pretty good
'cause he is, like,
he is kind of striking.
Like his colors are bright,
and he definitely looks
like a robot.
- But I can't unsee
- those things
- that I didn't get
- to finish detailing.
- Doing just more in general
- to the back,
so I'm feeling mixed emotions.
The color of the robot itself,
I really wanted it
to be a little darker,
not so white.
Of course, just making
the symmetry of his body
- a little better
- than what I did.
And I think I'm most proud
of the glass openings
of his head.
My robot,
it's blood donor machine,
so it's more like
different colors
of red and gold.
I used airbrush to paint
his six-pack,
kind of, like, filled with
different types of blood.
And I'm so proud
of what I did.
Looking at my painting,
I feel extremely
accomplished.
The bear looks amazing.
- And when he goes into
- his pose,
it looks even more amazing.
He's got high contrast.
He's really clean.
He's a different type
of robot,
but he looks really good.
The painting's beautiful.
And in the end,
that's all that really matters.
Wow, you guys.
- What an amazing
- robot parade.
- All right, Aryn,
- you're first.
Yeah.
I feel pretty awful
especially because I told
Robin and Rebecca already
about my first idea,
- so I'm not excited
- to hear
- what the judges have to say
- for my piece.
So his name is NeoH2O,
and he actually makes water
inside of his body
by combining the hydrogen
and oxygen atoms
so that it gets really hot.
And then he pumps it out
for the people that need water.
And I had to divert slightly
from my original concept
- because I did run out
- of time.
Was he still gonna be
a water conversion
machine?
Um, no.
One thing that shows me
what you're capable of
are the pectorals.
The reflectivity and the sort of
chrome-like aspect of them.
I think it's
a really great effort.
Thank you.
One of the first things
I noticed was the face.
- Like, that looks
- maybe a little bit rushed.
And the tubing seemed
a little bit unfinished.
- It looks to me like
- you sketched it out,
but you didn't have time
- for those wonderful shadows
- and highlights
that we know really
makes things pop.
I am so mad at myself
for not giving an outcome
that I'm really happy with.
I just feel strongly
that I'm going home.
Great.
Well, thank you, Aryn.
Okay, Cheryl Ann.
Okay.
A couple of nights ago, I had
this very empowering dream
where I had to face
this bear
that was just growling,
so my robot is
the Golden Grizzly,
and he defends
the defense of animals.
There's so many endangered
species in the world,
and there's so many animals
out there who need help,
or needs someone
to stand up for them,
and speak up for them.
Throughout this competition,
we've asked you to bring out
the fighter in you,
and it's actually emerging.
- Yes.
I think your bear's too large,
and it overpowers
the front of the painting.
- Okay.
- I also wish that the bear
- would have been rendered
- in a way
that connected
to something robotic.
I'm getting more, like, shaman,
you know, spirit master.
Everything needs to have
a purpose and a function,
and I feel like a lot
of the markings on it
are purely decorative.
- Okay.
- Gotcha.
Thank you, Cheryl Ann.
Thank you so much,
you guys.
Okay, Rio.
- Give me some.
- Hit it right now.
Pow.
My piece is
a Secret Service robot
for the President.
Rio, there is so much good
about this painting,
but it actually hurts me
to look at it technically.
It just feels
quickly painted.
It doesn't feel smooth.
Craig is not happy.
And I'm just hoping that I'm
not the one going home.
Rio, there is so much good
about this painting,
but it actually hurts me
to look at it technically.
It just feels
quickly painted.
It doesn't feel smooth.
I just see so much
that bothers me.
Some elements I think
you did really well.
The back of the neck
is beautifully painted,
and the top of the head
- I think is also
- really effective.
One thing that I can't help
being irritated by
is that I warned you
in the work room about symmetry,
and, you know,
you can see just on the waist
that's really different.
The size of the flags
are really different.
You could have used
your model's body
to direct you.
The thing that I get a kick
out of here is the concept.
It just brought a smile
to my face
when he came walking out,
but I would love to see
version two of this,
and see what you would do
with it to refine it.
Thank you.
- Thank you, Rio.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, guys.
- Give me some.
Good luck, man.
Okay, Lana,
you ready?
Let's go.
Thank you.
I thought to create
blood donor robot.
If some people lost blood
in accident,
or something happened,
he carries different types
of blood inside of his body
like containers.
And he have pumping heart
inside of his body,
so he's could be internationally
wide famous robot,
who is saving life.
I like the idea of a robot
that can, you know,
manufacture all
the different blood types.
I actually hated this red,
limited color palate
until I found out
what your character was,
and then I loved it.
I love how the pecs sort of
activate the flow of blood.
Oh, yes.
Pump me up.
- Thank you, Lana.
- Thank you.
Okay, Avi.
I represented
the Iron Dome 3000.
His job is to protect
the Israeli,
to find the rockets
and blow them in the air.
- My--all my family
- live in Israel.
I--and my mom live
very close to Gaza.
Every 20 minutes, she have
to run, like, to shelters,
so I decided to create
the futuristic Iron Dome
that never miss.
- The back-story that you've
- applied to this
is really very moving,
and I think that drawing
on your personal experience
is what gives any artist
a point of view.
And this has a very definite
point of view,
and I applaud you
for that.
Technically, it's difficult
to find fault with this.
It's rendered almost
flawlessly.
The symmetry's great.
The highlights are great.
I wish that the Star of David
popped a little bit more
- because I feel like
- it's a bit lost,
but just overall a great job.
Thank you.
- Avi, are you real close
- with your family?
I am, yes.
And when was the last time
you saw them?
For the last seven years,
I saw them for two weeks.
- Do you know when you're gonna
- see your mom again?
