Inspiration from all things skate
I stumbled across a really talented individual recently. His name is Michael Leon and he has a truly powerful body of work. I connected with his story and work because of some personal life similarities. Namely, skateboarding. His biography on his Website states, “He has the know-how and discipline of a trained professional, but embodies the freedom of thought and Do-It-Yourself tenacity of a skateboarder.” This is very much where I have always felt I am coming from. It’s that understanding that technical skill and training are so valuable. But, at the same time you will approach it differently because you have this untamed spirit that refuses to be tied down. I love that.
Some of the impressive stats on Michael Leon include the following:
- Designed first pro model board while in high school (for New Deal)
- Designed for Girl, Chocolate and Fourstar
- Created Rasa Libre skate brand
- Design Director of Nike SB
When you look at the body of his work you see how versatile he is. It includes a lot of mixed media styles. Collage work, use of photography, illustration, found objects or use of objects. He even has a laser cut skateboard. I really like his design work using black and white photos and monotone illustration on top, like the following:
If you enjoy his work and where he is coming from, I encourage you to visit his site and look through more of his work.
-B
