Why be bored in school? Go to a Skateboard School! This Toronto District School Board alternative school design program helps students earn high school credits and graduate by creating their own brand and running a skateboard business / professional design studio. OASIS SKATEBOARD FACTORY (OSF) "ON THE GRIND": TDSB's ART & ENTREPRENEURSHIP O.G.s since 2006!

Friday, October 25, 2019

Hey crew, here is your class due dates to take us to Midterm Report Cards

EXTINCT Worldwide

























Hi, I’m a returning student to OSF and I’m starting a new brand called EXTINCT… it still incorporates monkeys (my first brand was Monkey Boss). EXTINCT exists to be a blueprint of the future. My first graphic for my new brand is about how similar moneys are to us; it’s not out of this world to see a monkey dressed and acting like us. An inspiration for this graphic is the band Gorillaz. I like how they tell a story with their art which is a comic-book style done in a dystopian future. On my deck you see a monkey soldier holding a baseball bat with my brand name on it. The background looks like the Canadian flag colours, so that makes it feel like it’s aimed more at us here in Toronto. In my brand story, chimps are battling extinction and the chimp with the bat makes it so that it’s battling us for making them go extinct.

This board is a new shape from Roarockit called the Replay. The Replay is a classic surf-shaped board. The board feature rocker to give you a stable cruise around the city. The board is pretty small compared to a regular street deck, so it’s a good size to maneuver and turn in traffic. I’m really looking forward to trying this new shape.

The next time I use this shape I want to flip the board so it has camber to see how that rides. It should be fun to ride on a board like that featuring a similar style of graphic. Watch out for EXTINCT Worldwide! @extinctworldwide




Learning the art of the Pitch to our client and long time collaborator @tucanacoffee: Great job done by all our students today practicing their oral presentation skills!

Prepping for a pitch to @tucanacoffee : Coffee mug prototypes coming soon MFG with @peaceandcotton (designs by @extinctworldwide @monstraskateofficial @hystericesoteric )

We ♥️ our OSF G-ma Jan for bringing us mid-week treats: Care —> Creativity!

Hey that’s an OSF INDIG SK8 board in the background of the new Sephora fashion ad with the inspirational @sarainfox ! OSF x @chiefladybird x @monique.aura

Friday, October 18, 2019

Students, here is your 2 week schedule with due dates to get you to Mid Term Report Cards (See your checklist class handout for details on all projects)

Working with @longboard_living to develop a new OSF group collage custom griptape product...




Congrats to our cool Year 11 crew for sharing their creative and entrepreneurial learning with the public tonight!

MPP @chrisglovermpp came out to support our students as they presented their creative educational products at our open house tonight!

Thank you to all the parents, friends and community members who came out to our open house to learn from our students how they are now experiencing success in school through Skateboards

Our traditional OSF Family Pho Meal before our evening Open House 🍜

Some of our newest crew members pressing & woodworking their first branded boards @jokesmith777 & @bratskateboards



Crymson Crypt



















I am 18 years old and this is my first semester at Oasis Skateboard Factory. I was previously enrolled at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts where I was participating in their orchestra as well as multiple media art courses. My interests are mostly related to music and art but I also really enjoy Muay Thai fighting. 
In my art I usually incorporate some sort of hidden message and/or mythical/religious reference. In the board I made my brands logo, a skull with 2 horns are on either side of it. I have put my logo in the center of the board to make it the focal point of the board. The Horns on the board are duplicates of Crymson Crypts name logo, I did this to link the logos together in order to build a connection between the two in hopes that eventually I can use them separately or use a letter logo but still have give customers the ability to identify my brand. I created this board through a process known as air pressing where I take a freshly glued stack of wooden veneers and put it in an air sealed bag while it is on top of a mold. When the board has taken the shape of the mold, I begin to sand it in order to give it a smooth texture. Once the board preparations were done, I moved on to designing the board. 