When I win the $100,000.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Thank you, Avi.
I miss my family,
so to win this
will mean a lot.
Hey, you.
All right, painters.
You've certainly given
the judges a lot to discuss.
- Please head back
- to the lounge,
and we'll call you back
shortly.
So, guys,
what did you think?
This was, I think,
Skin Wars at it's best.
- It's a tough choice
- to make
- because while they may score low
- in some categories,
they're all scoring high
in other categories.
Let's start with Avi.
The work itself is technically
virtually perfect.
- There were so many
- elements of it
- that were so
- three-dimensional.
That little compartment that
opened on the model's thigh.
- I thought it could have
- had even more heart
had he had
the Star of David
just loud and proud
on that chest.
Lana's piece actually
gave me the chills.
It was really different,
and it really was
human and warm.
- The fact that she is
- taking her notes,
and focusing her vision,
and simplifying down
to one great story,
- I think shows a lot
- of progress.
- And it was sort of
- the opposite
of what happened
with Rio's piece.
I loved Rio's piece
from a distance,
but then as I got closer,
it fell apart.
It looked more like
a robot to me than any other.
It's just that the rendering
of it was weak.
I warned him about his symmetry,
so there was no excuse
for how wonky that painting was.
Let's talk about Cheryl Ann.
If you were to say,
"What is this?"
I wouldn't have said
this is a robot challenge.
- Yeah.
- Not so robotic,
but I did love it.
The rendering of that bear
was absolutely gorgeous.
To me, it was so obvious
that she's just not
in tune with hard-edged
- architectural robotic shapes.
- Mm-hmm.
All right,
let's talk about Aryn.
- She really set herself
- up on the back
- to have a great
- focal point.
You know, all of those lines
converged and led the eye
to that central square
that she made.
Unfortunately,
inside that square
was some unfinished tubing.
This is a huge problem,
and we can't forgive
these things.
Okay, guys,
so have you made your decision?
I think so.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Welcome back, painters.
As excellent as your work is,
tonight there can be
only one winner.
And one of you
is going home.
Avi...
Lana...
Congratulations.
You're the top two.
- Please come forward.
Avi, it seems like
you really gave us
a personal story tonight,
and it showed.
- Awesome job.
- Thank you.
Lana, I was really moved
and touched by your concept,
- and I thought you took
- a big chance
in using such a limited
color palette,
but ultimately I feel
it really paid off.
Thank you so much.
And the winner is...
Avi, Lana...
Congratulations.
You're the top two.
And the winner is...
Avi.
Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- Congrats.
Oh, my God.
Thank you so much.
This mean a lot to me.
I know my mom gonna be
really proud on this.
Your story and how you brought
that out in your painting
was very moving,
but beyond that,
your technical expertise
is just excellent.
Well done.
I'm happy the judges--
they now know me better.
Sorry.
I try not to be emotion.
Thanks to both of you.
You may head back
to the lounge.
Aryn...
Rio...
Cheryl Ann...
You are the bottom three,
- and one of you
- is going home tonight.
I can't believe
I'm in the bottom three again.
I feel scared.
- Like, I followed
- my heart,
and I could be going home
because I took a risk.
- It's time to find out
- who's going home.
Cheryl Ann...
You are safe.
Thank you for giving me
this chance.
All right, Cheryl Ann,
- please head back
- to the lounge.
Thank you.
Aryn...
Rio...
One of you will be
packing your brushes tonight.
Aryn, your painting
was an explosion of color,
but we had to judge this
based on what we saw,
and not what you wanted
to bring.
Rio, your piece was
the most like a robot,
but the lines just didn't
meet up.
Rio...
I'm sorry to say
you're going home tonight.
- Judges, I got respect for
- you all,
but this is the biggest mistake
you've ever made.
That was just B.S.
I'm sorry.
I mean, Cheryl Ann didn't even
make a robot, period.
She shouldn't even be here.
Rio, I appreciate you have
a lot to say,
and a lot of emotions,
and a lot of passion,
but something that I learned
a long time ago...
Mm-hmm.
Is don't judge the judges.
I think some things
were completely overlooked.
- If we're doing a challenge where
- the concept is supposed to be--
You--you're telling me
- that we overlooked things?
- And we--
The challenge is a robot,
so what does she make?
A spirit animal.
We deliberated thoroughly.
- Respect that.
- Got you.
- Focus on yourself.
- I--
If your painting would have been
technically strong,
you'd still be here.
Worry about your
technique,
and we'll worry about
Cheryl Ann's creativity.
- Aryn, that means
- you survived,
but the judges want you
to work on time management...
- Yeah.
- If you want to stay in
- this competition.
- you can head back to the lounge.
Thank you so much.
Rio, I see so much
of myself in you
- and it's not just
- the hair.
You have that "It" factor,
and this is from my heart
I'm telling you this.
Your imagination, man,
you can't buy that.
You are a winner, baby,
and nobody can
take that away from you.
I appreciate
this experience, yo.
I, like,
I've been through a lot.
A lot.
So much I could write books,
and books, and books about it,
but...
My mother always told me
my--my...
gift would make room
for me.
And it has, you know?
And I know I'm going to be
a super success because of it.
So much--
so much hell and pain
and so many different things
that I...
- you know, went through
- in my life.
- And I'm still here,
- you know?
Technique-wise,
you know,
- I did take some risky steps,
- but it don't make a difference
'cause I'm willing to grow,
I'm willing to learn,
I'm willing to change,
I'm willing to build.
I thank all of y'all.
for this experience.
I-I don't quite know
how to follow that,
but I'll say that
when your character
walked on stage,
it made me smile.
