Image via Complex Original
Skateboarding and graphic design go hand in hand. Over the past decade, art related to skating has been written about time and time again. Naturally, the board is the conduit for most of the most recognized designs in the sport. Artists have risen to fame from their brand positions, and a generation of young aspiring illustrators have gravitated to the some interesting of all mobile canvases.
In 2012, skate brands both old and young continued to push the great tradition of bold, brash bottom graphics. We celebrate those that pushed buttons and inspired artistic envy…as well as those that simply appeal to our juvenile sense of humor. From the big names to the upstart teams, these are the recent decks that will be remembering from the past year.
The 25 Best Skateboard Graphics of 2012
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25. Cliver Griffin
25. Cliver Griffin
Sean Cliver is a legend. He is author of Disposable: A History of Skateboard Art, as well as a slew of trouble making graphics for the likes of Powell Peralta, Blind, and World Industries. Connecting with Supreme, he keeps his nose clean...but the result is still a graphic tour-de-force.
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24. Jankanoo
24. Jankanoo
Palace isn't just the hottest European skate brand because of super fucking awesome videos-the product stands out too. Jankanoo is a Bahamian street festival that takes place every year on December 26. This graphic has no connection to that tradition whatsoever.
23. Craily's - Guy Mariano
23. Craily's - Guy Mariano
Girl's Craily series-which features custom trophies for team riders-hits highest mark with Guy Mariano's deck. Look closely: Mariono is recipient of "The Gary W. Coleman Chided Star Award," fitting because he fucking killed it at age 14. Awesome as a graphic because anything featuring Gary Coleman is inherently funny.
22. LSDemon - Dustin Dollin
22. LSDemon - Dustin Dollin
Not even Lil' Wayne's face tattoo can damage the cool of Baker. Celebrate that fact with a Mike Judge nod and some headbanging.
21. Lids - Chris Roberts
21. Lids - Chris Roberts
Cool, calm, and casual-with a little Evil Knieval mixed in. The Chocolate Lids series gives daredevils a collected look and claims a spot on this list thanks to the straightforward nature of the graphic composition. Why Chris Roberts? Because Garvy the cat told us he was hilarious.
20. Kyle Leeper Madness
20. Kyle Leeper Madness
Kyle Leeper keeps it classy in San Diego. Stereo keeps it classy with informed twists on legendary music graphics. When skater and brand rock with a flip of a undesputedly awesome film poster? Class A win.
19. Primitive Man - Goemann
19. Primitive Man - Goemann
The whole "Primitive Man" series is super creepy. Jon Goemann's just happens to be the weirdest and most frightening. Ben Horton's graphic design on these make them instant classics.
18. Cheer Up - Peter Hewitt
18. Cheer Up - Peter Hewitt
Polar beers will travel huge distances for food, and spend an estimated 50% of there time seeking out tasty animals to munch on. That's dedication, baby. "Achieve Your Goals" by taking a similar stance on making things happen. Hewitt does in his destruction of every skatepark he meets on his Anti Hero deck.
17. Eric Elms Kilroy
17. Eric Elms Kilroy
Eric Elms' interpretation of the famous WWII-vintage "Kilroy Was Here" is an icon of the skate and streetwear scene. Boldly plastered on a board in stacked pattern (no pun intended) gives Elms take on the popular fellow a fresh look. The zig zag pattern created down the board looks dope too.
16. FTC X GIRL Mike Carroll
16. FTC X GIRL Mike Carroll
This one right here? It comes from FTC strong collaborative capsule collection with GIRL and Lakai. Classic McEnroe graphics are always winners.
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15. FOWLER "LUCKY STRIKE"
15. Jerry Fowler "Lucky Strike"
Everyone loves a night of debauchery at the local bowling lanes. Almost as much as everyone likes fit coeds in knee high tube socks. OG's Jerry Fowler and the Hopps crew hit us with a double win on this joint.
14. Theory 8.38
14. Theory 8.38
Shout out to Stacks for recognizing the power of a simple phrase. We do to. See the next slide.
