I Saw Right Through You Skate Board ©2011 Nick Beery

My favorite scene from the film is when Bruce is surrounded by a dozen punks giving him reason to pull out the best of tools for death, aside from the modern day version chainsaw, and ferociously puts a jagged saw through the head of one of the attackers! The image for the design is based on that particular scene with a few additional elements to bring it together compositionally. Bruce dawns a bandana around the mouth giving him a little more street finesse. I decided that since the film was relating to the the juxtaposition of Chinese and Japanese martial artists it was necessary to add the Japanese Characters which mean “Big Boss” or “Boss”.

The actual deck was painted with acrylics and some use of inks. There are some iridescent layers that really shimmer and change in the light that aren’t recognizable through this post. To emphasize the power of the saw blade and Bruce’s vengeance a nice lil word bubble with “ ! ” does the composition full justice. Some drippy sun bursts at the flanks of the board really tie in the Asian connection on the design. You won’t find me doing a ton of black and white paintings so this is truly a one of a kind deck and design from the Beery Method Studio.

A little about the film and it’s appeal to me:

The film that was originally slated to release titled Fists of Fury in the States had its new title switched with that of THE BIG BOSS, which was retitled The Chinese Connection to riff off of the then-current The French Connection and its heroin-related content. Seeing this film as The Chinese Connection lead to a bit of confusion as this film has nothing whatsoever to do with drug smuggling. Instead The Chinese Connection which I prefer to call The Big Boss is an archetypal “You killed my master!” revenge flick that has Bruce Lee as the top student at a kung fu school in Japanese-occupied China whose master is poisoned by the dastardly Samurai assholes at a local karate/swordsmanship/Japanese dojo. Bruce and his schoolmates endure all kinds of shit from the intolerably obnoxious Japanese because their teacher did not believe in vengeance. Since this is a Bruce Lee movie it’s only a matter of time until Bruce puts his slipper-clad foot right up the collective ass of every punk ass in the dojo, all while firmly standing up for Chinese pride in the face of imperialist racism and all-around douchebaggery.

I love the intensity and violence in the film that doesn’t come through so hard-core in latter Lee movies. Complete with some of Bruce’s, and martial arts cinema’s, most spectacular fights and the mother of all downbeat endings, this is simply the best film Bruce Lee ever made.

For the intro to my process I am going to breakdown how I created Cascade Vagabond which was one of the first characters created from the theme. Cascade Vagabond not only was created as an original piece of art but also ended up as the winter 2009 shop deck for Snowboard Connection.

All designs begin with a light pencil sketch to define the linework that will eventually be the parameters for inking and coloring digitally:

Beery Method : Hobo Eaters

Sketch

After a sketch that defines the characters details I move on to hank inking the characters with Pigma Micron pens on vellum:

Inked

Here is a side by side view:

Inked Detail

After inking I scan the image and vectorize it in Adobe Illustrator. Once all the character is vectorized I move on to adding colors and gradients:

Cascade Vagabond Digital Version

Below is the final image put to product. In this case it is a pro line skateboard. See the blog archive for more close up details:

Cascade Vagabond Skateboard

Here is a breakdown of how I created Rubix Dude who is another character from the Hobo Eaters series:

Sketch / Ink / Original

Sketch / Ink / Original

Here are some close up shots of the materials and process:

Blue Line Sketch

Inked Drawing on Vellum

Ink & Wood Stain

The original piece was done utilizing the sketch by projecting on wood, tracing, hand inking with brush, and painting with wood stain and finish:

Rubix Dude: Ink & Wood Stain

Details

The fact that the above piece is hand inked makes it the “original” and one and only. I can create variations on this design by utilizing the sketch and inked drawing, but every new edition will be different. No one version is alike since I ink by hand using brush and pen. Some versions sit on finished wood, while others are absorbed directly into the grain of the wood piece.

Below is the digital version with added hues, gradients, and tones that make it very different from the original:

Rubix Dude Digital Version

Last but not least I printed up limited edition tees of Rubix Dude by printing transparencies from the vector output and screen printing to garments:

Rubix Dude Tee Shirts

I still have a few of these limited edition tee shirts available. Printed on silver AA fashion fit tees. Please contact me if interested in purchasing!

To continue this thread the following will be most of the characters from the Hobo Eaters: Agents of Chaos series. As to not be redundant I am simply posting the details of the sketches, inked versions, originals on wood, digital versions, and any products created with the designs. Enjoy!

The Shambler:

Sketch

Inked

Sketch / Inked / Original

Sketch Detail

Inked Detail

Original Detail

The Shambler Original

45 Mack:

Sketch / Inked

Inked Detail I

Inked Detail II

Original Detail I

Original Detail II

45 Mack Original

45 Mack Digital Version

Blood Life:

Sketch

Inking

Blue Line & Ink on Vellum I

Blue Line & Ink on Vellum II

Unfinished Inking Detail

Ink Detail II

Blood Life Digital Version

Coded:

Sketch & Ink

Sketch Detail

Ink Detail I

Ink Detail II

Coded Digital Version

Ol Timer:

Ink Beginnings on Wood

Final Inks on Wood

Ol Timer Tee

Ol Timer Digital Version

Rocket Rocker:

This design actually started in reverse. I did a digital rendering in Corel Painter which I then vectorized in Adobe Illustrator and added halftones. This design was eventually picked up by a Seattle skateboard company Nomadic.

Rocket Rocker Ink on Wood

Rocket Rocker Skateboard

Bummin & Runnin:

This design started as a pencil rendering which I then scanned and added a couple layers of highlights and midtones. It was originally created for soft goods production and ended up on tee shirts which are available from Portland OR based Tilteed.

Bum & Run Original

Bum & Run Detail I

Bum & Run Detail II

Bum & Run Detail III

Bum & Run Ink & Wood Stain

Bummin & Runnin Digital Version

Bum & Run Tee Shirts

As this post has become lengthy with photos of my process from concept to finals and even products I am going to put the rest of this series of characters in the following post regarding the Hobo Eaters show and series…

Beery Method Design Studio

Full Deck

Here is the Seattleite gripping the reigns or more like the fab of his hoodie. The rider is god-like, hence the Shiva-ish arms. Tatted and knarly he encompasses the streamlined yet grungesque charicature of this cities youth and “counter-culture”. Sno-Con cleverly enhanced upon the fingers that so readily grip his parka hood. The mid-arms with hands outstretched to feel the rain which pours from a happy cloud which adorns the “King” crown.

The character is also a twisted “yetti-style” mug. His bearded face and hair-like arms are not just a reference to the mountain beast but many o character of this rainycity. His expression is one of power and strength which hearkens the attitude of the skate/ski culture as well as the integrity of SnoCon.
Around his neck and arms are his accessories. The rings, ropes, chains, leather, and scarves that accent his features are all there. The lower hands strategically express “NW” (not gang-signish!). It is kinda hidden and yet there in your face. This is a true rep of the Pacific Northwest in general.

Cascade Vagabond

Close Up on Vagabond

Close Up on Cloud

Close Up on NW

Cascade Vagabond Deck by BeeryMethod

Drop by your local Snowboard Connection or hit them up online and get em while hot off the deck press!