And then when I saw you
walk on stage,
- and I watched how
- you carried yourself,
that made me smile.
- And you did some things
- that nobody else did.
And you should be
very proud of that.
Okay, Rio,
- it's time to go
- wash off your canvas.
Cool.
Thank y'all.
Leaving here,
opportunities I know
are already awaiting me.
I now see that in my life
- that there's no such thing
- as a negative.
You know, it doesn't
hurt my feelings.
I'm gonna just grow.
Y'all do the same thing.
- All right, now.
- Good-bye, Rio.
Peace.
And I thank God
that I went through
all of those situations.
The good and "the bad."
It definitely a testimony
for other people out there
- ever feel like they may not
- be able to go that far
with their art.
I want to be an extreme
great example for that.
That you can make it,
and you can do it.
Just keep pushing.
Bye.
Next time on Skin Wars...
We want each of you
to do something unique.
He stole my idea.
No, no, no.
Now we did tell you
to try to be unique,
and it seems like
everybody ignored me.
'Cause sun is coming
that direction, so...
- The lighting situation
- for this challenge,
it's a big deal.
The wig cap is tearing
around her ear.
That head'll stick out
like a sore thumb.
This is a battle royale.
We all really want to win.
We're all passionate
and hungry.
- of competitive body painting,
there's nothing more fierce than
the power of transformation.
Skin Wars.
The only limits
are your imagination.
You won't believe your eyes
as 12 of America's
most talented artists
compete and push the boundaries.
Absolutely breathtaking.
Some will rise to the top...
While others will watch
their dreams go down the drain.
It fell pretty flat.
It's the challenge
of a lifetime for $100,000
and the ultimate title
of Skin Wars champion.
- Anatomy.
- Ooh.
This morning,
we go into the work room
and we see all these
anatomy books,
all these different charts,
bones and stuff.
Hello, painters.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Well, we are down
- to the final five.
Yeah.
Being on the top five,
um, I'm actually exciting.
I'm just realizing
that I can actually do it.
- Now, it's--I need to bring
- next level
and show the judges
that I can win it.
- You've made it
- into the final five
based on your creative
and beautiful body of work.
But for your next challenge,
we're looking for you
to create your work
based on the human body.
You will have two hours to
create an anatomically correct
body painting that reveals
an internal part
of your model's body.
You get to choose which area
of the body you want to paint.
- Cool.
- The muscles, bones, organs,
or whatever else
you choose.
It's definitely difficult
to make anatomy body paintings
look really real,
and we only have two hours.
Now say hello to the judges who
will be analyzing your bodies.
World champion master
body painter, Craig Tracy.
- Hello, painters.
- Hey.
- And a man that knows
- a thing or two
- about transforming
- the body,
RuPaul Charles.
- Gluteus maximus.
- Craig, what advice can you give
- to our painters today?
Painters, I want you to get
hyper-realistic today.
- I want to see
- all the details.
Make sure that it feels
real.
Okay.
You will be judged on creativity
and design concept,
- technique,
- and execution of the challenge.
So make it count.
- Especially because the winner
- of this challenge
gets a years supply of
Wolfe FX makeup...
Wow.
That's amazing.
And you'll be featured
on the Wolfe website
for the entire year.
- Whoa.
- Ooh.
You ready?
- Yeah.
- Yes.
Good.
Because your time starts...
Now!
Excuse me.
- Hey.
- Hi.
At this point,
I'm one of the five,
- and I feel blessed
- that I made it this far.
- It's been a lot of crazy rides
- in my life.
- Guess I'll do
- the back.
- I left my job
- to come to Skin Wars,
and it's a big risk,
but I'm willing to take it.
I'm four people away
from 100 grand.
Can you step your feet
apart for me a little bit?
So, after the last challenge,
I am a little disheartened
because it was the first time
I had been in the bottom two.
I've got to make sure
it's even.
Luckily for me,
this is anatomy challenge.
So I've had three years
of anatomy study.
This is right up
my alley.
Okay, guys,
we only have one more hour.
I love anatomy.
It was one of my favorite,
like, lessons,
back to my university.
My paint today, I decided
to combine muscles
and vein system.
So I think I have some
advantage in this competition.
- I think the first thing
- I'm gonna do
- is go to Israel
- for a good few months.
Yeah.
- I was supposed to go
- to Israel actually
twice for the last two years,
- and my mom told me,
- "Just stay there,"
'cause it's really dangerous,
and I miss her a lot.
Dr. Sirah's coming around
- checking everyone's
- anatomical work
- Okay.
- Even though he has absolutely
- no anatomical knowledge
- whatsoever.
Can I have prescription
for something?
This isn't a challenge
where a whole lot
of a person's creativity
is really needed.
I'm very good at the cartoons,
and comic books,
and things like that.
Not so much realism.
- Are you done already?
- No, I'm not.
I'm really not.
It's really important
to do well at this point
because the $100,000 could
change my life in every aspect.
Veins are cool.
After college,
I worked in a copy center
for three or four years,
and working a normal
office job
was just so boring,
so I quit.
Being a freelance artist
is challenging.
My jobs barely pay the bills.
- If I were to win the
- competition,
it would be like
a whole different world.
Guys, only one minute left.
Time's up!
Tools down.
- Hello, Avi.
- Hey.
- Hello.
- How are you?
Give us an anatomy lesson.
Well, I know some basic stuff,
so I wanted to bring, like,
the skin ripped.
And I wanted to bring
kind of like cover,
not reveal,
more like a cover.
- Oh.
- Uh-huh.
And then there is
the reveal of the...
- Okay.
- Inside skin.
- A little pointer on realism.
- Mm-hmm.
Everything inside
should always look wet.
All right.
