First up in our VC X BELL Helmets project is the awesome illustrator designer Dani Hair!
You might have already seen some of Dani’s amazing illustration work floating around the moto world via event posters like the Highland Scramble , moto inspired artworks and in the form of her awesome instagram Tinned Mints!
Dani’s eye-catching cartoon inspired work comes from her affinity for old album artworks, pop art, and her obsession with bold colour palettes and with her new appointment as a designer at Royal Enfield she’s set to make her mark on the motorcycle design world ! Right on Dani!!!
Meet Dani, follow her on Instagram @dandoo_hair
and check out her kick ass femmes and felines inspired custom painted BELL MOTO-3 below!
AND DON’T FORGET!…
All 5 of the Bell custom painted helmets are up for grabs at this years Camp VC event where we’ll be raffling them off! So make sure you grab one of the last few remaining tickets to the event HERE and grab a raffle ticket onsite to be in with a chance to bag one!!!
Where are you from originally and where do you live now?
I am from Sydney, Australia and moved to Edinburgh a few years ago now.
What first got you into graphic design?
I grew up watching things like Pokemon and Pingu so I started drawing cute cartoons and making silly animations when I was little and never really stopped. I got into digital design probably like a lot of other millenials, by customis- ing my MySpace page and editing photos for me and my friends profiles in high school haha.
What do you love the most about having such a hands on creative job?
I love that my job is also my creative outlet and I can take it anywhere with me. As much as it causes me stress when I have a lot to do, the process of doing it is actually quite therapeutic. I also love the variety of clients I get to work with and the people I have met and made friends with through my work.
Where do you most get your inspiration from?
There is so much art and design available online now, so I try to look at the past and look at design from previous decades and see how I can use modern technology to enhance those old trends. From the 60s-90s. Old album art, vintage posters, fashion, packaging and anime cartoons.
How would you describe your style of work?
My graphic work really varies in style depending on the brief but the one thing that is consistent is my obsession with colour. I love distinct and bold colour palettes. I would say it’s always fun and quirky too. If anything I want it to make people smile.
Have any other artists in particular been an influence on you?
Quite a mix really. Cartoonists and animators like Jamie Hewlett & Pendleton Ward. Pop artists like Keith Haring and Malika Favre and artists I’ve discovered through Instagram like Ruth Mora, Hiller Goodspeed, Marena Skinner and David Shrigley. Also my friends and the people I have worked with over the years.
What has been your favourite recent project you’ve worked on and why?
I have been working with my pals at Bikerbnb for the past couple of years on their event posters for ‘The Highland Scramble’. This year they have a lot more events and let me do all their graphic design work with my own creative di- rection and it turned into a really fun and successful campaign. The designs have since been nominated for a Scottish Design Award so I’m really pleased with that project.
How does your life inspire your work?
The people I’m surrounded by influences the kind of work that comes my way. So when I worked at a music venue, I was doing a lot of music based design work. When I started traveling and riding motorcycles, naturally I started work- ing with people in the motorcycle industry. Now I’m working at Royal Enfield designing motorcycles. So my life and work are inextricably linked for sure.
Tell us all about your awesome Bell Moto 3 helmet design!
I post cartoons under the handle @tinnedmints. This design is based on a cartoon I did for International Women’s Day. The helmet design celebrates femmes and felines, intertwined and holding each other up. Taking ‘Women supporting Women’ in a very literal sense. The helmet itself looks like the motocross helmets of the 80’s so I took the graphic style into that era, drawing inspiration from 80’s pop art. It already had the blue and red stripes in the middle which I wanted to keep and use as a base for the colour scheme.
What materials did you use to create the helmet?
The Medium used is ‘Alphanamel’ enamel paint.
What was the process you used to paint the helmet?
Enamel paint starts to harden once it is applied and it is waterproof so there isn’t much room for error once you start, so planning is key. First I took photos of the helmet and mocked up the design digitally on Photoshop. Then I sketched everything out onto the helmet using a whiteboard marker that easily wipes off. I applied the base colours first, then did the outlines once it was dry.
How long did it take you to create?
Painting is not my strong point, I’m primarily a digital artist these days so it took me a lot longer than it probably should have. From digital mock ups to final paint, it took me at least two weekends with drying time in between each colour.
