Bernier's new mask look in black and white

Today we have the honor to present the Los Angeles Kings keeper Jonathan Bernier's new mask look. The design is a so called story teller design, with a story behind every detail to explore. It is a continuation of his previous mask design themes that Jonathan and I have evolved through the years.

It was very interesting to create this design that is made in the new Kings colors, black and white. Bernier's fans will recognize the big powerful lion at the top, with a theme of LA Kings and Hollywood created around it.

Everything is created with extreme detail work, 3-D effects and lots and lots of sweet metallic glitter. Check out Jonathan Bernier's Los Angeles Kings mask in the mask gallery, on the DAVEART Facebook page or in the App!

Dan Ellis' new Ducks mask is a pirate ship...

I love to transform the masks into new stuff...and Dan Ellis had an awesome idea with cool ducks as skull pirates on his new mask... We made a virtual high five and I started this paint adventure where I transformed the whole mask to the front of a pirate ship cruising on the ocean... The water is splashing up on the sides as the ship is ready to attack some poor ships at night... You see some of them in the background.

Of course this pirate ship just as all pirate ship has a wood statue in the front of the ship, and on this pirate ship the statue obviously is a Ducks mask. The pirate skull ducks on each side are standing on the gunwale ready for war with a bunch of weapons... One of them is extra pissed off, he is holding his loved bottle of rome...but someone has emptied it, no wonder he's so mad...!

And hey there I recognize something, check out the water, the cute rubber duck is here again, this time dressed as a pirate. We also found him on Ellis' previous Zombie Ducks mask...but then as a zombie!

If you dare, check out Dan Ellis' new Ducks mask in scary pirate style, with all the extreme details and effects, in the mask gallery, the App or on our Facebook page. We will have more Ducks masks to present soon...

Pavelec's Winnipeg Jets mask transforms into an old school fighter jet

Today we're very proud to present Ondrej Pavelec's new Winnipeg Jets mask. It was a very special feeling to create this new design to a totally new NHL team. The design Ondrej and I came up with is a tribute to the Canadian Airforce, built on the team logos. The wings spread out on each side in a powerful way, and everything is created with strong contrasts to make it look good from a distance.

The chin of the mask transforms into an old school fighter jet front with its special classic painting with eyes and teeth. A cool detail that spices up the old school design and makes the mask feels like Jets to a 100%. The design is made to fit the uniform with its clean and traditional look. And of course a lot of details, 3-D effects and DAVEART Holographix FX.

Check out Ondrej Pavelec's Winnipeg Jets mask in the mask gallery, in the App or on our Facebook page. We will have more Jets masks to present soon...

Snowball bazooka on Varlamov's new Colorado mask

It's so fun to be Semyon Varlamov's painter. And this Colorado design we created together is just what it is named... Action in the Rocky Mountains! Semyon wanted something action packed with a lot of cool details, and something different... I started to do some sketches...and these dudes started to come to life in my sketches... So why not a cool war between Yeti dudes and Frosty dudes?!

The mask is hit by a snowball right in the middle of the face, and after that it's action all over the mask! Watch out...these characters are some pretty hi tech dudes...not only do they throw snowballs... No, this Yeti he has a Snowball bazooka...and of course, Frosty he has a carrot bazooka...

As you can see I had a lot of fun creating this design for Semyon with a sweet mix of Rocky Mountains and Russia, a lot and a lot of cool details. For example one of the mountain tops are transformed into one of the tops of the Vasilij Cathedral, and you also find a cool russian jet flying there, and much much more...!

Watch out for the snow and check out Semyon Varlamov's Colorado Avalanche mask in the mask gallery, on Facebook or in our App!

Skull soldiers on Mason's new mask

It's so fun and creative to be Steve Mason's mask painter.He always wants new stuff and is always open to new ideas. I love to work as a chameleon, to change paint style to whatever suits the design theme.

This time Steve wanted something really scary to show the horror of war. But scary in a new way, not just attacking monsters... I love to think outside the box. I see myself as much a storyteller as a painter. My idea was to create a scary feeling all over the mask and I came up with this calm theme, calm in a scary and disturbing way. Just silent and scary, a new kind.