- Thank you, Avi.
- Thank you very much.
So I wanted to do
a really detailed face,
and I combined muscle,
structure,
with veins infrastructure.
- Veins?
- Veins.
- Okay.
- So we're looking at--
A lung, a liver, and a kidney.
So your design overall was
inspired by the illustrations
- that are in those
- medical books.
- I was following
- illustrations,
but I combined two different
structures
inside of your body,
veins and muscles.
- Great.
- Thank you, Lana.
Thank you.
Aryn, give us an anatomy lesson.
The main square of her face
- is just with, like,
- the skin removed,
and then the second square
here
is with the skin
and the muscles removed.
And it's kind of the same
in this section as well.
It's very informative 'cause
everything I know about anatomy
- I learned from playing
- spin the bottle.
Well, I call this type
of work a cutaway,
and I appreciate that you've
given us a cutaway
- from a cutaway.
- Yeah.
- Thank you, Aryn.
- Thank you.
- Hey, Cheryl Ann.
- Hi, Rebecca.
So today, I wanted to be
a little ambitious.
Everyone else was focusing more
on the top half of the body,
so I really wanted to pull out
the bottom half of the body.
So I've got her spinal column
and vertebrae
with the pelvic bone,
and I actually used the points
of her iliac crest right here
to be the mark
of my pelvic bone.
Have you studied anatomy?
- Yes.
- Uh-huh.
- I feel like I just had
- a lesson, yeah.
Well, I apprenticed under
- a couple of different
- master painters.
I apprenticed in Madrid, Spain
under Senor Javier Pamplona.
Cheryl Ann is definitely
aiming to impress
in the most saddest,
most pathetic ways.
She is kissing up to
the judges.
And then I apprenticed under
Ben Long IV,
who was a Fresco master...
I'm classically trained.
So if I didn't do a good job
on this challenge,
I would be receiving
some phone calls.
I mean, come on.
That's all I can do
is shake my head.
Great. Thank you, Cheryl Ann.
Rio, tell us about
your piece.
- I started looking through
- some of the images,
and I was, like,
I have to be careful
not to do something
that looks like a diagram.
I love the way
you've bordered this out.
- What's going on
- design-wise there?
In that sense, yes, I was
kind of thinking of this like
a bit of an artistic x-ray.
Rio is more
my competition
strategy-wise and mind-wise
than he is painting-wise.
I wish we could go
a little bit deeper
- with the shadows.
- Mm-hmm.
Even though he's
brilliant with his ideas
and his concepts,
he just simply lacks the
technical ability to paint them.
Thank you, Rio.
Painters, great job.
- We will be
- in the other room deliberating,
- and we'll be back shortly.
- Thank you.
What do you think?
- They all brought something
- different,
and all of it
was really, really good.
Cheryl Ann's
was spookily accurate
And I loved the proportions.
And it was just
beautifully done.
And then, of course,
our other blonde.
Lana.
The face on Lana's model
was exquisitely done.
Yes. It was scary. Yes.
It was kind of like, yes,
somebody pulled the skin
right off her face.
- Yeah, right.
- So how about Avi's piece?
It was real hit and miss
with me.
Rare for Avi's work.
I saw technical details
that bothered me.
The shadows and the highlights
were not where
I would have put them.
- How about Rio?
- That one scared me
because it really looked like
the skin had been peeled off.
Uh-huh.
So have you reached a decision?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Yeah, yeah.
- All right.
Painters, the judges were
impressed with all of your work,
but there can be
only one winner.
Lana,
Cheryl Ann,
please step forward.
- You are the top two
- painters.
- Oh!
- Yay!
Lana, amazing attention
to detail.
I absolutely loved the face,
and I loved the way that you
brought those main colors
throughout the design.
Really well done.
- Thank you.
- My pleasure.
Cheryl Ann,
you really turned it.
I loved that you used so much
of your model's body,
and the proportions.
- Very good.
- Thank you.
All right, let's find out
who came out on top.
- The winner of this challenge
- is...
- All right, painters,
- you've had two hours
to create your artwork.
The winner of this challenge
is...
Yay!
Cheryl Ann,
congratulations.
- You are the winner.
- Oh, my God!
I love paint so bad.
I am the winner.
It feels amazing
to get back on top.
Thank you.
I am a little bit sad
I didn't win this one
- 'cause she did
- bottom half,
but it wasn't
that detailed.
My painting looks better.
Okay, thank you, Kiana.
- All right, painters,
- your first challenge
was all about the anatomy
of man.
For your next challenge,
it's all about...
the machine.
Ooh.
And for that, we're bringing out
the big guns.
What?
- Bodybuilders?
- Holy ****.
These guys are huge.
Like, they're so much bigger
than our regular models.
Hello, gorgeous.
- I'm looking forward
- to getting my hands on them.
It's true.
I can't tell a lie.
Muscles. Yay!
Blecch!
As you can see,
these guys are the ultimate
human specimens.
And because they are
a bigger canvas,
you will have to flex
your artistic muscles.
You will each have
four hours
to create a head to toe,
front and back
robot-inspired design.
Front and back?
- Yeah.
- Are you panicking?
A little bit.
Four hours is not a long time.
You will create
your own bot,
give it a purpose,
and give it a name.
Please use the body
wisely.
- The devil is in
- the details.
All right.
Well, good luck and good-bye.
Robots, guys.
- I'm a little freaked out
- about this challenge.
I think I'm, like,
overwhelmed
- with the amount of time
- that we're gonna have,
and with the amount
of person that we have,
and I'm drawing a blank.
I don't know what to do.
I wonder what crazy concept
Rio's gonna come up with.
Probably something awesome.
