Shredding
s e a n   k i r k p a t r i c k
thesis
educate the world on the true values of
skateboarding

get rid of the black and white view of the sport

disclaim the media’s portrayal on the sport

finally show the posotive light skateboarding
deserves
personal relevance



Skateboarding is gnarly

always been a major part of my life

directly ties to art and expression

has enhanced my ability to create and view
the world differently
skateboarding and its image



the many faces of the sport make its image
one that is hard to grasp,

brews speculation and misconception

mostly youth participating in it

black cloud of stereotype
the stereotype

the main view is the competition and retail of
the sport

ESPN’s x games and mall skate shops take all
the credit for the sports success

the true skaters are fighting tooth and nail for
a place to skate, not for neon clothing and
yellow helmets
how we got here

the 80’s and 90’s had polar opposite affects on
the sport

80’s bought in a newskool aerial assault, and the
beginning of corperate companies.

90’s brought the streets into the game and actual
skateboarders began to take control of the
industry
mainstream
to the occasional skateboard enthusiast the
sport stands as a fairly new alternative sport.

tony hawk

skateparks

kids

township space
subculture

subculture makes the freedom of the sport

music, terrain, landscape, and attitude define
skateboarders style on and off the board

increases the oportunity for the sports growth
by creating nich’es
subculture

inner city styles are generally asssociated with
urban hip-hop, and a more devoted effort
toward clothing.

the urban landscape creates a playground of
possibilities and freedom
subculture

towards a more rural area one will begin to
see a more focused area of skateboarding

less things to skate meens you get good at
what you have

more vert ramp and skatepark devotion
subculture

the gray area in style is a great improvement
in the sport

the next generation of skateboarders is
beginning to embrace all elements of the sport

grant taylor
music
very much like music, skateboarding provides
a creative release for participants



instruments and skateboards both serve as
empty canvas for the creative mind

both embrace the rythem of human motion
and expression
music


music listening directly influinces the
skateboarders on board style

tricks, ride aways, spot selection and attitude
all play a part

slow= stylish fast=hardcore
urban
rural
board control
the law
the youth
magazines
core
money hunters

Sgp

  • 1.
    Shredding s e an k i r k p a t r i c k
  • 2.
    thesis educate the worldon the true values of skateboarding get rid of the black and white view of the sport disclaim the media’s portrayal on the sport finally show the posotive light skateboarding deserves
  • 3.
    personal relevance Skateboarding isgnarly always been a major part of my life directly ties to art and expression has enhanced my ability to create and view the world differently
  • 4.
    skateboarding and itsimage the many faces of the sport make its image one that is hard to grasp, brews speculation and misconception mostly youth participating in it black cloud of stereotype
  • 6.
    the stereotype the mainview is the competition and retail of the sport ESPN’s x games and mall skate shops take all the credit for the sports success the true skaters are fighting tooth and nail for a place to skate, not for neon clothing and yellow helmets
  • 8.
    how we gothere the 80’s and 90’s had polar opposite affects on the sport 80’s bought in a newskool aerial assault, and the beginning of corperate companies. 90’s brought the streets into the game and actual skateboarders began to take control of the industry
  • 10.
    mainstream to the occasionalskateboard enthusiast the sport stands as a fairly new alternative sport. tony hawk skateparks kids township space
  • 12.
    subculture subculture makes thefreedom of the sport music, terrain, landscape, and attitude define skateboarders style on and off the board increases the oportunity for the sports growth by creating nich’es
  • 14.
    subculture inner city stylesare generally asssociated with urban hip-hop, and a more devoted effort toward clothing. the urban landscape creates a playground of possibilities and freedom
  • 16.
    subculture towards a morerural area one will begin to see a more focused area of skateboarding less things to skate meens you get good at what you have more vert ramp and skatepark devotion
  • 18.
    subculture the gray areain style is a great improvement in the sport the next generation of skateboarders is beginning to embrace all elements of the sport grant taylor
  • 20.
    music very much likemusic, skateboarding provides a creative release for participants instruments and skateboards both serve as empty canvas for the creative mind both embrace the rythem of human motion and expression
  • 22.
    music music listening directlyinfluinces the skateboarders on board style tricks, ride aways, spot selection and attitude all play a part slow= stylish fast=hardcore
  • 23.
  • 24.
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Editor's Notes

  • #2 \n
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  • #4 \n
  • #5 people find that they can pick a skateboarder out of a crowd, different is wrong to the narrow minded so with the immidiate draw of attention the sport is already misrepresented. a long history of property damage and steriotypes dosent help much either, the skateboarder has become synonamous with drug abuse and rebellion\n\nBIG DUMB CHERADE born ugly magazine rob lee\n
  • #6 \n
  • #7 companies like zumiez and pac sun are here to cash in on the newest thing the youth is into, espn bought their way into the sport by creating a giant advertising cherade out of a vert ramp and a street course. the skaters have become well basically “a stock car” is what jay adams said to stacy peralta, stickers and logos pay your way when you sell out.\n
  • #8 \n
  • #9 different trends within the sport have brought different times for its image, in the 80’s a visually stimulating air show known as the vert ramp attracted viewers and enthusiasts from all walks of life mostly because of its flashy approach and glam metal style, guys like geoorge powell who wasnt even a skater, started companies.\n the 90’ s brought grunge and post punk into the scene creating a more layed back approach to filming and media exposure. guys like steve rucko and rodney mullen began to elbow in\n
  • #10 \n
  • #11 the sport seems skin deep from the outside looking in, many remember the legacy of tony hawk just for his media envolvement and good nature. skateparks are always thought of as the go to thing for a skater but oddly enough itgs far from the truth. when a township builds a skatepark more than likely it will be abused vandalized and underused. the same area takes the soul out of creativity on four wheels\n
  • #12 \n
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  • #14 \n
  • #15 the ever bustling city enviornment allows for skating to take itself to every nook and cranny of urban construction all the way to urban decay, like a sidewalk tile thats popped up from a water main break, instant skate spot. or it could be a beautiful marble ledge just screaming out grind me. these skaters are constantly harassed by inner city bacon and renna bacon\n
  • #16 \n
  • #17 skatings tough when you live in the middle of noware, a lot of rural areas are starting to build massive skateparks to bring culture and sport to the town and keep the kids out of trouble. but before that there was the vert ramp. a two walled ramp known widely from its popularity at x games. the ramp is built easily and has unlimited possibility which keeps a level playing feild for everyone who skates one.\n
  • #18 \n
  • #19 skating vert or street was a good excuse for a while.\n“i dont skate vert” or i dont skate “street” would get you by but is becoming obvious that anyone with decent board control is ignorant for not skating everything. when the excuse is presented to me i just pity the narrow view of the person. as seen in the pictures above, bowls and staircases are becoming ne in the next generation of skating\n
  • #20 \n
  • #21 recently picking up drums i feel the same creative buzz wether playing or skating. wether it be my own music or skateboarding, its playing by my rule. \n
  • #22 \n
  • #23 though it may be hard t understand and or document, with the amount of skateboard footage i have reviewed i can clearly see the distinction between a slow beat music taste and a hardcore music taste in a skateboarders style. a heavier effort into the perfection of a trick comes from a slower and more dialed approach to skateboarding. a punk rock approach just screams go fast and hold on tight\n
  • #24 \n
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  • #31 \n