How graphic design and skateboard graphics coincide and have Essay

How graphic design and skateboard graphics coincide and have influenced the growth in skateboarding since the 70's - Essay Example consisting of roller-skate wheels attached to a two by four; once the push bar of the scooter-like contraption was broken off, skateboarding was born’ (Skateboarding History, 2007). Through the years, skateboarding has been developed extensively especially as of the shape and the size of the skateboards. Moreover, graphics were added on skateboards presenting figures of all types (always in accordance with the cultural and social trends of a specific period). Current paper examines the relation of skateboarding with graphic design. The influence of the latter to the development of the former especially after the period of 1970s is the main issue analyzed in this paper. In order for the above relationship to be clearer, it is necessary to present the history of skateboarding from its appearance (approximately in 1959) until today. At the same time, it would be useful to refer to the development of graphic design throughout the years especially in relation with skateboarding. Th e views of professionals in the specific area have been also considered to be a valuable tool towards the understanding of the role of graphic design in the development of skateboarding since the 70s. The historical development of skateboarding has not been continuous. The period that characterized by a high growth of this activity is 1970s. In fact, it was during that period that the first skatepark appeared while skateboarding was extensively advertised in the television and the cinema. Moreover, new styles of skateboarding were adopted like slalom and freestyle. Regarding the developments in skateboarding that took place in the above period it is noticed that ‘this was the first time skateboarding had stars, some of the first really big names being Tony Alva, Jay Adams and Stacy Peralta; the look of skateboards also changed from being six to seven inches in width to over nine inches, providing better stability on vertical surfaces’ (Scateboarding History, 2007). In the above context,