The series premiered on Paramount Network (formerly called Spike) on January 17, 2012. Each season features tattoo artists who compete in various challenges assessing their tattooing and related artistic skills. They are judged by renowned tattoo artists and enthusiasts, with one or more contestants eliminated each episode. The last contestant standing in seasons 1-13 received a $100,000 prize, the title of Ink Master, and a feature in Inked Magazine. The series has also released a number of special standalone episodes themed around upcoming events or holidays, such as Halloween.