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By Sara Ann Hutto \u201917<\/b> Have you ever opened a pack of Pok\u00e9mon cards and delighted in the discovery that you just scored a holographic Charizard to add to your collection? Or did you ever wake up early on a Saturday morning when you were a kid just to catch your favorite superhero TV show? SURFING AND SKATING<\/strong> \u201cMost of my friends were [U of SC] fans, so I guess that\u2019s probably what made me a Clemson fan,\u201d he adds with a chuckle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div> FAILING TO LAUNCH<\/b> TURNING IT AROUND<\/strong> FLESHING OUT THE PROCESS<\/strong> KICKING THE HORNET’S NEST<\/strong> HITTING HIS STRIDE<\/strong>
\nPhotography by Craig Mahaffey \u201998<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nBear Walker has set out to recapture those feelings \u2014 not with cards or characters, but with skateboards.
\nOwner and operator of Bear Walker Industries, Walker is a custom skateboard maker based in the coastal town of Daphne, Alabama. His unique grip and detailed designs have boosted his skateboards into national prominence, not only as a way to get from here to there but also as pieces of pop-culture art, featuring the likes of Pikachu, Pennywise and Spider-Man.
\nBut every superhero has a backstory. And Bear Walker and his skateboards<\/a> are no different.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nBear Walker grew up on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he spent many afternoons hitting the surf.
\n\u201cI learned to surf in Hurricane Floyd, and after that, I was hooked on it,\u201d Walker says. \u201cMy best friend and I would go surfing before school, then go to school and, a lot of times, go surfing afterward.\u201d
\nGrowing up, he spent a lot of time working with his dad, who ran a construction company that specialized in custom homes. Walker says he got his foundation for woodworking doing the framing for the large homes and developed his early craftsmanship, detailing and finishing, by making cabinetry for projects like outdoor kitchens.
\nWhen it was time for college, Walker already had Clemson down as his dream school. His sister had gone to Clemson, so he was already familiar with the campus. \u201cMost of my friends were [U of SC] fans, so I guess that\u2019s probably what made me a Clemson fan,\u201d he adds with a chuckle.
\nClosing his eyes and putting a finger down on a list of majors \u2014 that’s how Walker ended up in the graphic communications program. He says, \u201cI ended up falling in love with it.\u201d
\nFor his senior design project, Walker was tasked with creating an innovative printing technique. Walker and his partner decided on applying a holographic film with a print overlay to a skateboard \u2014 the origin story of his first custom skateboard. With the project idea in hand, Walker spent a whole night designing, and the next morning, he had almost 40 designs, despite only needing one. He had stumbled upon a passion.
\nThe final design sported a honeycomb pattern and was complete with a bear jaw, an ode to Walker\u2019s nickname. \u201cIt\u2019s a really hard thing to do, printing colors on top of holographic film,\u201d he explains. But the pair pulled it off.
\nThe finished effect: \u201cImagine like a holographic Pok\u00e9mon card, yeah?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nAfter graduating from Clemson in 2011, Walker bounced around a lot.
\nHe moved to Charleston and became a warehouse manager for a special events company, making custom props, and, later, a custom sign maker for a local sign company, which was where Walker first had the idea for his unique skateboard grip. \u201cI was working on these wooden, carved-out signs every day, and they would just tear up my hands,\u201d he says. \u201cIt kind of just clicked one day how grippy that was and how good that would work for a skateboard.\u201d
\nWalker made the first board a day later and started riding it around town. When people started asking him where he got it, he started taking his first orders.
\nAfter finding a small warehouse in Charleston and \u201crenting it out for like 300 bucks a month, which was a lot for [him] at the time,\u201d Walker bought a machine and started making boards. But without much business savvy, things started to fall apart, especially after a botched business partnership.
\n\u201cAfter that, I was a little bit broken,\u201d he says. Time to start over.
\nWalker left Charleston and moved to Fairhope, Alabama, to live with his parents, where they had previously relocated. Remodeling once again with his dad, Walker started to save money and bided his time. A year and a half later, he started up the company for the second time.
\n\u201cI set up a little shop in the corner of my family\u2019s barn and would usually be there until 1 or 2 in the morning,\u201d he remembers. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if it was the fire underneath me after all that failure or if it was because I\u2019d been able to create some space and have better concepts for what the boards should be, but it went way better the second time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nWalker\u2019s first big break came about from a commission from a friend, a comic book store owner in town who was wanting a collection of Justice League decks for his shop. \u201cThey just turned out amazing,\u201d Walker says. \u201cI posted them on Instagram, and Jason Momoa and Grant Gustin commented on their respective boards. I think I gained like 6,000 followers that week.\u201d
\nMomoa, who played Aquaman in the 2018 film, and Gustin, who plays the Flash in the CW series, commissioned their own boards from Walker. \u201cThe Flash<\/i> was my favorite\u00a0TV show at the time, so I geeked out for a solid week,\u201d Walker laughs.
\nWhen Walker released the Flash board, known as the Limited Edition 2088 Gustin Cruiser, it sold out in two hours. Gustin was quoted in Forbes<\/i>: \u201cThis dude has created an awesome business and he loves what he does. I\u2019m pumped to be a part of it. \u2026 What a beauty, (I\u2019m) so stoked on it. It\u2019s so sick.\u201d
\nNow, Walker\u2019s superstar clients include the likes of pop artist Billie Eilish, rapper Killer Mike, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and actor Zachary Levi.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\n\u201cWhen I first started, it was probably equal parts conceptualizing and building,\u201d says Walker, \u201cbut we\u2019ve gotten pretty damn good at building [skateboards].\u201d
\nConceptualizing and design work are the most time-consuming parts of the custom skateboard-making process for Walker. Brainstorming, trying out different board shapes, sketching rough mockups and using Illustrator to create the artwork all go into it. After drafting the art, Walker turns to the functionality of the board.
