Because gritty ain't just a mascot in philly
Yes, you’ve probably seen versions of this mask before. The first time I saw it was on Mike Smith when he played for the Flames, as a tribute to 80’s icon Mike Vernon. Solid 10/10, no notes.
But the iterations I’ve seen since then have always been clean, crisp, and devoid of any of the sort of wear and tear that you would expect an old Cooper helmet to have picked up over the years. So, I endeavoured to make my own take on it.
That included both some faux damage (scrapes and wear) as well as a bit of physical texturing that is a total experiment that I would only be comfortable doing to my own mask. If it works, great! If it doesn’t, well, I can repaint it.
But the whole point of this mask is imperfection. The peeling and faded stickers, the scrapes, the worn logos, I want this mask to feel like it’s been out on the ice every week since the bucket and cage combo were the best that money could buy. I want this mask to feel worn and old and unsafe, even though it’s painted over a Coveted two-piece that has been an absolute tank. I wanted the mask I would have had if I had started playing thirty years ago.
I know it won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but I painted this one for myself, and I’m happy with the result!