So on the left side an artwork with the theme of horror of war. Scary civil war skull soldiers give the design it's name ”SkullSoldiers”. As you can see I'm also inspired by horror movies and scary cartoons, and this is also a tribute to that.

The other side is a logo themed design, looks sharp from a distance, and when you come close you discover a new dimension of details. The side is painted like it is stitched, in a scary way. When you come even closer you will see that all areas are painted with dramatic lines to add even more scary and disturbing feelings.

Check out Steve Mason's new Columbus Blue Jackets mask design in the mask gallery or on Facebook, or in the DAVEART App.

Pekka Rinne's PredGoalie goes hardcore

We rock on with new NHL masks and today we present the Nashville Predators super goalie Pekka Rinne's new outrageous design... I love to create new designs in new styles all the time, one day a classic old school design and the other day a totally insane and innovative design. I want to be as versatile as possible. Always unique stuff.

Rinne's PredGoalie from last year made such a huge success, my mailbox almost exploded with mails from Rinne and Nashville fans and hockey fans from all over the world. Pekka and I were so happy that the design was so popular. I came up with the idea with the scary Predator behind the old school goalie mask last summer, I love new ideas, and I immediately made up some sketches how to create it. Pekka loved it at once.

This year's design is a continuation of last year's, but now even more wild and mad... So we named it Hardcorelicious PredGoalie...and I cannot tell you enough how fun I had creating it! :-) It's created in the new Predators colors, with more blue and yellow. The Predator goalie is a real badass goalie, he has lost a tooth, and he also has a tongue piercing...and his brain is showing! He has tried to fix his mask using all possible tricks, staples, needle and wire, and band-aid again of course...

A design that works both from a long distance with it's scary look, and up close with all the extreme detail work. Welcome to check Pekka Rinne's new Nashville Predators mask in the mask gallery or on Facebook, or in the DAVEART App!

Tomas Vokoun's new Washington Capitals mask

Today we have the honor to present the Washington Capitals star keeper Tomas Vokoun's new mask look. I love to find out new unique design styles and evolve new ways of designing. Never stand still, creativity is number one for me. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world, to be able to pursue my biggest passion every day.

This design is a so called "2 designs in 1", a design style I have developed the last years. On a distance it's a classic distinct old school retro design built on the cool logos of the Caps. When you come closer you discover a new dimension of detail work.

The theme of the mask is America. Capitals' logos mixed with eagles in freedom and President Washington himself. Perfect theme for a Washinton Capitals mask design. In the design elements I have created motifs. In the mighty wings that spread over the sides of the mask I have painted motifs in dark blue tones with eagles in action, and in the white base, that gives a retro style, I have created motifs with eagles and President Washington. Motifs from dollar bills and coins. These motifs are painted in same tones as the background to melt in with the background from distance. The whole design is then framed by graphic lines in strong contrasts.

The design got the obvious name The President Of The United States Mask.

Check out Tomas Vokoun's Washington Capitals mask in the mask gallery and on Facebook!

Lundqvist's new King Of Manhattan mask

All paintings that we will present this 2011/2012 season, and that is many, will be dedicated to our friend Stefan Liv.

And we begin with a flying start, today we have the big pleasure of presenting the NHL star Henrik Lundqvist's new smoking hot king's crown mask. The design is a direct continuation of Henrik's earlier so popular masks. I have painted for Lundqvist for more than 13 years now and it's so much fun and crative. It's been a fantastic journey to follow Henrik from the time as a junior in Frölunda to the super star in NHL that he is today. Together Henrik and I have created and developed his own so characteristic mask look with clear colors, strong contrasts and nice 3-D effects. Designs that create trends. Designs that are perfectly visible from a long distance, but also feature an ocean of detail work when you look more close.

The Statue of Liberty, Henrik's signum on his masks, is placed on one side of the mask, accompanied by Henrik's own logo on the other. Together they create a graphic king's crown that gives the mask it's theme and name. All spiced up with a maximum of bling bling glitter with DAVEART XXFX Glitter. The blue base lifts the glitter to a new level. The extreme detail work and depth effects are obvious, just like the lightning bolts that Henrik has had on his masks since his time in Frölunda in Sweden.

Check out Henrik Lundqvist's new New York Rangers mask in the mask gallery or on our Facebook page, or in our App for iPhone, iPad and Android! We will be back with more designs for Henrik later on...

