Meet Rick, a seasoned artist whose creative journey spans from surf-themed tees to hand-painted denim and sneakers.
From sketching as a child to designing iconic murals at the Bellagio, Rick's artistic journey is nothing short of extraordinary. This multi-talented artist, who once painted surf-themed tees for San Clemente, now dazzles with hand-painted sneakers and custom jackets. Discover how Surfpaints have become his go-to medium, transforming his work on everything from denim to canvas with vibrant, long-lasting colors. Dive into Rick’s world and see why these Surfpaints are a game-changer for every artist!
1. Can you provide us with a brief background on your journey as an artist and tell us what you're currently working on in the world of art?
I’ve been passionate about drawing since childhood, always creating for school or fun. I entered many art competitions and explored various mediums, inspired by my grandfather, a talented oil painter. At 14, I landed a job with a San Clemente t-shirt company, creating surf-themed art for clothing. This led to a graphic art scholarship at San Diego State, where I worked as an art director for national magazines.
Over the years, I honed my skills in portrait painting, became a licensed artist for Major League Baseball, Sea World, Disneyland, and designed thousands of souvenirs. My interest expanded to textile design and handmade tiles, leading to commissions for murals at the Bellagio Hotel and public art pieces, including a John Lennon portrait in the Czech Republic.
Now, I create hand-painted sneakers and jackets, and I’m exploring laser etching and CNC router art, continuing to take commissions for both wearable art and portraits.
2. We'd love to know how you came across Surfpaints. What aspects of Surfpaints do you find most appealing or inspiring for your art?
I came across Surfpaints on Instagram and Facebook and was intrigued, so I decided to give them a try. In the short time I’ve been using Surfpaints, I find myself incorporating them into all my projects, including fine art on canvas, jackets, and sneakers.
3. Every artist faces unique challenges in their projects. Could you share specific challenges you've encountered in your art projects and how Surfpaints have been a helpful resource in overcoming these challenges?
Most of the challenges come from inferior products. By that, I mean they don’t hold up well after application, and the colors aren’t as vibrant as I would like. The pens often make drawing and illustrating difficult. Surfpaints, however, have proven to be true to their colors. They hold up well on fabric, canvas, and wood. I’m very happy with the color offerings and use them in almost everything I create. My only wish is that they were available in more tip sizes.
4. Your painting projects are all unique and have captured our attention. Could you share with us your most favourite project and how you came up with the idea?
Recently, my favorite projects have been two denim jackets—one Barbie-themed and the other Taylor Swift-themed, made for a special Swiftie, the daughter of a dear friend. All the images on these pieces were created with Surfpaints.
Click here to learn how to paint your surface.
5. As an experienced artist, do you have any valuable tips or techniques that you could share with others interested in creating painting projects with Surfpaints?
My experience with new paints and pens has taught me to practice on similar substrates or fabrics until I become proficient before starting the actual piece. Figure out which tools, such as stencils, templates, rulers, and compasses, work best with Surfpaints. Be sure to test how well Surfpaints apply to these surfaces, as well as their durability. Surfpaints are literally on my desk for every project.
-Rick Rivadeneyra
