Zenith

The Zenith project was designed for student to be able to explore the skills they choose that they have learned in freestyle over the past two years. They have full creative freedom with in their field to create their ultimate freestyle project.

I developed my idea by thinking about something I am truly passionate about. I have always wanted to develop my own skateboard brand.

I started skateboarding around two years ago, as a method of transportation to get to my work. Yet, only recently I decided to start learning some more higher level skills.

Originally I hoped to make a more early 2000’s themed photos with more professional skateboarders I met at my local skatepark, but since the shelter in place I had to made do with taking photos of the plain skateboards without models doing tricks.

First this project required me to learn how to prep a skateboard for painting. I also had to learn how to take photos and how to edit them so they look cohesive. This was challenging as this was my first year in Design, but I was overall happy with the results.

In early May, you will add an audio only performance of your English Reflection about your Zenith Project using the SoundCloud interface.

Process

  1. tape the skateboards so paint doesn’t get on places I don’t want it to for example the grip tape
  2. spray paint the primed skateboard
  3. then I thought of an idea of what I want to paint
  4. paint the silhouettes of the final sketch
  5. then make the little details with pencil
  6. Go over the pencil outline with black sharpie the
  7. finally add the shadows in another color and add a black outline around the board

Final Production

Photoshoot video:

Conclusion

I have been skating recreationally for the past two years, and I have wanted to design my skateboards for a long time. So I decided to create my brand and paint skateboards all in one. I tried to develop skateboards inspired by retro-futuristic influences from the ’90s. After starting the project, I realized that the path I would instead take is a more cartoonish version of that and create some of my designs instead of making the boards super monotone like the retro-futuristic ones. I asked my friend to come with me to take photos. She was a great help in caring things and helping me come up with new positions to put the skateboards in. Although she is not a photographer, the photos she took of me turned out pretty well, so I much appreciated that. If I could redo the project again, I would plan my time better because my project was a little late, and if there was no corona, I could have asked my friends to skateboard to be part of my photographs. I would have liked to change a little, though, to have a clearer color scheme between my logo and my boards. I improved in the design of a logo, photography, and editing the most. I will continue painting and continue skateboarding. I also learned a lot about photography and will keep practicing. I did accomplish a few of the project objectives. I got to ignite my passion and elevated some of my skills and experiences. I developed new passions like exploring abandoned places in the bay and photography.