Stefan Liv

My family and I cannot describe in words our loss and grief for Stefan Liv. Our thoughts and prayers are with Stefan's family and especially his dear wife who has lost her husband and their two boys that have lost their father. Our thoughts are also with the Russian hockey team and everyone involved in the crash.

One of our greatest hockey profiles of all time has left us in deep regret. Stefan is and has always been a big part of my life, my painting, and how I started DAVEART. My family will remember him as the extremely warm-hearted and generous man who always had a smile on his face. Whenever we met, his first question to me was to always ask about my family and kids.

There is so much that I can tell you about Stefan. I will never forget the first time we met and I was to paint his new mask. It was at the beginning of my painting career and I was very nervous. I lived with my parents at the time and had been painting in my small room. I wanted to make him as happy as I could with the painting. He wanted a special design that was a tribute to Pelle Lindbergh.

After that, there were many masks over the years. He's the single goalie that I have painted the most masks for in my career, often, several masks in one season. I noticed immediately that he was a guy with his heart in the right place. Stefan, with his great sense of humor, always wanted to have something different on his masks. Everyone knew it was something fun going on when Stefan was involved. Media often used to wonder what Stefan would have on his new mask. And everyone I met asked, always with a smile, what Stefan's next mask design was going to look like this time. It was the standard question I received from people for more than 10 years. I felt like the coolest guy in the world when I got to paint for Stefan. Sometimes he just wanted something funny on the mask. But most often he wanted tribute designs with his children, his mother, his brother, and his friends.

I cannot describe in words how grateful I am to Stefan and all the special things he has done for me. He has always been very supportive of me and my painting. From the beginning and as he became a big star. It is not easy to start a business and being a small business owner there is always a level of uncertainty. He was a rock that supported me from the very beginning, helping to promote me and my painting to the media and to other goalies. He was always so interested and asked how things were going with the painting and what new projects I have been working on. When I painted his masks, he was especially curious and wanted me to send MMS images as the designs progressed. And when I was finished with the new mask, he wanted to come himself and pick it up in the studio.

In the spring of 2002 I had an exhibition in Jönköping County Museum. Even though Stefan was busy with the National team and the upcoming World Cup, he came to participate in the inauguration and talked about the masks I had painted for him.

One Summer I was in Kinnarps Arena to meet with Stefan and to talk about new mask projects. My brother in-law, Joel, accompanied me to meet his great idol Stefan Liv for the first time. It was a great time and I was so glad Joel got to meet his idol. When we were about to return home, the team equipment manager came running over to deliver an autographed stick that Stefan wanted Joel to have. Joel was so happy and it still hangs on his wall today.

A Christmas a number of years ago, members of the HV71 team were in the A6 shopping mall to sign autographs for the holiday shopping season and meet the fans. I was also invited to join Stefan and showcase his masks for the HV71 fans. Stefan requested that I sit next to him and also sign autographs. It was a time that I will never forget, I felt like a superstar that day.

Sometimes life feels strange and unfair. This is such a moment. Now the grieving process begins where we help each other to remember Stefan for the wonderful man he was.

Stefan, you will always be in our hearts. May God bless you and your family.

David Gunnarsson with family

Stefan Liv

Jag och min familj kan inte i ord beskriva vår saknad och sorg efter Stefan Liv. Våra tankar går i första hand till Stefans familj och hans närmsta, en fru har mist sin man och två pojkar har mist sin pappa. Våra tankar går också till det ryska laget och alla inblandade i flygolyckan.

En av våra största hockeyprofiler genom tiderna har lämnat oss i djup saknad. Stefan är och har alltid varit en stor del av mitt liv och måleri och hur jag startade DAVEART. Min familj kommer att minnas honom som den oerhört varmhjärtade och generösa människa som alltid hade nära till skratt. Alltid när vi träffades så var hans första fråga till mig hur det är med familjen och barnen.

Det är så mycket jag kan berätta om Stefan. Jag kommer aldrig glömma första gången vi träffades och jag skulle måla hans nya mask. Jag var ganska i början av min målarkarriär och nervös, jag bodde hemma hos mina föräldrar och hade måleriet på mitt pojkrum. Jag ville göra honom så nöjd jag kunde med målningen. Han ville ha en hyllningsmålning till Pelle Lindbergh.

