Skateboard show "The Hyena Men"

So, yesterday my deck was delivered to me, and I'm now ready to start plotting out my painting. 

I am SUPER excited, and SUPER nervous. 

Excited because I love having a reason to paint, and I love being a part of the local art community and I think this will be a really fun project! 

It Will be a challenge and that excites me. 

Nervous, because I haven't had a piece in public exhibition since my first Thursday show in the pearl a few years ago. 

Also, I am not a skateboarder. I have never even managed to successfully propel myself standing vertically on a skateboard from one point to another. (Success based upon remaining vertical and unscathed). 

My concern, is that I will be painting on a substrate which represents an activity and sub-culture of which I have not participated in. 

My goal is to just make a cool piece of art that people dig without looking like a total poser in the process. 

(Do people even say things like "poser" anymore?)

So, I have really been into hyena's for a while and thought this is as good a time as any to paint some hyenas! 

 I am thinking of incorporating a floral damask background with the hyena in the foreground. I also really like the idea of working some African animals into the repeat of the pattern like this Purple and blue damask pattern below. 

In terms of a palette, I'm leaning towards something similar to my Dodo painting. I like the richness of those colors and the nod to classical portraits that palette gives.

 As I have been looking up imagery for hyena inspiration, I was seeing these incredible images of these men with huge spotted hyena's. the pictures are stunning and I'm absolutely in love with them. 

The story behind these "Hyena Men" is really interesting as well. 

Here's a link about who the Hyena men are, and this photographic story by Pieter Hugo.