The World Series of Tattooing™

June 26–28, 2026
Morgan MFG | Chicago, IL

$15,000 Prize Pool

32 Artists
3 Days
One Champion

WSOTT Judging Standards & Definitions

Philosophy

How Scoring Works

At its core, this system is built on a simple principle:

Every mark in a tattoo should be intentional.

Marks that lack intention or fall short of technical execution, are subject to point reduction.

This creates a system where:

Preliminary Round: 100 Point System

Each tattoo starts at 100 points

Judges deduct:
1 point per flaw
2 or more points for severe flaws

The highest remaining score advances

Battle Brackets: Head-to-Head Scoring

Artists are compared across 10 criteria

For each criterion:
The better tattoo earns 1 point per criterion
Artist with the most points wins the battle

This removes total score bias and forces direct comparison

Mastery Bracket: Seeding

Seeding is based on point differential from previous battles.

Example:
Artist wins a battle 6–4
Their differential = +2

Higher differentials earn higher seeds:
Highest seed vs lowest
Middle seeds face each other

This rewards not just winning but winning convincingly

Important Note on Tattoo Design

Design Composition is only judged during the Mastery Bracket

This ensures fairness, since earlier rounds may involve tattooing designs created by other artists

Tiebreakers

If scores are tied:
Completion time is considered
The faster finished tattoo wins or earns higher placement

All tattoos in comparison will be of similar size and style to maintain fairness

Criteria Breakdown

Each tattoo is evaluated across 10 core criteria:

Smooth, even, and consistent ink distribution.
Reduction for:
- Inconsistency
- Skin trauma
- Unintentional markings
Balance and alignment of elements within the design.
Reduction for:
- Imbalance
- Misalignment
Clean, intentional lines with consistent weight and direction.
Reduction for:
- Wavy or broken lines
- Deviations from intended design
- Inconsistent line weight
Even, intentional pigment distribution and coverage.
Reduction for:
- Patchiness
- Overworking
- Blotchy transitions
Effective use of skin break, mid-tone, and black.
Reduction for:
- Flat or muddy values
- Lack of intentional contrast
Cohesion and movement within the tattoo.
Reduction for:
- Choppy transitions
- Lack of structure or intentional movement
Measured by client flash selection, not judge opinion.
- More selected designs = stronger performance
Reduction for:
- Fewer selections than opponent
Adherence to required size parameters.
Reduction for:
- Too large or too small for intended placement
How well the tattoo fits the body.
Reduction for:
- Poor flow with anatomy
- Misplacement
Completion within the allotted time.
Used as:
- A tiebreaker when scores are equal
- A reduction if unfinished
Professionalism is part of the competition.
- Client complaints about artist behavior may result in point deductions
- Severe issues may result in disqualification
This ensures that:
- Experience matters
- Respect for the client is upheld

Tattooing has never had a standardized competitive format

It doesn’t remove artistry.
It makes execution undeniable.