Helmet graphics inspired by the Australian flora surrounding the 2007 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix circuit, Albert Park, Melbourne.

Presented by the 2007 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix and the Design Institute of Australia, A Design in Sport Event and Exhibition.

Helmet Graphics by O.S INITIATIVE

O.S INITIATIVE Team:
Simone LeAmon
Daryl Munton
Luke Hibberd

In collaboration with digital effects artist Daryl Munton in San Francisco and helmet painter Luke Hibberd of LA Designs, Simone LeAmon drove the initial concept for the helmet graphic responding to the circuit design and leafy surrounds of Albert Park. Having worked together on previous helmet concepts for top Italian manufacturers, Simone and Daryl reflected on key conversations with industry heads and pro-racers that critiqued the established codes for imaging motorcycle helmets. Acknowledging that the surface of the racer’s helmet is real estate (dedicated space for sponsor’s messages), the competitive helmet is defined by legible content unlike their off-the-shelf counterparts. These helmets can afford to take more ‘visual’ risks and whilst developing concepts for the Italians, Simone dispensed with the pivotal lightening bolt and fire flames for imaging textures extracted from environmental and regional features near to the manufacturer’s headquarters.

Keen to re-visit this concept and create a helmet surface in response to the 2007 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix circuit, Simone drove, jogged and walked around the circuit several times imagining what type of an impression that such a ‘space’ could leave on a helmet void of the sponsor’s messages. Looking for clues, the ground revealed a naturally occurring patina of shadows, tyre marks and ephemera. Determined to see how this material could be translated for design photographs, video and leaves were taken back to the studio for contemplation. Following lively discussion Simone and Daryl concluded that in essence they were hoping to ‘print’ and apply the unique atmosphere of the circuit and park to the helmet – thinking laterally, the old-style photogram made popular by the artist Man Ray in the 1930’s came to mind. Here, objects are arranged on light sensitive photographic paper, exposed and developed. Dependent on the length of exposure the image developed can be likened to an X-Ray or bold black and white silhouette. Using the gum leaves collected from the park and reconstructing the tyre marks found on the bitchumen surfaces with wire and steel, Simone developed dozens of photograms varying the exposure, compositions and chemical mix to achieve a suite of images. Moving through to 3D computer space Daryl devised a series of helmet surfaces from the photograms using Maya software, designing and editing the composition in the round. With a completed vision of the helmet surface now on the screen, painter Luke Hibberd works from a folio of frames depicting the asymmetrical image on the helmet in 24 degree intervals.