My original plan was to create a futuristic “high-tech” mask and incorporate glasses into it (since masks always fog my glasses). I made some sketches and attempted to plan it out, but I quickly realized it was going to be much harder than I expected.

 

In the previous post about our personal aesthetics, I pointed out how my aesthetic draws a lot from snowboard / skateboarding styles. From that, I think it would be a really fitting project to combine that style with the futuristic aesthetic I have been exploring throughout the semester. Thus, I am switching from the mask to a skateboard. Something I want to keep in mind is for this to be somewhat of an artform. Anyone can buy a skateboard deck and slap some wheels on it. I would really like to make this board stand out.

 

I’ve come up with the idea to make the deck clear. Here is an example of a board someone else made with a clear deck:

I can make this by laser cutting a sheet of acrylic. However, something I am noticing is that some of the clear board are incredibly thick. It seems like it would be quite heavy and cumbersome. Some other concerns I have is that the boards are totally flat, could be quite brittle, and would get scratched easily if they hit the ground when flexing. Here’s an example of how thick the acrylic is on some of the ones other people made:

 

I think it would be quite cool to incorporate aluminum supports into the design. This would allow me to make the acrylic thinner. If properly positioned, it could prevent the acrylic from scratching the ground too. To add some camber / curvature to the surface of the board, I could make a 3d jig out of wood and then use a heat gun to heat up the plastic and deform it to match the curvature.

 

Here are some of the elements I would like to combine:

Shape:  Dance Style

Deck Material: Acrylic and Aluminum

Trucks: White caliber ii

Wheels: White, large diameter (70, 80mm+)

Grip Tape: Clear (hopefully more clear than this photo suggests)

 

LED lights would be cool to add, but that might make it too complicated.

 

 

Just to show the aesthetic difference, here are some skateboards in topical and street aesthetics:

 

Images:

1: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1694/3969/products/IMG_5753_1800x1800.jpg?v=1586733001

2: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1694/3969/products/IMG_3458_1800x1800.jpg?v=1584764939

3: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0127/3236/6912/products/double-kick-dancer-48-bamboo-longboard-cross-stepping-deck-1_1000x.jpg?v=1588887040

4: https://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00MmoQEuvcYTrC/Clear-Transparent-Cast-Acrylic-Sheets-Acrylic-Plastic-Sheet-1220X2440mm.jpg

5: http://www.aluminium-busbar.com/uploads/181111/6061-t6-aluminum-busbars.jpg

6: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41GBd9q4-gL._AC_SS450_.jpg

7: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0127/3236/6912/products/70mmWheelWhite_1000x.jpg?v=1590971907

8: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41AGNtlsIJL._AC_SS450_.jpg

9: https://images.evo.com/imgp/700/132807/549061/sector-9-tropics-ledger-longboard-complete-.jpg

10: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/61/14/54/61145434a26da101fbf1d94ae8ba806e.jpg

Cover: Shaka – Ghost Long Board