Skateboard Graphics: My First Design School

How skate culture shaped my approach to design, branding, and visual identity.

Skateboards Before Strategy

• by Kirill
• in Branding
• posted June 23, 2026

Before I knew what branding was, I was obsessed with skateboard graphics.

I spent hours staring at decks from Alva, Powell Peralta, Santa Cruz, Blind, and World Industries. They were bold, weird, rebellious, and impossible to ignore. Every graphic had its own personality.

Looking back, skateboarding taught me a lot about design before I even knew I was learning it—composition, typography, storytelling, identity, and the power of a strong visual idea.

That influence is still in my work today. Whether I’m building a brand, designing a space, or painting a mural, I’m still chasing the same thing:

An idea strong enough to stick with you.

Kirill

Pete Kirill designs identity systems, signage, and information experiences that work in the real world. His clients include cultural institutions, hospitality brands, public spaces, and organizations operating at scale.

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