\n\u201cFor example, the face or the character looks great here, but that\u2019s going to be a slick spot where a foot would usually go,\u201d Walker says, pointing out a spot on the board. \u201cThis is one of the more fun parts of the whole thing, making it look great while making it function really well.\u201d
\nNext is cutting. Walker uses a computer numerical control (CNC) machine to carve the board, fine-tuning the angles, the bit type and the depth of the cut: \u201cI program where I want there to be heavier areas, lighter areas, where I want there to be heavy detail. I get it all mapped out, and then it actually goes into production.\u201d
\nAfter the board is cut, Walker takes to it with files and sanders, sanding the surface to make it smooth and using the file to clean out every line and groove. The board is then branded with Walker\u2019s logo, and the bottom of the board is chamfered, \u201cwhich basically means we just carve an angle on the entire bottom of the board so you have a good hand feel.\u201d
\nPainting comes next. Each board is individually airbrushed and then sent back to the woodshop for a final sanding. \u201cSometimes, the recessed areas require more detail paint,\u201d Walker says, \u201cso we\u2019ll hand paint those elements. Then, [the board] gets a finishing inspection, where we check everything out, round the edges, make sure everything\u2019s smooth.\u201d
\nThe board is finished off with three layers of clear coat.
\n\u201cThen it\u2019s assembled and shipped out to the customer. Or put on my wall,\u201d Walker laughs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nSurfing, pop culture, nostalgia, the \u201990s \u2014 all are inspiration for Walker\u2019s designs, the fuel for his work. So, when Pok\u00e9mon Center approached him for a special collaboration, he felt like he\u2019d just been gifted the holy grail. The five-board collection, featuring the Pok\u00e9mon Umbreon, Toxtricity, Rayquaza, Togepi and Mew, sports bright colors and carved out elements.
\n\u201cPok\u00e9mon kicked the hornet\u2019s nest,\u201d Walker says. \u201cBasically now, because of that project, I can make meetings with whoever I want to make meetings with.\u201d
\nSoon after, Walker was hearing from the NBA and launching his NBA Collectors Series. \u201cThe NBA is still in the pop-culture realm,\u201d he says, \u201cbut it\u2019s on the other end of the spectrum.\u201d Walker is also making plans to expand his workspace along with his brand through more online merchandise. He\u2019s taken on some special projects as well, like helping build a custom Porsche for a cast member from the \u201cFast and Furious\u201d franchise.
\n\u201cTwo years ago, I made about 600 boards a year,\u201d he says. \u201cAs of 2021, we\u2019ll be doing between 30 and 50,000.\u201d
\nThe cherry on top has been Walker\u2019s most recent deal \u2014 something of a bucket list item, he says.
\nFollowing the success of the Pok\u00e9mon Center collaboration, Walker thought it would be a good time to reach out to Marvel and see if he could snag a job with one of his favorite franchises. They said yes.
\nAs an avid Marvel comics reader, Walker has had a pretty significant creative foundation to work with in creating the new collaboration. The plan is to launch a series of small capsule collections over the next year, featuring the likes of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy.
\n\u201cIron Man is going to be awesome, and I\u2019m really looking forward to the Punisher,\u201d he says. \u201cSpider-Man is a huge one, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nWalker\u2019s personal motto is \u201cCreate space for opportunity\u201d\u2014 something he continues to do not only on the business side of Bear Walker Industries but also in his board designs; he\u2019s constantly innovating and applying new techniques. When an idea comes to him, he doesn\u2019t wait to get after it, often spending all-nighters to make the idea come to life.
\nBrad Lambert, Walker\u2019s manager, says Walker\u2019s work ethic is unmatched: \u201cHe swings to the fence. There really is no in between. \u2026 He\u2019s gotten to the point where he\u2019s really hit his stride; it\u2019s self-sustaining now. We\u2019ve had a few big deals, and he just continues to build upon that.\u201d
\n\u201cOne thing I respect about Bear,\u201d Lambert adds, \u201cis that he\u2019s not out there money grabbing. If he genuinely doesn\u2019t like a project, he won\u2019t do it. The detail in the designs, the color and shading. Everything is just pristine, top of the line, top notch.\u201d
\nAbove all, Walker hopes to open the door for more skaters with his work.
\n\u201cSkateboarding has always been aggressive. It\u2019s super energetic and destructive and rebellious, which I still like,\u201d he says. \u201cBut people who just want to cruise and enjoy themselves or commute to work can maybe feel more comfortable getting a board like mine \u2014 or feel a little less intimidated by skate culture and become part of the skate community.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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Surfing, pop culture, nostalgia, the \u201990s \u2014 all are inspiration for custom skateboard maker Bear Walker \u201911, whose collaborations include Pok\u00e9mon Center, Marvel and the NBA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":23274,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[75,159,1112,1418,2606,3362],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-23267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-2021-winter-issue","tag-alumni","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-graphic-communications","tag-skateboards","tag-winter-2021-features"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/02\/Bear_Banner-NEW.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23267"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clemson.world\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=23267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}