The Skateboard Design Project (iRAP + Comp)

Gr. 10 Media Arts (Comprehensive) – The Villain vs. Villain Theme

Welcome to “Unleashed Shadows,” an electrifying skateboard design challenge that delves into the enigmatic world of anti-heroes and antagonists. This project invites students to explore the darker, more complex side of storytelling and visual representation by creating skateboard designs inspired by anti-heroes and villains.

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Gr. 10 Media Arts (iRAP) – Over The Barrier Project

Skateboarding has long been associated with a predominantly male-dominated culture, leaving women, girls, and queer individuals feeling excluded and discouraged from entering the skateboarding world. This exclusion begins before they step onto a skateboard, as the visual cues surrounding the sport often reinforce the idea that it is not for them. This project aims to challenge this status quo by providing a platform for these underrepresented groups to engage with skateboarding and actively shape and redefine the culture around it.

My skateboard design prioritizes inclusivity and accurately reflects the diverse interests and preferences of the target audience I aimed to represent for many components added to my design. Firstly, in the centre of the design, there’s an earth with a pride rainbow flag as the “water” of the earth. This represents all the Queer individuals in the design and helps everyone to feel more included and have a safe environment. I also added colourful butterflies and flowers all over the board. These made the board appealing to a bigger audience and gave the board more colour and design. The board is very bright and colourful, rather than dark and grunge. These colourful designs can help to empower any group of people, including women, to skateboard and fit in with their own personality. Next, I added a couple stars and some text that reads, “Choose to shine”. I wanted to include the text to tell the audience that everyone is unique in their own way, and you shouldn’t be afraid to show who you are. I thought the stars would help add to the fun, bright colours since they correspond with the text.

My skateboard design prioritizes inclusivity through its pink colour palette, Barbie style, and underlying meaning. The character on my skateboard is representative of women and LGBTQ+ people. They are holding up the world to represent the god Atlas, who is the god of strength and endurance in Greek mythology. I used this to show that women and LGBTQ+ people are strong and resilient regardless of stereotypes. I used pink as a primary colour to represent women around the world, showing their strength. The colour choice also breaks the barrier of a primarily male-dominated sport. 

Two planets on my skateboard are pink, blue, and purple, which are the colours of the bisexual flag. I chose the main piece to be a girl astronaut because girls can be anything they want to be. There are many girls involved with space and the study of it, but most of the people sent to space are males. I wanted to show that girls can do anything a guy can do and be anything a guy can be. The centrepiece of the skateboard (the astronaut) incorporates different cultural backgrounds because the girl astronaut’s skin colour can be changed, thereby incorporating anyone’s background. I want my skateboard to include people everywhere, and that’s one of the reasons why it takes place in space. I wanted to make my skateboard inclusive, so I incorporated many hidden elements representing different people and their cultures.

I wanted to use LGBTQ+ characters from different TV and animated shows on my skateboard. As I know, a lot of people find these shows to be their “comfort show” or these characters as “comfort characters.” So I wanted to incorporate them into my skateboard to show people that skateboarding can be a comforting space. I wanted my design to be a message of inclusivity and almost like a sign of “a safe space for everybody.” And I included a blank white person who can represent the skater. The drawing has no distinct colour or physical representation because everyone is allowed to express themselves in whatever way they feel most comfortable.

I prioritized empowering women and girls in the skateboarding community. I specifically chose graphics with the colour green, aiming for a gender-neutral design. I focused on featuring female artists in history, giving them the recognition they deserve. All the artists featured have completely different art styles and backgrounds, this further indicates the prompt of inclusivity. Overall aiming for a free-flowing vibe with grunge characteristics associated with the skateboarding community.

Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887-1986) – (Background)

Georgia O’Keeffe was one of the first American artists to produce a purely abstract work of art in contrast to the dominant realism in America. Her art often features colourful petals that hum with musical energy and explores “the idea that music could be translated into something for the eye” to achieve pure expression free of other external references.

Georgia O’Keeffe captures the fundamental idea I wanted to portray for this prompt. The colourful petals and smooth transitions flow across the skateboard, this symbolizes what we should be built upon. We should follow what we think is right for us, free of other external restrictions that we want to force upon ourselves to be accepted by society. 

Augusta Savage (American, 1892-1962) – Sculptures (Middle Left and Bottom)

Augusta Savage, an artist in the late 20th century, was a sculptor, teacher, and activist who advocated for equal rights for African Americans. She faced discrimination because of her colour. This fueled her lifelong fight to democratize and equalize the arts. After many accomplishments, she became the first African-American artist to be elected to the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors. Continuing to create groundbreaking work. 

