Day four begins and it’s time to torture the artists anew! The fourth social challenge was underwhelming; only three art pieces get created and there are nine folks left – I want to see more singular work. That being said, it was great seeing the nine remaining artists do another team challenge – and pull it off without any drama. What was jaw dropping was the prize the winning team received.
For this challenge, Strip Search decided who was in what group and had them create street art. Which meant spray paint, painters tape, and cardboard. That’s it. Street art is meant to be bold, decisive and typically, to make a statement. The setups were good, too, putting people that might not normally work together on teams. It was a test for the ability to be collaborative and create something awesome. For the experience most folks had, all the work done in this episode was hella impressive.
Here are your tools. Good luck.
Monica, Erika, Tavis: MET
Amy, Nick, Abby: ANA
Maki, Katie, Mac: MKM
Team ANA had a great idea, especially with Nick’s previous experience. But the end result wasn’t spectacular. It was pretty, but nothing that told any sort of story; worse it didn’t identify as anything. And what’s with Amy singling herself out? If that’s part of her strategy, it blew.
Team MET had a gorgeous design. It was the piling up of more and more and more and yet even more detail that broke it. Tavis needs to learn to stop adding unnecessary stuff, it’s been his down fall repeatedly. Amy and Monica should have pulled the reins on that horse. Admittedly, they were the most innovative with how they used the tools given.
Team MKM sucked. PSYCH! They took an element from the house that was easily identifiable and turned it into an anthropomorphic Maki. That’s what won the challenge for them. And it was cool. It was a street tag of a group of artists, easy. (Note: There’s now a Pineapple Maki drink recipe in the comments for this episode. Well done, people. Well done.) If MET hadn’t cramped everything in and overdone it so badly, I’d have chosen the Jerry/Mike octopus, hands down, but as it stood, I agreed with today’s judges, Erika and Levin Sadsad, entirely.
Pineapple Maki. Mix. Drink. Be cool.
The prize, though, the prize was wholly climactic. A booth, one for each person on the winning team, in the Artist Alley at New York Comic Con 2013. HUUUUUGE. That’s October 10-13 this year, in case you were wondering.
The next elimination challenge, airing so far away next Tuesday, looks to be killer. Can’t wait.
My current top three remain unchanged:
Katie, Tavis, and Nick
New episodes air Tuesday and Friday on Penny Arcade and youtube.
Current Standings:
Abby Howard, 20, Montreal, Quebec.
She’s the youngest and has the least experience. But she draws dinosaurs! However, will any of those things even matter?
Alex Hobbs, 22, Tempe, AZ.
This swear-word dropping free-spirit is highly likeable, but will his work be up to par? Set to graduate post-Strip Search, it’ll be interesting to see where this will take him. Eliminated 1st Challenge
Amy Falcone, 24, Noank, CT
Gamer to the innards, Amy is serious and competitive to a fault. Will that fault be her undoing? Whatever the result, quitting her job to do Strip Search shows her passion.
(Challenge #1 Winner)
(Social Game #3 / Drawing Blind Winner – Intuos5 Tablet)
Erika Moen, 29, Portland, OR
Proven work in social and sexual commentary brings her to the contest with a following that marks her as one to have eyes on.
(Social Game #3 / Drawing Blind Winner – Intuos5 Tablet)
Katie Rice,31, Burbank, CA
A soft-spoken artist with a following of her own. Some of those fans are also fellow contestants. Will she use the star power to stun?
(Kept: Elimination #1)
(Kept: Elimination #2)
(Social Game #4 / Street Art Winner – Artist Alley booth at NYCC ’13)
Lexxy – Alexandra Douglas, 27, Carmel, IN
Also seen in Penny Arcade: The Series, she’s dealt with Gabe and Tycho’s reality egos. If that helps or harms remains to be seen. Eliminated 3rd Challenge (but BARELY)
(Social Game #2 / Seattle Trivia Winner – Wacom Cintiq HD Tablet)
Mac – Mackenzie Schubert, 26, Portland, OR
Quiet, doe-eyes Mac has a very defined artistic style all his own. It’ll be interesting to watch how his gentle soul deals with the mood swings a competitive show can bring.
(Social Game #4 / Street Art Winner – Artist Alley booth at NYCC ’13)
Maki Naro, 31, Brooklyn, NY
While I sincerely hope this guy watches Psych, his cool logic and talent may very well be what brings him to the final set of competitors.
(Social Game #1 / Fax Machine Winner – Redraw Ticket)
(Social Game #4 / Street Art Winner – Artist Alley booth at NYCC ’13)
Monica Ray, 22, Northbrook, IL
While seemingly quiet at the beginning, Monica’s super-power of Always Doing Something And Befriending All seems a gift. Remains to be seen if that gift implodes or explodes.
Nick Trujillo, 30, Walnut Creek, CA
Something of a philosopher and jack of all trades, Nick’s ability to be alright with people and make good art is something to watch. But will his relative newness to the industry be a detriment?
(Challenge #2 Winner)
(Challenge #3 Winner)
Tavis Maiden, 31, Mesa, AZ
Bringing the attitude only a parent can, Tavis wants this more than any five-year-old screaming for the last piece of cake. He may get it, too.
(Kept: Elimination #3)
Ty Halley, 25, Portsmouth, OH
Clipped, dry witted Ty has no brain-to-mouth–filter. And, he’s using his time on Strip Search as material for his own daily life strip. That will be interesting. Eliminated 2nd Challenge
All bios and links to the personal websites of each artist can be found here.