Efter det har det blivit många, många masker genom åren. Han är den kille som jag målat mest masker åt i min karriär, ofta var det flera masker under en säsong. Jag märkte direkt att han var en kille med hjärtat på rätta stället. Stefan med sin fantastiska humor ville alltid ha nåt annorlunda på sina masker, jag målade och alla visste att det var nåt kul på gång när Stefan var inblandad. Media ringde ofta för att undra vad Stefan skulle ha på sin nya mask. Och alla jag mötte frågade hela tiden med ett leende, vad ska Liv han på sin nya mask då? Det är standardfrågan jag har fått från folk i mer än 10 år. Jag kände mig som den coolaste killen i världen när jag fick måla till Stefan. Ibland ville han bara ha nåt kul på masken, men oftast ville han ha hyllningsdesigner, jag har gjort motiv med hans barn, hans mamma, hans bror och hans vänner.

Jag kan inte i ord beskriva hur tacksam jag är mot Stefan och allt det han gjort för mig. Han har alltid varit stöttande och supportande mot mig och mitt målande. Ända från början och fram till att han blev stor stjärna. Det är nervöst att starta ett företag och vara småföretagare med allt vad det innebär, man undrade hur det skulle gå, kommer det funka. Han var en klippa som stöttade mig från första början och berättade om mig och mitt måleri i media. Han var alltid så intresserad och frågade hur det går med måleriet och vad för nya projekt jag jobbade på. När jag målade hans masker var han så nyfiken och ville att jag skulle skicka MMS-bilder. Och när jag var klar med hans nya masker ville han komma själv och hämta dem i studion.

Våren 2002 hade jag utställning på Jönköpings Länsmuseum, trots att Stefan hade fullt upp med landslaget och stundande VM så kom han för att medverka på invigningen och prata om de maskerna jag målade till honom.

En sommar för många år var jag i Kinnarps Arena för att träffa Stefan Liv och snacka nya mask-projekt. Min frus lillebror Joel följde med för att få träffa sin stora idol Stefan Liv för första gången. Det var stort, jag var så glad att Joel fick träffa sin idol. När vi sedan skulle åka hem kom materialare Peter springande till vår bil, Stefan ville ge sin signerade målvaktsklubba till Joel. Joel höll på att svimma av lycka. Den hänger på Joels vägg än idag.

En annan jul för många år sen, HV71 var på A6 köpcenter för att skriva autografer i julhandeln och träffa fansen. Jag var också inbjuden att vara med Stefan och visa hans masker för HV-fansen, då sa Stefan till mig att jag skulle sitta bredvid honom och signera, jag kände mig som en kung.

Ibland känns livet konstigt och orättvist. Det här är en sådan stund. Nu börjar ett sorgarbete där vi hjälps åt att minnas Stefan för den fantastiska människa han var.
Stefan, du kommer alltid vara i våra hjärtan

David Gunnarsson med familj

Wesslau celebrates the fans and Stockholm on his new mask

Gustaf Wesslau wanted to celebrate Djurgården's fantastic supporters and the city of Stockholm on his new mask. We do it with this classically created mask design in old school spirit. The horizontal line graphics that I have developed the last years frames the design and the motifs and gives the mask a maximum connection to Djurgården's game uniform.

In the red zones I have painted motifs using old school oil paint tech. On one side cheering fans and on the other a Stockholm skyline. All this I spiced up with the usual amount of detail work and a big portion of metallic glitter.

Check out Gustaf Wesslau's Djurgården mask in the mask gallery, on Facebook or in the DAVEART App!

Fasth celebrates his musical idols once again

I have been painting for Viktor Fasth since he was a little kid and it's much fun to follow a goalie's career. On the early masks there were monsters, now on the latest masks Viktor has changed to designs with his musical favorites. He also wants it very old school with paintings created with pencil, really back to basic. I love to shift painting techniques and on one side I created this motif with Lars Winnerbäck and Håkan Hellström. The rest is a clean AIK design with extreme contrasts.

Check out Viktor Fasth's AIK mask in the mask gallery, Facebook or in the DAVEART App!