This board was supposed to be done with two different layers of paint but due to some complications it took about 4 separate instances where the boards design was compromised. I am personally disappointed with how long it took to complete as the base design was finished within a day but because of a couple of mistakes in my sealing process I ended up spending another 2 days touching up the board to cover any visual flaws.
In conclusion this is the first of many boards made by Crymson Crypt and it symbolises that my brand is finally ready to commission boards for customers. Crymson Crypt can put your design on any board you want from penny boards to longboards… Crymson Crypt will provide you an escape from reality.
If you would like to learn more about the process of making a board please search up @roarockit as they are who I bought the materials from. @crymsoncrypt

HUSH MODE MFG




















Hi my brand is Hush Mode. Hush Mode exists to speak for the voiceless. I believe everyone should be heard; at OSF everyone is so encouraging and creative! I designed a street sign to represent the block I live on; the block is a community like a family. The youth on my block and in Toronto will like the recognizable Toronto icon of our street sign. 
I have never worked with wood before but I was excited to get started! I pressed a set of street deck veneers with local hard-rock Canadian Maple, which is a strong material for boarding. Making a skateboard by hand was a lot harder than I imagined, but it was a great experience and the final product turned out great. I appreciated the feedback I got from Teachers and classmates which helped me complete this final street deck shape. 
I made my background bright to make the grey and black pop. I decided to centre the graphic in between the truck holes so when I set up the board with trucks and wheels you can still see the logo. I can’t wait to get this deck set up to shred it!
You’ll see many Hush Mode products coming your way this semester before I graduate from OSF. Follow my brand @HUSH.MODE.MFG

Bedlam Bloom



















Hi this is my first semester at OSF. My brand is Bedlam Bloom which exists to show that beauty can come from chaos. The graphic on this street deck introduces the world to my logo which is the eye in the flower which will be identifiable in all the branded products I produce this year.
An album cover, featuring sunflowers, by Tyler the Creator inspired this graphic. His use of scale in his art and vibrant colour-ways is an influence on my art style. On this board I used bright colours to contrast against the pastel background. Considering that this was the first time I spray painted, I really like how the line work in the sunflower turned out! I found that spray paint gets really thick fast, especially when layering, so next time I will apply less paint.
This was also my first time woodworking so I got a lot of help from other OSF students, especially pressing the board out of 7 layers of @roarockit Canadian Maple veneers. I was really interested to learn about the different directions of grain in the wood. After I pressed them together in an air tight vacuum bag, I began to scrape and sand the edges of the board which I found very tiring… it was satisfying in the end!
I look forward to the future here where I will create a custom Bedlam Bloom shaped skateboard. I would really appreciate it if you follow my brand @bedlambloom

OSF SK8 Ratzzz 2019

Learning about the research step of the design process with clients: Since 2015 we’ve been doing an awesome design challenge with @tucanacoffee Look for OSF student-designed Tucana-branded coffee mugs prototyped with @peaceandcotton in Tenille’s shop next month...

Monstra Skateboards




















Hi, this is my second semester at OSF and My brand is Monstra Skateboards, which exists to inspire us to own our inner monsters. 
This is my first skateboard this semester, I made it with @roarrockit ‘s pool deck shape because I’ve loved it ever since the first time I laid eyes on it and love skating cruisers. Using @roarockit technology, I pressed 7 veneers of hard rock Canadian maple on a custom styrofoam mould made and designed in collaboration with @zimskateboards.
Learning how to make a custom mould has radically affected how I see board shape and functionality. Brands that are producing wider, experimental boards have inspired me to want to produce my own personal custom shapes in the future. I woodworked the board with scrapers and various grits of sandpaper until the edges and faces were smooth and ready the graphic. I’ve always chose to do a wraparound graphic, I want to start making darker monster imagery so i chose to use my blacked out combination mark. I faded my brands primary, and secondary colours beneath my logo which i got on the board using a tape stencil. I glossed it with triple-thick clear glaze 4 times, ensuring it will be protected from warping and making those colours pop beneath the fade speckle.
Monstra is about leading by example, the various monsters in my work represent the things in life we can’t change. What monster are you learning to own? @monstraskateofficial

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Next Thursday...see you there!


