Week 7: Kanye finds a way into everything I do-You can't miss this SKATEBOARDS

Glancing at Complex Design this week, I came across these awesome skateboard decks. You may ask your self, "Self, why was Nick intrigued by a skateboard?" Well, my friend, I might not look it, but I was once a skateboarder. I'm talking like 7th and 8th grade. I spent like 3 months worth of allowance on a skateboard. I even sold my Nintendo64.  I recently received a gift card to Target so, naturally, I bought a brand new skateboard. This one is much more cheap and, frankly,  much more wack than my skateboard years ago. But it on clearance and I had the urge to skate around the parking lot next to my house. Here it is in all its Instagramed glory.

If you could see the bottom, you would notice that the graphic that was there when purchased is ripped off. That is the real reason I bought this puppy for so cheap. I just wanted to design the deck. I'm thinking a stencil-type piece of art, but after seeing these decks on Complex I might change my mind. Check it out!

This might not look very difficult to do, but just wait to see how he did it.

Via Nick Schonberger/ Complex

Simon Ålander, a Swedish designer, combines analog and digital techniques to produce unique hand-lettering. For this skateboard, he employed a projector to trace the design and then enhanced the outlines using a white marker. To further the texture, Ålander applied three layers of ink and then stippled the foundation to give the letters some depth. Complex steps to a simple, neatly crafted end. 

The detailed shots really show the work Simon put in. Seeing and reading about this, a can of spray paint just into going to cut it with my deck any more.

P.S. I've been fooling with stenciling lately. Just as Kanye has a thing for Will Ferrell's body of work, I do too. So, I decided to make use his face in my first stenciling test drive. (I took this next picture before I did another layer of a stencil so it's not the finished product.)