Leaning into the fisheye distortion, the wave
of going against the grain, and vibrant expressive colors, I created what now feels like my firstborn child - NO COMPLY.

No Comply is a typeface inspired by the fisheye lenses we see skateboard photographers & videographers use. The name No Comply is a reference to the trick created in the early skate days. A skateboard photographer called “O” was too big to ollie or perform other tricks, so he created a repertoire of “O tricks”. The No Comply stuck and is still a staple in the culture today.

Leo Baker, a professional non-binary skater, was also a large inspiration for this project. They found themselves through skating and continue to pave the way for future queer and gender non-conforming skaters by working to make the sport more inclusive.

I choose to bring my typeface to life in a variety of ways. First, a skate deck was a must. Neglecting to include a board design with the forms inspired by the culture itself wasn’t going to slide.

Along with the board, I designed a hat, lighters, masks, and a pair of skate shoes. Roll up to a skate park in 2020 and the chances of seeing each of these items are quite high.

Another big part of skate culture is music. With that in mind, I redesigned Blink 182’s Buddha album cover and a pair of headphones to go along with it.

Lastly, in honor of Leo Baker’s inclusivity efforts, I designed a poster campaign aimed towards queer skaters.

-Lane