Have a great four day weekend crew, here is your schedule for the upcoming week :)

LURN Skateboards

























Hi, my brand is Lurn Skateboards. My brand exists to promote inclusion in skateboarding and respond to the over-commercialization of the subculture. As a regular skateboarder, I feel it is important to fight divisions in the sport. The theme of my board is Outlandish Nature. The Ostrich is skateboarding in go-go boots in a surreal manner. The theme is minimal as I want it to appeal to all audiences. The Ostrich represents the feeling I have while skateboarding as the bird has a similar body type to me. The inspiration for my board design comes from brands like Krooked and Frog skateboards, which are known for their simplistic styles which convey fun, along with rebellious undertones. I like nature and the bird represents nature and freedom. I used wooden pre-cut veneers and Titebond wood glue, along with Montana Black spray paints. To create the shape, I used a scraper along with multiple grades of sandpaper to achieve a smooth surface. For the principles and elements of design, I incorporated Balance by creating a flowing shape in the neck which evenly divided the left and right sides of the board. I used movement by creating an eye-catching neck which guides viewer’s from the top of the board to the bottom. Contrast was kept by not coloring in the wood grain. A playful vibe was created by using light pastel colours. I am trying to communicate the inclusive nature of skateboarding by having a simplistic, hand-drawn design. A unique style is created by having a somewhat unfinished product which is totally opposite to what is being mass produced. I learned how to be careful using tools and got some carpentry skills along the way. It was satisfying to learn how to create a skateboard from scratch and customize it to showcase my ideas. I am excited for future projects where I can use different colour veneers and incorporate more details in the finished product. @lurn2skate

Miigwich Longboards

























Hi, my brand is Miigwich longboards. My brand is made to reflect my beliefs in celebrating urban indigenous culture. The theme of my skateboard follows indigenous roots with graphics of topography and the turtle. The turtle symbolizes movement and nature. The topography represents level and depths seen from a bird’s eye view. My inspiration comes from my fellow classmates at Oasis Skateboard Factory where we can bounce ideas off each other and critique our designs. My material includes 100% maple wood which provides a lightweight yet strong foundation. I went against traditional board creation methods by glossing the wood before painting. This created a semi-reflective surface which allows the viewer to appreciate indigenous culture. Ample space was used to show the wood-grain and focus on the turtle. The curved lines are different with some being thicker than others. This signifies the landscape view from above. The texture is smooth. Minimal colours are used to contrast the black silhouette of the turtle. The topography lines show rhythm and movement by following a “river-like” pattern throughout the board. I am trying to communicate a sense of calm, peace, and harmony with the turtle spreading its flippers and accepting all people. I am proud of my first skateboard of the year and would show it off to everyone by riding it. I learned how to make curved lines and animal forms. I improved my stencil and taping techniques. My future projects would include more colours as I would experiment with different artistic styles. @miigwichlongboards

Hystericesoteric


























Hello, my brand is Hystericesoteric. My brand exists to open the minds of people, to celebrate everyone’s differences, and to inspire people to help each other. The theme of my skateboard is Nature, showcased by the swamp and its various creatures. The swamp shows nature in its most creepy state. My inspiration comes from artists like: Craola, Vexx, 10hundred, and Steven Rhodes. These artists are fantastic as they use whacky colours, characters, and concepts. For this board, I used East-coast hard-rock Canadian Maple wood @roarockit . For the graphics, I used painter’s tape, stencils, exacto knives, and spray paint. The lines are made using posca pens which give mostly thick outlines. There are many colours and certain areas are shinier than others conveying a look that pops out through a comic format. The texture is smooth and glossy. There is very little empty space which gives the viewer a sense of excitement and confusion. These are the emotions you would get in a swamp. I am very proud of my first skateboard, and learned a lot about the long hours and effort it takes into making art. Through the process, I learned practical carpentry and painting skills. I am already excited about my next skateboard idea and am having a lot of fun at school. @hystericesoteric

Working with our Anomaly Mentors...