Them Sweet Graphics

This may not be an essential feature for some, at least in terms of functionality, but it defines the character of the board. Aside from the shape, the graphics give the board a visual temperament and most of the time the graphics reflects the riders personality and style. Let me share a story, when my parents finally agreed to buy me a longboard as a birthday present last October 2012. I was having a hard time choosing my first board. After a long arduous task of searching for board specifications on the net, I have laid out a shortlist of the boards that I have favoured. This list included the Landyachtz Wolfshark 2012, Rayne Babykiller, Comet Grease Hammer, Landyachtz Switchblade 36 and the Rayne Vandal. Among the 5 boards one stood out, the Babykiller with its killer (no pun intended) graphics depicting a god, who I thought was Zeus at first but I think it was Poseidon because he is holding a harpoon or trident thing, demolishing a metropolitan with sheer anger.

My Babykiller back in its hey days

Honestly, I am very particular with board graphics. Graphics always comes right after price. I really admire the artists behind the radical designs on these longboards. Whenever a group of longboarders chill out and stack their boards face down, it’s like an art gallery exhibit on wheels. Each manufacturer has their own style and it also depends on the graphic artists that design them. Let’s take a look at Rayne’s graphic style. Rayne longboards has this distinctive bold powerful colours and apocalyptic theme. They emphasize the outlines of the artwork and because of their signature sublimated artwork, the graphic doesn’t scratch off easily as normal graphic coating. Landyachtz has these comic-bookish and very vibrant colours. Their new models however, sport a clean minimalistic design, kind of like a typographical design. Loaded is known for their wood finish and earthy, geometrical designs. They even took the grip job like it is part of the artwork as their boards have custom grip tape designs. Comet has this quirky, cartoony graphic that uses at most four bright colours. Meanwhile, Sector 9 designs are focused on sexy illustration of ladies that serve as human counterparts of the board (they have sexy girl names for them too). How could I forget Originals’ graphic design, the wild feral design and also minimalist graphics oozes awesomeness that would make you beg just to have it.    

What if you could have all of them?

These are just some of the longboard brands that put as much effort into the graphics as with the shape and construction. Longboard graphics are often overlooked because what matters primarily is how the board handles when you go crazy with it, the graphic is just an added bonus but skating while knowing that an awesome graphic lies beneath that board just gives you an extra motivation to skate your heart out and be proud that you own a one of a kind board. I know this is kind of weird, but I have firm belief that you must be able to get to know your board, how it behaves, how it differs from other boards, to be able to fully achieve the optimal use of your board (is it weird? ‘Cause I think it’s not. I don’t know. Ignore me.). Bottom line is that whether you appreciate a board’s graphic or not, if you’re comfortable with it and you enjoy skating with it then why change it if it ain’t broke.

P.S. Graphics are still look cool though.