Dinosaur Skatedeck

So I decided to get right to it with the work from the Re-Art show! tonight I'll start with the most popular of the pieces the Dinosaur Skateboard!

As some of you know I have been working on designing Skate decks for the last few years while studying tattoo art. I have only done a few skateboards BUT I have tons of designs that have yet to be put onto maple skate glory! A lot of the design work has revolved around my fascination with Japanese and other eastern art traditions. But then I decided on a new idea...DINOSAURS!.....duh

Dinosaurs have been my longest running fascination since I was a kid. I loved dinosaurs, I wanted to be an archaeologist for a long time! I of course loved the Jurassic Park movies, collected dinosaur figures, read many many books (probably the most i've read in 23 years), sometimes I still wish I could find more dinosaur related clothing!

It was around the time I started planning for this show I realized let's get back into dinosaurs. I had drawn a few as jokes with the CCSU Art club but never thought anything of some of my sketches in my journal until recently. I took a look at my T-rex necklace and just let my imagination run.

The board itself fell into the category of Re-Art as it was, quiote literally, a skateboard I found discarded in a dumpster at Central Connecticut State University. I kept the board thinking I could use it for something at some point and when the opportunity of Re-Art came into mind it fit perfect. I had Jay sand the face of the skate deck, I kept the original hardware and I began thinking about a design. I thought "I want an epic battle", so I took the two most popular dinosaurs the triceratops and the Tyranosaurus Rex and pitted them into mortal combat.

As an artist I had to start thinking more than just random subject matter. I began to let the piece evolve as I worked. I made the painting in exactly two days. I drew it up on one of my breaks then brought it home and started with some solid colors. For the longest time it was just going to be two dinosaurs in battle with little detail but then I decided to give a real sense of setting. I put comets in the background with a volcanoe and a small pterodactyl. The middle ground consists of the two raging beasts in mid battle with the triceratops being the clear victor rather than a biting T-rex as most would expect. the horn of the triceratops and the overall detail of things works as a small tribute to japanese woodblock prints and my studies in japanese artwork. Then came the hard part of choosing a foreground. I decided to make the battle over the triceratops' "pups". Instead of a random battle to the death I wanted to make this piece evolve into something more. So I made a mud nest with one hatching egg and two Compsognathus' in the middle of trying to steal the eggs, not realizing they're being caught in the middle of a battle.

The title "Vigilant Until Demise" refers to the maternal nature of the triceratops. She continues to protect her babies even as the end of the world is soaring to fruition. She continues to fight this predator and will do so until the ashes settle and the end of the dinosaurs time has come.

This composition shows my style of work and a new theme in my thinking. I plan on making a few more compositions involving dinosaurs, my brain is brimming with ideas and it is going to be a short break from the VICE SERIES. I am currently working on that as well but will be concentrating on this theme for a little bit. I am not a genius like Leonardo da Vinci, but I sure as hell know how to change my mind as much as he did.

Next blog, bowling pins a plenty!!! I hope everyone is enjoying

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do"
- Leonardo da Vinci