Okay, so I had this idea buzzing around in my head for a while – making a Dragon Ball themed skateboard. I’m a big fan, you know, grew up with it, and I had this old deck just collecting dust in the garage. Seemed like a perfect match.
Getting Started – Prep Work
First thing, I dug out that old board. It wasn’t in terrible shape, but the graphic was faded and scratched up. No way I was gonna paint over that mess. So, I grabbed my sandpaper – started with some rough grit, maybe 80? – and just went at it. Took off the trucks and wheels first, obviously. Sanding off the old graphic and the top coat was sweaty work, took longer than I thought. Dust everywhere. Eventually got it down to the bare wood, nice and smooth. Wiped it down real good to get rid of all the dust.
Designing and Painting
Next up, the fun part: the design. I thought about a few things. Maybe Shenron wrapping around? Or just the Dragon Balls? Nah, felt kinda basic. I settled on Goku, gotta have Goku, right? Decided to go with him riding the Flying Nimbus across the bottom of the deck. Seemed dynamic, fit the shape well.
I lightly sketched the outline onto the wood with a pencil. Didn’t need to be perfect, just a guide. Then I got my paints out. Mostly used acrylics, had a bunch lying around.
- Started blocking in the big colors first. The yellow for Nimbus.
- Then Goku’s orange gi. This took a couple of coats to get it looking solid.
- Filled in his blue undershirt and wristbands, skin tone, and finally that crazy black hair.
Waiting for each layer to dry was a bit annoying, but necessary. Rushing it just makes a mess. Once the main colors were down and dry, I used some finer brushes and paint markers – black and white mostly – to add the outlines and details. You know, define the muscles, the folds in the clothes, Goku’s face. This really made it pop.
Finishing It Off
After letting the paint cure fully for like, a day, maybe two, I took it outside. Sprayed on a few coats of clear varnish. Used a spray can type, glossy finish. Did thin layers, letting each one dry a bit in between. This is super important to protect the artwork from getting wrecked the first time you ride it. That smell is strong, definitely do it outdoors or in a well-ventilated spot.
Let the clear coat harden up properly for another day. Then it was time to put it all back together. Cleaned up the trucks and bearings a bit while I was at it, put the wheels back on, and bolted everything back onto my newly painted deck. Tightened all the bolts. Stood back and looked at it. Pretty awesome.
The Result
Took it for a quick roll down the driveway. Felt good. The graphic looks sharp, way better than the old scratched-up one. It’s one of a kind, you know? Made it myself. Definitely a cool project, happy with how this Dragon Ball skateboard turned out. Took some time and effort, but totally worth it.
