A few years after high school, when I really started to get into graphic design and the art of skateboard culture, I made a trip to my local Barnes & Noble to see if I could find any books that incorporated both of my new found interests. Lucky for me, there were quite a few to choose from, but one in particular caught my attention: Art, Skateboarding & Life by Andy Howell. Now, before seeing this behemoth of a book, I had never heard of Mr. Howell, but I was immediately attached to the art inside and decided to make the purchase. Little did I know, Andy was not only an artist, but a very versatile entrepreneur.
Andy Howell grew up living and breathing action sports. In 1988, Andy began touring the globe as a professional skateboarder. During this time, Howell was also furthering his education at an art school in Atlanta. After receiving his Visual Communications degree, he went on to co-found New Deal Skateboards, Giant Distribution, 411 Video Magazine, and the very well known Element Skateboards. He spent most of his time at New Deal in the form of Creative Director, developing art for his products that were heavily influenced by graffiti and cartoons. Howell has also done art direction for a slew of other companies, including the likes of Casio G-Shock and Vans.
These days, Howell is Co-President and Creative Director for Imagewerks, Inc. According to their website, the company’s focus is to “create, recondition, and adapt brand identity for the cutting edge youth market”. The San Diego-based company has worked on branding and promotional material for companies such as Activision, McDonald’s, Converse, and DC Shoes. If you’d like to read more info about Andy Howell, visit some of the links below for a taste of what he’s about. Art, Skateboarding & Life can be found at most major bookstores or on Amazon.com.
Source:
Andy Howell (Official Page)
Imagewerks, Inc. (Corporate Portfolio)
Art, Skateboarding & Life (Amazon.com)
Kevin P.
The Art of Shred 
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