News

Shop Talk: Painting a giant hockey mask

August 14, 2014

Gerald McLaughlin, owner of Voodoo Air in Pickering, Ont., picked up his first airbrush in 1978, founded Voodoo in 1985 and has created countless graphics, signs and dimensional pieces ever since.

For the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., Molson commissioned five giant airbrushed goalie masks for the Molson Canadian Hockey House. Voodoo worked with Plastiglas Industries in Ajax, Ont., to create the ‘elephant masks.’ One was signed by members of the gold-medal-winning Canadian men’s team before being auctioned off for charity.

In turn, Canadian Tire ordered some 400 more to serve as permanent merchandising displays in 235 of its stores across the country. Voodoo also managed to sell some to sports bars.

The mask is spray-painted in the Edmonton Oilers’ signature navy blue, as the base colour.
The mask is spray-painted in the Edmonton Oilers’ signature navy blue, as the base colour.
Paint masks are applied to the surface, laying out the logos and lettering. A lot of tweaking is needed to ‘pinch’ two-dimensional (2-D) graphics to the three-dimensional (3-D) object.
Paint masks are applied to the surface, laying out the logos and lettering. A lot of tweaking is needed to ‘pinch’ two-dimensional (2-D) graphics to the three-dimensional (3-D) object.
The ‘trans-mask’ is peeled away and any kinks are removed before further application of base paint colours.
The ‘trans-mask’ is peeled away and any kinks are removed before further application of base paint colours.
Silhouettes of oil rigs are added as layered graphics.
Silhouettes of oil rigs are added as layered graphics.
A heat gun is used to cure the base paints.
A heat gun is used to cure the base paints.
More paint masks are applied, using a squeegee, to add further graphics. The original Oilers colour is also reapplied.
More paint masks are applied, using a squeegee, to add further graphics. The original Oilers colour is also reapplied.
After all remaining graphics, paint and clearcoat are applied, the helmet is cured, sanded and coated again before crating and shipping.
After all remaining graphics, paint and clearcoat are applied, the helmet is cured, sanded and coated again before crating and shipping.
The final product is installed in a Canadian Tire store, hanging above a related merchandising display.
The final product is installed in a Canadian Tire store, hanging above a related merchandising display.
  

 

Coroplast Sheets

Hi Core Coroplast photo.
FOR SALE
See More Buy & Sell
Post For Free

Popular Articles

  1. 1
    Meet the Maker: ‘Be passionate, work hard, and share your knowledge’
  2. 2
    Meet the Maker: ‘Be curious—the only bad question is an unasked one’
  3. 3
    Meet the Maker: ‘Learn about all aspects of signage—become one with the sign’
  4. 4
    Toronto unveils first-ever ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ sign at Nathan Phillips Square
  5. 5
    CPIA to host webinar on U.S. tariff impacts on Canadian printing industry

Read the Latest Issue

May 2025 cover
May 2025
Flipbook
PDF