Chris Levis, a professional lacrosse goalie for the Edmonton Rush came to me with an idea in mind. Chris wanted to highlite the team he played for but he also wanted the mask to reflect his native heritage. Considering North American natives invented the game of lacrosse, we airbrushed historical images of these early lacrosse players onto the sides of the mask. I asked Chris if he wanted his name or nickname on the chin but he opted for the team logo instead…a true team player.
This mask was created for Jeff, a customer who plays for a team called the Penetrators. The Penetrators play to raise funds for Cancer. The pink theme reflects the teams jersey color as well as the pink ribbon for cancer. Jeff’s a big General Lee fan so I added it front and center at the top. The Pink Panther and “Nana” (Jeff’s Grandma) on the the left, Jessica Rabbit and Jeff’s number 31 on the right, and the Penetrators “P” logo on the chin complete the mask. I added the metalic silver around the edges to tie the design together and soften the overall saturation of color. Purple was used for shadows to add depth and contrast.
The Big Idea
The most requests I get are to airbrush goalie masks. I love doing them because of my keen interest in hockey. So what’s involved in creating an airbrushed work of art on a 3-dimensial surface such as a goalie mask. Usually a customer will have a basic idea of what they want on their mask. We discuss the theme and I make suggestions as to what would fit best and where on the mask. Sometimes a customer will feel comfortable taking what we have discussed and giving me creative freedom to run with it. Other times a customer would like to see ough sketches.
The Mask
So we’ve established the big idea, now its time to prepare the mask. Firstly the mask hardware (cage and straps) need to be removed. Sometimes a customer will ask me to save the safety stickers. The customer or myself can do this, or at least try to do this by steaming the stickers off. The success of this all depends on 2 things, the first is what the sticker is made of. If it’s paper it is very difficult to keep intact. If it’s a plastic type material it is usually easier but can also strectch somewhat from the steam and pulling off from the glue. The second concern is what the sticker glue is made of. If it’s a water based glue it will dissolve and release more easily. If it’s an oil based glue it will be a little more stubborn but will usually warm up and release.
Surface Preparation
Now everything is removed and we need to prepare the surface of the mask and back plate. The first thing we need to do is “mask” or cover the inside of the mask and back plate to protect the padding during the entire process. This includes applying small pieces of masking tape inside the vent and strap holes. Next the mask needs to be sanded to remove the gloss or gel coat. This needs to be done so that the airbrushed paint properly adheres to the surface. This is a very important and time consuming process because not only the main surface needs to be sanded but also the inside edges of all of the vent holes and strap slots. Then the mask and back plate are cleaned with a degreaser to remove all residual dust and other loose material. Finally a base coat needs to be applied to the entire mask. This is usually done in black, white, or a combination of both depending what the overall design of the mask is.
A Blank Canvas
Finally we have a blank canvas to work with and its time to create our masterpiece. But hold on, the first thing we need to consider is what the design is so we can determine what method to approach the airbrushing. If the artwork requires a hard edge such as a logo or name then masking needs to be cut to prevent overspray, depending on the graphic this can be a meticulous process. If its very complex a vinyl cut of the shapes need to be printed out on a vinyl cutter. This is a material similiar to a sheet of letters that can be peeled of with a sticky backing and applied. After the area is airbrushed the masking is removed. The other method is freehand where there is no masking but the airbrushing has a softer edge and blends applied. Usually a design requires a combination of both methods. Sometimes the masking is hand held to save time and prevent airbrushing from bleeding under the masking. Now our airbrushed artwork is complete and we’re ready to re-assemble the mask right……wrong. Now we have to apply Klear Kote to protect the artwork.
Icing on the Cake
Similar to the shiny surface of a new car the mask needs to have several Klear Kotes applied to it. This not only protects the artwork but also brings out the colors and gives the airbrushing a “deeper” effect. After “curing” or hardening for several days the cage, straps, and stickers if any can be re-applied. As you can see there is much more involved in properly airbrushing a goalie mask than simply spraying on the artwork. All in all, the actual airbrushing of the artwork is approximately 50 to 60 per cent of the entire process from start to finish. You now have a colorful new mask thats gives you a boost of confidence in facing down opponents!
Authors Copyright Note: All content and writing of this article is copyright Cam Wilson, Hockeyartist.com, and Inferno Air Custom Airbrushing. Any use of this material in portion or its entireity without expressed written consent to the author is strictly prohibited.
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