Augusta Savage’s enthusiasm towards her art and culture is truly admirable. When she was denied her education just because of her colour, instead of questioning her abilities to continue her love for art, it powered her to become the best version of herself. As artists, we should also be pushing ourselves to be better as well as embracing our differences instead of moulding ourselves to what society thinks is best.

Louise Bourgeois (French, 1911-2010) – Background images and The Woven Child (Top and Bottom)

Louise Bourgeois grew up filling in missing parts of the designs at her parent’s tapestry restoration business. She studied mathematics and geometry and eventually returned to art, practicing printmaking, painting, and large-scale sculpting throughout her long and varied career. Her art explored abstract expressionists and themes including loneliness, jealousy, anger, sexuality, and the unconscious in her work.

It depicted in her art the emotions and themes she experienced. All artists will experience these emotions no matter what. But we should never let that bring us down. Through all of this, we can grow as artists and find ways that we can improve ourselves. 

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (French, 1755–1842) – Self-Portrait with Her Daughter Julie (Middle Right)

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun became an artist despite major obstacles with any woman in late 18th-century Paris. At the age of 28, she was one of the only four female members to be admitted into the French Academy. She was popular among the aristocratic women for her portraits, along with painting many portraits of Marie Antoinette. 

In modern society, women are somewhat expected to spontaneously prefer to pursue their careers and not want to “rely on a man” or want to settle down and take care of their family. Seeming that they prefer what’s expected of a woman but you should pursue your independence in modern society. Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun was known for her sympathetic and natural portrait. It’s clearly shown in the self-portrait with her daughter. I wanted to emphasize maternal love also being a form of independence.

Finally, despite the challenges in society and gender norms, all of these artists chose to take that step for their love of art. Art is everywhere, we are we are all artists. Be willing to take that challenging step for art, despite the words that hold you back.

My skateboard represents the different personalities of people, mainly women. The main design of the angel wings and demon horns and tails is because it represents that females may look angelic and precious when they’re inside. They could be a commanding, even a mean person. You don’t know what a girl is capable of until you meet them, and that is exactly what my skateboard is trying to represent. all women are judged for their looks and beauty, and if they aren’t, they are claimed ugly. It looks like that depends on whether they get a good future, boyfriend or even jobs.

The background is a bubble of each pride flag that may correspond to females of any culture, including lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, and pansexual.

“Weakness is not always a terrible thing. It can be used as a shield to hide your true strength,” Tanaz Bhathena wrote in her captivating fantasy novel Hunted by the Sky. Females are often falsely accused of being weak and incapable. However, my skateboard design proves these stereotypes wrong by representing that a woman’s true identity is not defined by her outward appearance but by her inner radiance. I aim to represent Middle Eastern women whose society thinks they are “made” to get married and raise children. People neglect their incredible achievements, and instead of appreciating them, they get bullied, harassed, and, worse, attacked. Hunted by the Sky’s main character and protagonist, Gul, was my inspiration as she avenged the king, who was the reason her parents were murdered. He ordered that all girls with a star birthmark get imprisoned as it has been prophesied that one of them will bring his downfall. We, as females, seek revenge from society, patriarchy, social media, beauty standards, stereotypes that are millenniums old, and the government, national or global, because they kill our dreams, ambitions, and, even worse, our loved ones. They talk about gender equality, and women still have to work as twice as hard as men without being recognized, thanked, or receiving equal pay. There is also still violence against women, whether because they are females or because of their race, skin tone, or what they believe in. Moreover, my skateboard has a shield and a sword behind the girl to represent that her true strength is not in her outer beauty but revolves around her character, ambitions, skills, talents, and what she loves. This is not just a skateboard; it is a call to empower women in every step they take, instead of humiliating them. To conclude, all I can say is that society, patriarchy, social media, beauty standards, stereotypes, and the government belittle us because they are afraid that our achievements might bring their downfall.

The intention of my skateboard design was not to show a hyper-feminine, super-exaggerated image of a queer person/person of colour because I thought that would be a bit redundant. I aimed to make more of a “free” design where it’s not aimed at a specific group of people but is still able to empower. The skate community is currently very exclusive and not very open to people who are “different” and don’t confine themselves to these values, so instead of highlighting this difference and putting them in another box of one or two specific characteristics, I chose to make a design that can be used to represent any person of any background or orientation and can express a diverse view and community. The statue represents the person withstanding all the negativity in the environment and continuing to thrive and stand strong.

