Well, the Nashville Predators posted the finalists’ designs for the “Design Pekka’s Mask” Contest…and mine didn’t make the cut. The contest was for fans to design a new goalie mask for their star goaltender Pekka Rinne (pronounced “PECK-ah REEN-eh“) . The winning design will be painted by airbrush artist David Gunnarsson on a mask that Pekka will wear in a game- which the winner of the contest will get to keep! How cool is that?!
I went with a movie “Predator” look for the sides/front, and a their saber-tooth mascot GNASH as a “Preda Rinne” on the back.
I added the Preds new cat head logo and “NASHVILLE” to some Predator arm/wrist blades on the right side…
…and their guitar pick logo and “PREDATORS” to the left side. In hind sight I should have flipped the sides so “Nashville Predators” would read right when worn- D’oh! Good thing I don’t design race-car layouts NASCAR…
For the back I put their logo on the ice with a few skate blade marks, a spotlight overhead, Finland’s flag (Pekka’s from Kempele, Finland) in the background, Pekka’s nickname “PEKS” and #35 in a digital font (like the Predator’s wrist detonator), a shoulder cannon with lasers shooting three stars from the TN state flag and “3 stars of the game” (which Pekka is frequently one of), new gold colored jersey, some Predator blades on his pads, a dangerous looking goalie stick in one hand, an alien GNASH Predator goalie mask with their “NP” logo, and topped it off with some “pred dreads“.
Thanks to my wife Nicki for the info and advice on Pekka Rinne and his past helmets. You can see some of those and other amazing NHL goalie masks at www.daveart.com. The contest’s final 5 designs can be seen here.
I didn’t win or make it to the finals, but I did have a fun time working on it. Nicki said entering the contest won me brownie points with her. Her favorite NHL team are the Preds.
Mine, too- go Preds!
Lin