It’s spring!  In our small area that means flowers, green grass, crop planting, and ice cream!  Here we are very lucky to have a local ice cream shop owned by a wonderful couple whom has gone above and beyond to create something amazing!  Not only do they offer ice cream, but burgers, fish, veggies, shakes, and with new things added each year, there is so much to choose from.  They have added a sand volleyball court, play area for the kids, and even updated the outdoor seating, Tropical Freeze is “The Place To Be” from spring to fall in our neck of the woods!

Last month I received an email from Tropical Freeze wondering if I would be able to create a digital print to replace their shark and wave and of course I said certainly!  This shark was originally hand drawn and painted by the owners on plywood not long after they purchased the building and reopened.  Northwest Ohio winters are not always kind to our outdoor decor and the shark and wave had not weathered this last winter well.  This is an important part of Tropical Freeze as the kids love to have their picture taken with the shark, becoming almost a staple for their establishment.

Like many of my graphics projects where something is being recreated, the owners sent pictures of the shark and wave and I set about redrawing and keeping the measurements as close to the original as possible.  I added in a little depth and highlights to give both a little “face lift,” while still being true to the original paint creation and colors.  After a small edit, the art files were sent to the printer, produced, picked up, and I applied the digital prints, inside the garage to help minimize dirt and dust, to two 4’x8′ sheets of thick plastic.  The owners are now going to be cutting around the images to remove the excess plastic and then they will go up in place of the originals!  As soon as they are up I will head out for some ice cream, get some pics, and share with you the final look!  If you are in the area, make sure you stop out for great food and friendly service at Tropical Freeze!

Digital Print Applied To Thick Plastic Substrate