At this point,
I'm one out of the five,
and this is very important
to me.
My training is 100%
self-taught.
For many years, I've been trying
to get my art seen,
and it's been a long
uphill climb.
Hell, I was 19 years old
when my father passed away,
and then, um,
I've been homeless twice,
- but I never backed down,
- and I don't quit,
and I don't run away.
- Good morning.
- What's up, guys?
Good morning.
- I don't think I've ever
- been close to this many muscles
in my lifetime,
so it's pretty exciting.
You're gonna be, like,
a Secret Service robot.
I love it.
So, I'll show you
the overall idea.
So I spend all night trying
to think of different ideas,
and I am having
a painter's block,
and I just can't come up
with anything that I like,
and so finally in the morning,
I have this concept
for making my model, like,
a Transformer robot.
- He's a robot on the front,
- and then he'll be
a jet plane on the back.
So you kind of travel around
and you collect trinkets.
- It's really challenging
- getting started
on a concept that I don't have
fully fleshed out.
So at no point am I, like,
"This is a great idea."
I decided to take it more
kind of personal.
I want the judges to know
a little bit more about me
and who I am.
Are you familiar Israel?
- Oh, yeah, I'm fa--
- yeah.
My concept,
it's the Iron Dome,
Gaza sending a lot of missiles
into Israel,
and my mom lived
very close to Gaza.
Every time Gaza sending
rockets into Israel,
the Iron Dome machine
finding the rockets in the air,
and attacking it
before it's landing in Israel,
but it's only 30%
successful,
so I'm going to create
my machine
100% successful.
All right, people,
we have three hours left.
This is going to really be
important for me.
I had a very powerful dream
- where I had to face
- this bear
that I believe was
a representation of my fear.
Everyone else is doing
a typical traditional robot.
I'm doing my
inspired version of a robot.
There's going to be
this giant grizzly bear
coming out of your chest.
I'm looking at
Cheryl Ann's model
and I see no robot.
- I see Smokey the Bear,
- and I was, like,
- "What the hell
- is she doing?"
Oh, my goodness.
I am just using the airbrush
because there's so much
body to cover.
Okay, turn the other way.
I am a little reluctant
- going all the way through
- using the airbrush
because I don't really
use this airbrush a whole lot.
I am teaching myself
on the spot somewhat,
and I am struggling
a little bit
with making sure that
my lines are good,
- but if airbrush paint is what
- I'm gonna have to use
- to get it done,
- I'm just gonna have to buck up
and get it done.
Oh, here come the judges.
Wow.
- Hi.
- Good morning, painters.
Good morning.
- How's everybody feeling?
- Awesome.
- Everybody, please welcome back
- Robin...
Hi, Robin.
- Hi, everybody.
- Who can't wait to walk
- around and talk to you
about your ideas, and I think
we'll start down here.
- Awesome.
- Avi.
So I wanted to bring
the Iron Dome from Israel
into my piece.
- Okay.
- In Israel, like, you know,
Gaza sending rockets
to Israel, like, all the time.
- And my mom live very close
- to Gaza.
- Mm-hmm.
- Now the Iron Dome is only
30% successful.
This robot never miss.
When you were a kid,
did you see these kinds of...
- Every time.
- Violence?
And actually every 20 minutes
you have to run to shelters.
Wow.
- Okay, great.
- Thank you, Avi.
- Thank you very much.
- Lana.
- Hello.
- Hello.
My robot,
he's a donor machine.
He carries the blood inside,
and he'll have, like,
a big pumping heart,
- and it's, like,
- emergency call
going and save people.
- And then does he store
- the different blood types
- in his muscles?
- Yes.
- It will be, like,
- right here.
Like, containers.
- Aryn. Hi.
- Hi.
Now we haven't seen a whole lot
of prosthetics
- this morning.
- No.
I see you've gone with a helmet.
I have.
My concept is to do kind of
a jet plane-based robot thing.
- Are you worried
- about time?
Mm-hmm.
- I have a couple more
- prosthetics to add on, so...
- Do you really?
- Yeah.
- Oh, so more prosthetics
- are coming.
- All right.
- Yeah, we'll see.
Good morning, Rio.
Good morning, Rebecca.
- How's it going?
- Good morning, Robin.
My robot is going to be
just a robot android brand
- of soldiers
- that protect the President
instead of having
a real-life person.
- Right.
- I noticed you are
double-fisting
your airbrush guns here.
Is this mostly
gonna be airbrushed for you?
- This one I feel I can get done
- with it a little faster
in certain areas if I just
use the airbrush.
Technically, Rio's piece
doesn't look very clean
at all.
That's a huge factor
in your points.
You know, Rio, when you have
this perfect canvas
- to work on, and you're trying
- to create
something structured
and uniform,
- make sure that it looks
- real perfect.
- You gotta keep checking
- your work from the front
- to be sure that
- it's symmetrical.
Gotcha.
- Good morning.
- You both look fierce today.
The night before last,
I had a really vivid dream.
And my dream was
I had to pass this grizzly bear.
- I just heard a voice in the back
- of my head that said,
"Just keep walking
and don't look back."
So today, I'm doing, like,
this giant grizzly bear
coming out of this robot.
- And how are you
- making sense
of this natural element
of a very realistically
painted bear
with the metallic
of a robot?
A metallic robot would have
an emblem or something
- on their chest.
- Okay.
So he is, like, the bear.
I look over, I see Cheryl Ann
come up with a reason
for her robot
- 'cause she didn't
- have one.
- Does your robot have a name?
- The Golden Grizzly.
Come on, you made up a story,
and it just sounds
like a bunch of crap.
Okay, painters,
your work is looking really,
really good so far.