First, the sense of belonging contrasted skaters with independence fighters fighting for independence in Korean history. Among them, I drew a female independence fighter that fits the theme. Female skateboarders and female independents had a lot in common. It was about being a woman, using my body, and experiencing uncomfortable gazes and some discrimination in each organization.

Second, a large organization called the Nation was added to expand further and create a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. So I drew the national flag (Taegeukgi) representing Korea. To give the painting a natural feel and to show that the two women on either side of the painting are one person, a national flag was placed in the middle and expressed as if it was waving in the wind, showing one woman acting as a gisaeng during the day and a sniper at night.

Thirdly, to show the beauty and freedom of women and that women can also do things, I drew a secret spy during the Japanese rule. She disguised herself as a gisaeng (a gisaeng is today’s singer, dancer, and poet) obtained information from high-ranking Japanese officials and assassinated them. However, at the time of Japanese rule, Koreans were not treated well, and the profession of gisaeng was not viewed favourably even among Koreans, so the image of gisaeng at the time was further lowered. They changed from artists to prostitutes, and the Japanese military’s surveillance became weaker than that of male independence fighters or ordinary people. So, because of this image, I thought a lot about drawing it on a skateboard. However, I have no regrets about drawing gisaeng because I think that what I drew was not a prostitute or gisaeng but a soldier who fought for the country.

Lastly, since this picture is easier to understand with historical information about Korea, I used guns and dance to make it easier to understand. Skaters will like this design if they are interested in Korean history and like genres such as female spies.

This skateboard is not your ordinary one, as it is adorned with an eye-catching and unique design that features a set of doors, symbolizing an open and welcoming attitude towards individuals from all backgrounds. Regardless of your race, religion, culture, gender identity, or sexual orientation, this board is a tangible reminder that inclusivity and diversity are celebrated in the skateboard community. Furthermore, this board incorporates elements of femininity while simultaneously embracing all genders, including bisexual, asexual, straight, girl, boy, and others. It serves as a powerful message, indicating the beginning of a revolution within the skateboard community where it’s not just boys who can embrace skateboards but also everyone. This skateboard design shows a visual representation where people are encouraged to express themselves and showcase their true selves to the world, whether they prefer mountain designs, cloud designs, feminine designs, queer designs, or any other style on skateboards. This skateboard stands as a beacon of hope for those who have ever felt excluded or marginalized in traditional skateboard culture. It is a reminder that everyone is welcome in the skateboard community, regardless of their background or identity. The board encourages people to express themselves and celebrate their uniqueness while embracing the power of community.

With this project, I wanted to make sure my designs could appeal to and represent women & girls as well as individuals who identify as queer. This board was created with the intent to retain the style associated with skate culture without using overly masculine symbols and designs. A goal of mine was to make sure my designs could represent these groups appropriately without adhering to stereotypes. I incorporated various symbols to accomplish these goals, such as a rainbow river, a queen’s crown (to symbolize female power), and illustrations with stylistic feminine design choices.

I tried my best to make the design something everyone knows, loves, and understands. Part of my process is researching a lot about inclusivity symbols. One search suggested a giraffe with the symbolism of uniqueness and inclusivity. I also used purple to represent uniqueness. 

My design captures a giraffe walking over the world painting it into a colourful world. This is meant to show how we can influence the world to do something different yet also demonstrate that anyone incapable of doing so.

My inspiration was bright, colourful designs. In Particular, I looked at already existing designs on websites like Zumiez and eBay. They are always colourful and eye-catching. Another source of inspiration for me was graffiti in skate parks and how colourful it always is. I wanted to include bright colours in my final version to bring attention to the main details.

The target audience of my art piece is women of colour and young ladies who are in the process of maturing and finding themselves. My skateboard design was created to express self-love, respect, and care for our own bodies and beliefs. Mentalities and who we were born as. I created this piece to show inclusivity within all skin colours, cultures from around the world, and languages to show acceptance of diversity. 

The background expands and covers the surface of the board with an aura of overlapped hearts in gradient pink, demonstrating ongoing love, nurture and compassion. The outline of a hug to self in the centre of the board shows the importance of putting ourselves first. The multiple skin tones and culture/religious symbols express that no matter where we come from or what our ethnicity is, we must love every part of ourselves. Lastly, I created positive affirmations in different languages that promote self-love.