Nick Kuchar Portfolio - Hawaii Vintage inspired Surf Art Travel Prints – Page 2

Kahala x Nick Kuchar "Mauka" Aloha Shirt Collaboration

We had such a blast working on the the first Kahala shirt, the 'Makai,' that creating a second exclusive design collaboration was a no-brainer. Since we went makai (toward the sea) last time, we felt it was only right to go mauka (toward the mountains) for this one. On the surface, Hawai‘i seems to be known for endless sand beaches, crystal clear water and reefs.

Kaimukī Print for the Historic Hawai’i Foundation

While I usually stick to mountains and beaches, I dove into a piece of town that is certainly worthy of every inch of nostalgia I could draw. I designed this print in collaboration with the Historic Hawaii Foundation. It was fascinating looking through 100 year old photos and learning about the the town's buildings, signage, and place in Honolulu history.

Olukai x Nick Kuchar 'Modern Aloha' Shoe Collection

OluKai is a Hawaiian-inspired footwear company that is constantly innovating around the type of comfy and cozy shoe they bring their people. They make shoes that I actually love to wear, which is saying something for a surf bum whose in and out of sand a lot. It isn't my first time working with OluKai, but this was a very different kind of collaboration with them.

Mapping the Ward Village

Ward Village is a five-mall shopping complex with more than 130 stores, 40 eateries, and a 16-screen theatre in downtown Honolulu. It also happens to be home for hundreds of people. So how do you make cutting edge, LEED certified high-rises feel like a village? You bring people together through arts, culture, community activities, and in this case a delightfully vintage map of all the goodness a village can hold.

Kahala x Nick Kuchar Aloha Shirts

The aloha shirt is about as ubiquitous in Hawaii as the palm tree. Worn by just about everyone, the islands are always craving new takes on an old classic. Or at least that's what I tell myself when I enthusiastically agree to take on an aloha shirt collaboration. And as far as the aloha shirt is concerned, Kahala is legend. Together, we created the new 'Makai' shirt for their 2019 Summer Collection.

Moloka'i-2-O'ahu Race Art

Established in 1997, the Moloka'i-2-O'ahu Paddleboard World Championship is the world's most challenging paddle race. The 32-mile race that begins on the northwest shore of the island of Moloka'i and ends in Maunalua Bay on O'ahu, is known as the fastest downwind route in the world. I was honored to create the art to embody this year's competition.

LeaLea Hydroflask

Shirts, totes, hats, towels...and now hydroflasks! LeaLea is a Japanese travel and merchandising company in love with Hawaii. They asked me to design a kawaii (Japanese for cute) surf scene for their exclusive water bottles. If you've been following my work for a while, you know that surf dudes, dudettes, and doggos are my jam, and this collaboration was no exception.

Queen Kapi'olani Hotel Lobby Art

The Queen Kapi'olani Hotel in Waikiki is just finishing up their newly renovated space and I was honored to create a large-format illustration for the lobby. The magic of Waikiki has always been it's historic presence and it's beautiful mix of people, so I created a piece to reflect that and welcome hotel guests to step into the blend with us for the duration of their stay.

JuneShine Cans

Organic hard kombucha. Yes you heard that right. The folks over at JuneShine came up with a drink you can enjoy at night and not regret in the morning. Having seen some of my travel prints before, they asked if we could adapt existing artwork for their new cans.

Hawaiian Airlines x Avis Culinary Road Trip Map

ILLUSTRATION

Hawaiian Airlines x Avis

Great food. Great destinations. Two great companies! I created this map to help folks find their way to the next tasty O‘ahu stop on this culinary road trip sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines and Avis Rental Car. Fun little illustrations are always a blast to create. No "palette" cleansing required with these soft aquas and greens ;).

Nick Kuchar Art for Hawaiian Airlines and Avis

ANA Promotional Poster

Japan and Hawaii have had a special relationship for some time. Around 1.5 million Japanese travel to Hawaii annually. And thanks to my good friends at Greenroom Gallery, I was able to create a vintage-inspired travel print for the debut of ANA's 'Flying Honu' aircraft.

Roberta Oaks x Nick Kuchar Aloha Shirts

Fellow classic car enthusiast and vintage-modern designer Roberta Oaks and I got together to collaborate on the ultimate nod to our favorite Hawaiian era, the aloha shirt. We've collaborated on two limited-run aloha shirt patterns made with aloha right here in Hawaii.