Robin, any advice?
At this point,
everything counts.
You've got these amazing
canvasses,
so use the structure
of your model's bodies
to really show off
your work.
Indeed.
Definitely.
- Thank you very much.
- Be careful with your time.
- Good luck,
- and we'll see you soon.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
It's just gonna be
amazing.
I know it's a risk,
but this body painting
is me.
It's a representation
of my personal journey.
We got this.
This is what the judges
- have been pushing me
- to do,
so if I don't do it,
I'm going home.
Hey, guys,
we have two hours more to go.
I don't have enough time.
For this challenge,
we have four hours
to turn bodybuilders
into robots,
and this is, like,
a really big challenge
'cause my model,
he's 230 pounds,
so, like, I'm half of him.
- What's up, chica?
- Not much.
Check out my grizzly.
So he's like a bear capsule.
Well, kind of like
a bear-bot.
- Ah. Bear-bot.
He can do anything,
so he's the defender of animals.
So, like, wait, the bear's
controlling him on the inside?
Yeah, like he embodies
the spirit of the bear.
He released the wrath
of the bear.
It's the same Cheryl Ann
that's been painting this way
since she started.
- She drew a bunch
- of circle bubbles,
and she tried to act like
she was going to connect that
to some type
of robotic way.
It's--it's not a robot.
- Cheryl Ann, how do you feel?
- I feel pretty good.
- All right, baby.
- I'm getting a lot done.
- I'm using airbrush,
- you guys.
All right.
Clap my hands, stomp my feet.
Ever since the incident that
happened with the drag queen,
Rio has looked at me
differently.
- There's been a little bit
- of bullying.
So here I have Cheryl Ann
under the bus,
by our drag queen,
who is driving the bus.
I think
that's silly and immature,
but obviously
my painting style
is intimidating enough
to unsettle him so much.
Rio's piece looks
really sloppy.
At least my lines
are very clean
His lines are not clean
at all.
All right, people.
We have an hour left.
Uh, um, ****
I don't think four hours
is enough time on a bodybuilder
to do an awesome robot
because robots are all
about details.
- Oh, we'll have to see
- if the back
- actually looks
- kind of like a plane
if I can't get
the things done.
I still have to finish
half the armor pieces.
I still have to detail
the tubes that are inside
of my robot.
And I realize that I'm just
not gonna have time to do that.
I have to change
the concept
- because he does not
- look like a jet plane.
So my new concept
is a robot
that gets alerts from different
places in the world
when they are having
a water crisis.
Okay.
Hey, you guys,
we have 15 minutes left.
- I'm just over
- this time thing.
- Okay, turn around
- please.
I'm panicking because
I'm looking at the clock,
- looking at my painting,
- looking at the clock.
At this point, I realize
that the amount of things
that I have to do
in order to make this even
- sort of seem like
- it's finished,
they're just not feasible.
Time's up!
Tools down.
You ready to show the judges
your big, beautiful bots?
Yes.
All right.
Everybody, follow me.
Okay.
I'm really nervous.
- I'm probably going to get
- points off
if the judges question
my concept change.
I'm freaking out.
Welcome, painters.
You had four hours to create
a robot-inspired design.
In the end, there will be
one winner,
and one of you
will be going home.
Now let's say hello
to our esteemed judges.
Craig Tracy.
Hello, painters.
Robin Slonina.
Hello, everyone.
RuPaul Charles.
Power up.
And we thought we'd bring in
a true robot expert.
He is the visual
and makeup effects genius
behind such films as X-Men,
Aliens, Starship Troopers,
and Spider-Man to name a few.
He also wrote and directed
the upcoming sci-fi horror
feature Harbinger Down.
Please welcome the
Oscar-nominated Alec Gillis.
- Wow.
- Hi.
Alec Gillis has created
characters
- that I have drawn
- over and over as a kid.
- He's become a part
- of everything
that we watch in
the superhero world,
so salute.
Alec, what makes a good
special effects character?
- It's about what is
- it's motivation,
and what is it's purpose.
That's what I look for
in designing a character,
and that's what
I'm looking forward to
with the work tonight.
Okay, painters,
it's time to get
those machines in motion.
I'm really proud of
bringing Israel into my piece.
- My main colors are
- blue,
that's the Israeli flag,
- and I'm bringing the green
- that it's the Israeli uniform,
and I'm really proud
to bring the Star of David,
and the meaning of
my life into the piece.
- I feel good and bad
- kind of at the same time.
I feel pretty good
'cause he is, like,
he is kind of striking.
Like his colors are bright,
and he definitely looks
like a robot.
- But I can't unsee
- those things
- that I didn't get
- to finish detailing.
- Doing just more in general
- to the back,
so I'm feeling mixed emotions.
The color of the robot itself,
I really wanted it
to be a little darker,
not so white.
Of course, just making
the symmetry of his body
- a little better
- than what I did.
And I think I'm most proud
of the glass openings
of his head.
My robot,
it's blood donor machine,
so it's more like
different colors
of red and gold.
I used airbrush to paint
his six-pack,
kind of, like, filled with
different types of blood.
And I'm so proud
of what I did.
Looking at my painting,
I feel extremely
accomplished.
The bear looks amazing.
- And when he goes into
- his pose,
it looks even more amazing.
He's got high contrast.
He's really clean.
He's a different type
of robot,
but he looks really good.
The painting's beautiful.
And in the end,
that's all that really matters.
Wow, you guys.
- What an amazing
- robot parade.
- All right, Aryn,
- you're first.
Yeah.
I feel pretty awful
especially because I told
Robin and Rebecca already
about my first idea,
- so I'm not excited
- to hear
- what the judges have to say
- for my piece.