13. Hitchhiker
13. Hitchhiker
How can you not like this deck? Expedition has some superb current graphics-odes to cheap beer and hoops legends included-but at the end of the day, this is the one you want to hang on your wall...and the one you might spend a little too much time with after a few too many cheap beers and failure to score at last call.
12. Slay Anything
12. Slay Anything
Roger killed it with various graphics in 2012. "Tugbook Pro?" LOL. But, when push comes to shove, we give props to the "Slay Anything" deck Josh Row reps. Good motto for skating...and 4 a.m. closing times.
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11. Happy Sad
11. Happy Sad
Why so pessimistic, Pontus Alv? Polar is killing it, not just in the cold of Sweden but around the world too. The brand's graphics range from stellar photographic compositions like this one to absurd illustrations. Keep your eyes peeled for more...
10. Man's Best Friend - Dan Plunkett
10. Man's Best Friend - Dan Plunkett
Dan Plunkett rides for Skate Mental "because its the shit!!!" This deck is the shit because it features a dog in a space suit. Plunkett's got a few others too, like the white trashed-themed "River" and the Pabst-flip "Be Nice." Those are good. But those follow standard skate art trends. A dog in a space suit, that's just memorable.
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9. Before And After - Andrew Allen
Before And After - Andrew Allen
The entire "Before and After" series from Anti Hero is great. Naturally, if we have to pick one we pick the one with boobs.
8. The RAW Jonah Miller DUKW Skateboard
8. The RAW Jonah Miller DUKW Skateboard
New England's RAW stops at nothing to celebrate local skate traditions. Beyond, the brand is better than almost anyone at giving voice to familiar icons. Case in point, Jonah Miller's illustrated series of decks honoring the (often annoying) duck boats that tour Bean Town. Awesome, cerebral skate design.
7. Snackman Cruiser Board
7. Snackman Cruiser Board
God bless you, Quartersnacks. Jeezy's snowman has been flipped a few times, but never so cleverly as in your consistent use. Call this the perfect cruiser for getting "from the crib to the bar in style." Or simply, the best combination of hip-hop, skateboarding, and bodega culture ever created.
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6. Brockertone - Justin Brock
6. Brockertone - Justin Brock
Yes! This dog has swag. This dog keeps it real. This dog represents for the dirty thoughts in all our minds. This deck flips the classic Coppertone girl perfectly for our generation.
5. Tips N' Tricks - Trujillo
5. Tips N' Tricks - Trujillo
Anti Hero never fails with decks. The concepts are hilarious, even when gruesome. Of the heaps released in 2012, the Tips & Tricks series sums up the brands brilliance best-sound advice for subversive behavior. We like the Truijillo version best because kneeing a dude in the balls is fucking hilarious.
4. Mark Gonzales Sweatpants
4. Mark Gonzales Sweatpants
Shell toes and sweatsuits. Classic. Pair with Gonz and Krooked, the result don't change. The Gonz Peces Fine Art decks also deserve recognition-look 'em up.
3. Cage - Jake Rupp
Cage - Jake Rupp
Made in the USA by Geneartor Woodshop, Paris-based Magenta Skateboard's Cage series continues art director and team member Soy Panday's brilliant illustrative work for the company. For these, he pulls from a personal project titled "Animals and Objects." The theme is self explanatory and the effect is simply awesome. Jake Rupp's deck is our favorite.
2. Penny Rasta Cheech and Chong
2. Penny Rasta Cheech and Chong
To give the newly designed P2 skateboard added lift, FLIP resurrected an icon graphic and gave 2012 a reborn, retooled, and reworked classic all its own. Still killer after all these years.
1. Hjalte Chop Chop
1. Hjalte Chop Chop
Hjalte Halberg's signature deck tells it like it is: Death to rollerbladers. Hilarious illustration, hilarious thought, and a hilariously bold move to give a relatively obscure brand from a place nobody goes top spot on this list.
