I have owned/ rented probably a dozen pair of skis since I started skiing (I was around 2 or 3 when I started). But the pair I’ve owned the longest are the Nordica Enforcer 185’s I received as a 16th birthday present from my uncle.
I still use these skis as of writing this, they have been my primary skis a LONG time. My uncle gifted them prefacing: “I used these skis in the 2000s, they probably have 2 good seasons left on them.”
I still use these skis, 8 seasons later.
These were my Nordica Enforcer’s prior to the re-design. Still a very cool design!
Last season I decided that I wanted to change things up without breaking the bank. I decided to turn my super-old and overused skis into an art project. For a while I had envisioned a ski design that matches no matter what ski is on what foot. (As you might see with the original ski design, it only lines up one way)
I went through a few variations on this idea: intertwining vines, clouds, maybe even a map?
I completed a concept art project a few months before. The concept art project was a character design based on Nezha, the protection deity of Taoism and Chinese folk religion. Nezha rides around on two ‘wind-fire’ rings that attach at his feet. I had thought about this in the context of creatures and realized the rings could be metaphorical objects for dragons. When trying to come up with a solution for the ski design, I realized it would be fitting to take my metaphorical interpretation and apply it to the two slats that let me fly down the slopes! And so the design was decided. Two intertwining dragons.
As you might notice, I also painted the boots.
Unfortunately, I was too wrapped up with the design, and failed to properly research how to go about painting cold-proof.
Most cold-weather gear with designs (like skis + snowboards) has a layer of plastic above the design, or the design is multilayered so if it scratches, the design remains.
I used hardware store spraypaint and POSCA paint markers. I did clear coat, but most of the paint was exposed directly to cold. The wear and tear of a daring squirrel trail skier like me also chipped the paint. Very quickly into the season, the paint began to scratch and flake off (not the most environmentally friendly thing I can imagine…) I did sand down the surface of the skis + boots so the paint would have some tooth to stick. Sadly, especially on the boots, the sanding was not enough. Oh well, next time I will do more research,
Currently I am actively trying to reach out to some ski and snowboard companies to see if I might do a design collab with them, feel free to Subscribe to my updates, and you will be the first to know if I do a collab!
A work in progress pic from when I was inking!