So his name is NeoH2O,
and he actually makes water
inside of his body
by combining the hydrogen
and oxygen atoms
so that it gets really hot.
And then he pumps it out
for the people that need water.
And I had to divert slightly
from my original concept
- because I did run out
- of time.
Was he still gonna be
a water conversion
machine?
Um, no.
One thing that shows me
what you're capable of
are the pectorals.
The reflectivity and the sort of
chrome-like aspect of them.
I think it's
a really great effort.
Thank you.
One of the first things
I noticed was the face.
- Like, that looks
- maybe a little bit rushed.
And the tubing seemed
a little bit unfinished.
- It looks to me like
- you sketched it out,
but you didn't have time
- for those wonderful shadows
- and highlights
that we know really
makes things pop.
I am so mad at myself
for not giving an outcome
that I'm really happy with.
I just feel strongly
that I'm going home.
Great.
Well, thank you, Aryn.
Okay, Cheryl Ann.
Okay.
A couple of nights ago, I had
this very empowering dream
where I had to face
this bear
that was just growling,
so my robot is
the Golden Grizzly,
and he defends
the defense of animals.
There's so many endangered
species in the world,
and there's so many animals
out there who need help,
or needs someone
to stand up for them,
and speak up for them.
Throughout this competition,
we've asked you to bring out
the fighter in you,
and it's actually emerging.
- Yes.
I think your bear's too large,
and it overpowers
the front of the painting.
- Okay.
- I also wish that the bear
- would have been rendered
- in a way
that connected
to something robotic.
I'm getting more, like, shaman,
you know, spirit master.
Everything needs to have
a purpose and a function,
and I feel like a lot
of the markings on it
are purely decorative.
- Okay.
- Gotcha.
Thank you, Cheryl Ann.
Thank you so much,
you guys.
Okay, Rio.
- Give me some.
- Hit it right now.
Pow.
My piece is
a Secret Service robot
for the President.
Rio, there is so much good
about this painting,
but it actually hurts me
to look at it technically.
It just feels
quickly painted.
It doesn't feel smooth.
Craig is not happy.
And I'm just hoping that I'm
not the one going home.
Rio, there is so much good
about this painting,
but it actually hurts me
to look at it technically.
It just feels
quickly painted.
It doesn't feel smooth.
I just see so much
that bothers me.
Some elements I think
you did really well.
The back of the neck
is beautifully painted,
and the top of the head
- I think is also
- really effective.
One thing that I can't help
being irritated by
is that I warned you
in the work room about symmetry,
and, you know,
you can see just on the waist
that's really different.
The size of the flags
are really different.
You could have used
your model's body
to direct you.
The thing that I get a kick
out of here is the concept.
It just brought a smile
to my face
when he came walking out,
but I would love to see
version two of this,
and see what you would do
with it to refine it.
Thank you.
- Thank you, Rio.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, guys.
- Give me some.
Good luck, man.
Okay, Lana,
you ready?
Let's go.
Thank you.
I thought to create
blood donor robot.
If some people lost blood
in accident,
or something happened,
he carries different types
of blood inside of his body
like containers.
And he have pumping heart
inside of his body,
so he's could be internationally
wide famous robot,
who is saving life.
I like the idea of a robot
that can, you know,
manufacture all
the different blood types.
I actually hated this red,
limited color palate
until I found out
what your character was,
and then I loved it.
I love how the pecs sort of
activate the flow of blood.
Oh, yes.
Pump me up.
- Thank you, Lana.
- Thank you.
Okay, Avi.
I represented
the Iron Dome 3000.
His job is to protect
the Israeli,
to find the rockets
and blow them in the air.
- My--all my family
- live in Israel.
I--and my mom live
very close to Gaza.
Every 20 minutes, she have
to run, like, to shelters,
so I decided to create
the futuristic Iron Dome
that never miss.
- The back-story that you've
- applied to this
is really very moving,
and I think that drawing
on your personal experience
is what gives any artist
a point of view.
And this has a very definite
point of view,
and I applaud you
for that.
Technically, it's difficult
to find fault with this.
It's rendered almost
flawlessly.
The symmetry's great.
The highlights are great.
I wish that the Star of David
popped a little bit more
- because I feel like
- it's a bit lost,
but just overall a great job.
Thank you.
- Avi, are you real close
- with your family?
I am, yes.
And when was the last time
you saw them?
For the last seven years,
I saw them for two weeks.
- Do you know when you're gonna
- see your mom again?
When I win the $100,000.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Thank you, Avi.
I miss my family,
so to win this
will mean a lot.
Hey, you.
All right, painters.
You've certainly given
the judges a lot to discuss.
- Please head back
- to the lounge,
and we'll call you back
shortly.
So, guys,
what did you think?
This was, I think,
Skin Wars at it's best.
- It's a tough choice
- to make
- because while they may score low
- in some categories,
they're all scoring high
in other categories.
Let's start with Avi.
The work itself is technically
virtually perfect.
- There were so many
- elements of it
- that were so
- three-dimensional.
That little compartment that
opened on the model's thigh.
- I thought it could have
- had even more heart
had he had
the Star of David
just loud and proud
on that chest.
Lana's piece actually
gave me the chills.
It was really different,
and it really was
human and warm.
- The fact that she is
- taking her notes,
and focusing her vision,
and simplifying down
to one great story,
- I think shows a lot
- of progress.
- And it was sort of
- the opposite
of what happened
with Rio's piece.
I loved Rio's piece
from a distance,
but then as I got closer,
it fell apart.
It looked more like
a robot to me than any other.
It's just that the rendering
of it was weak.
I warned him about his symmetry,
so there was no excuse
for how wonky that painting was.
Let's talk about Cheryl Ann.
If you were to say,
"What is this?"
I wouldn't have said
this is a robot challenge.
- Yeah.
- Not so robotic,
but I did love it.
The rendering of that bear
was absolutely gorgeous.
To me, it was so obvious
that she's just not
in tune with hard-edged
- architectural robotic shapes.
- Mm-hmm.
All right,
let's talk about Aryn.
- She really set herself
- up on the back
- to have a great
- focal point.
You know, all of those lines
converged and led the eye
to that central square
that she made.
Unfortunately,
inside that square
was some unfinished tubing.
This is a huge problem,
and we can't forgive
these things.
Okay, guys,
so have you made your decision?
I think so.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Welcome back, painters.
As excellent as your work is,
tonight there can be
only one winner.
And one of you
is going home.
Avi...
Lana...
Congratulations.
You're the top two.
- Please come forward.
Avi, it seems like
you really gave us
a personal story tonight,
and it showed.
- Awesome job.
- Thank you.
Lana, I was really moved
and touched by your concept,
- and I thought you took
- a big chance
in using such a limited
color palette,
but ultimately I feel
it really paid off.
Thank you so much.
And the winner is...
Avi, Lana...
Congratulations.
You're the top two.
And the winner is...
Avi.
Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- Congrats.
Oh, my God.
Thank you so much.
This mean a lot to me.
I know my mom gonna be
really proud on this.
Your story and how you brought
that out in your painting
was very moving,
but beyond that,
your technical expertise
is just excellent.
Well done.
I'm happy the judges--
they now know me better.
Sorry.
I try not to be emotion.
Thanks to both of you.
You may head back
to the lounge.
Aryn...
Rio...
Cheryl Ann...
You are the bottom three,
- and one of you
- is going home tonight.
I can't believe
I'm in the bottom three again.
I feel scared.
- Like, I followed
- my heart,
and I could be going home
because I took a risk.
- It's time to find out
- who's going home.
Cheryl Ann...
You are safe.
Thank you for giving me
this chance.
All right, Cheryl Ann,
- please head back
- to the lounge.
Thank you.
Aryn...
Rio...
One of you will be
packing your brushes tonight.
Aryn, your painting
was an explosion of color,
but we had to judge this
based on what we saw,
and not what you wanted
to bring.
Rio, your piece was
the most like a robot,
but the lines just didn't
meet up.
Rio...
I'm sorry to say
you're going home tonight.
- Judges, I got respect for
- you all,
but this is the biggest mistake
you've ever made.
That was just B.S.
I'm sorry.
I mean, Cheryl Ann didn't even
make a robot, period.
She shouldn't even be here.
Rio, I appreciate you have
a lot to say,
and a lot of emotions,
and a lot of passion,
but something that I learned
a long time ago...
Mm-hmm.
Is don't judge the judges.
I think some things
were completely overlooked.
- If we're doing a challenge where
- the concept is supposed to be--
You--you're telling me
- that we overlooked things?
- And we--
The challenge is a robot,
so what does she make?
A spirit animal.
We deliberated thoroughly.
- Respect that.
- Got you.
- Focus on yourself.
- I--
If your painting would have been
technically strong,
you'd still be here.
Worry about your
technique,
and we'll worry about
Cheryl Ann's creativity.
- Aryn, that means
- you survived,
but the judges want you
to work on time management...
- Yeah.
- If you want to stay in
- this competition.
- you can head back to the lounge.
Thank you so much.
Rio, I see so much
of myself in you
- and it's not just
- the hair.
You have that "It" factor,
and this is from my heart
I'm telling you this.
Your imagination, man,
you can't buy that.
You are a winner, baby,
and nobody can
take that away from you.
I appreciate
this experience, yo.
I, like,
I've been through a lot.
A lot.
So much I could write books,
and books, and books about it,
but...
My mother always told me
my--my...
gift would make room
for me.
And it has, you know?
And I know I'm going to be
a super success because of it.
So much--
so much hell and pain
and so many different things
that I...
- you know, went through
- in my life.
- And I'm still here,
- you know?
Technique-wise,
you know,
- I did take some risky steps,
- but it don't make a difference
'cause I'm willing to grow,
I'm willing to learn,
I'm willing to change,
I'm willing to build.
I thank all of y'all.
for this experience.
I-I don't quite know
how to follow that,
but I'll say that
when your character
walked on stage,
it made me smile.
And then when I saw you
walk on stage,
- and I watched how
- you carried yourself,
that made me smile.
- And you did some things
- that nobody else did.
And you should be
very proud of that.
Okay, Rio,
- it's time to go
- wash off your canvas.
Cool.
Thank y'all.
Leaving here,
opportunities I know
are already awaiting me.
I now see that in my life
- that there's no such thing
- as a negative.
You know, it doesn't
hurt my feelings.
I'm gonna just grow.
Y'all do the same thing.
- All right, now.
- Good-bye, Rio.
Peace.
And I thank God
that I went through
all of those situations.
The good and "the bad."
It definitely a testimony
for other people out there
- ever feel like they may not
- be able to go that far
with their art.
I want to be an extreme
great example for that.
That you can make it,
and you can do it.
Just keep pushing.
Bye.
Next time on Skin Wars...
We want each of you
to do something unique.
He stole my idea.
No, no, no.
Now we did tell you
to try to be unique,
and it seems like
everybody ignored me.
'Cause sun is coming
that direction, so...
- The lighting situation
- for this challenge,
it's a big deal.
The wig cap is tearing
around her ear.
That head'll stick out
like a sore thumb.
This is a battle royale.
We all really want to win.
We're all passionate
and hungry.