Help Varlamov Design His Olympic Mask!

Oh wow, neat idea. Going over there.

Should be something about Russian-American friendship, spirit of the Olympics and all. Like the Capitol dome on one side with the Kremlin walls on the other. Or the Caps weagle and the Russian double-headed eagle jointly attacking a mountee. Or maybe jointly attacking a goal would be better.

Someone needs a LOTR themed mask — either the Nazgúl or Gandalf. i also wouldn’t mind seeing an X-Men themed mask — Magneto especially. Pretty much anyone but The Blob, actually.

Should say " no fat chicks" on the back

On one side, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov in front of an orchestra. (Could add Stravinsky or Prokofiev or Shostakovich)

On the other side, Pushkin, Tolstoy, and Dostoevsky in front of a book, quill, and paper. (Could add Chekhov or Nabokov or Solzhenitsyn)

This is a toughie! And he’s only got until Monday?

I like something that shows “all stop” rather than “go forward”… he’s a wall, after all.

Ovechkin simply wore a hat and sunglasses and his genius trick went down in history

This might seem wierd, but maybe make an homage to Russia by designing his mask like a ushanka.

I am thinking a dark and uninviting fortress ( with maybe spikes or tank traps) on the front and the white, blue, and red Russian flag wrapped around the back and sides. Maybe a little banner with his hometown Samara/ Camapa. and of course it needs to say “VARLY” on the chin.

He can wear a plain mask for all I care. With his groin/knee issues he ought not see a single game.

Maybe something representing the vastness that is Russia. It’s an enormous country that envelops so many different cultures… I’d like to see a mask trying to capture this. I’d also like to see his nickname (по русски, пожалуйста) on the front as always and on top of the Russian flag. And how about the Eagle on the back of the mask?

If that’s too hard to capture… then the double headed eagle spanning east to west. That could be the entire front of the mask with say… the “Победоносец” on the chin.

I am fascinated by history and as much as I would like to see T-34’s and all that good stuff…It’s not exactly something I would put on a goalie mask. Reason being that many countries participating in the Olympics (especially the hockey playing ones) most likely suffered at the hands of these machines. After all this is a mask he will be wearing to represent the Russian Federation, not the Soviet Union.

I’ll try and think of something else tonight. Get well soon Varly! Best of luck in Vancouver, this is one Canadian that will be cheering you on! Ро – сси – я !!

On one side you have Varlamov’s silhouette standing in the foreground, use dark colors for the silhouette so that it stands out from the background which portrays the city of Vancouver. On the other side another silhouette of Varlamov but in a defensive or goal saving pose in the foreground, with Moscow in the background. On the back of the headpiece place the Russian flag, and a small picture of the Olympic rings. On the chin piece “Varly”.

I will be more than obliged to give sketches if need be!

Get better soon Varlamov, we miss you in D.C., and best of luck to you in the Winter Olympics!

Russian Federation coat of arms set centered on the mask. Maybe lose the crazy Muscovy lancer and go with the Olympic Rings.

How about a shot of him stopping that puck at the goal line? That was pretty sweet, though I think that counts as a mask foul.

Right side: Kremlin at night.
Left side: The Summer Theatre from Sochi honoring the 2014 Olympics
Up front: The Russian coat of arms.

I think that the St. Basils Cathedral in Red Square is one of the most recognizable Russian images, and could be a great background for a mask. Heres great picture
Also, I think that the colors of the building should be switched to the Red White and Blue of the Russian flag.

Heres a great picture

Oy

Try using the coastlines to bisect the mask. Looking at the front on the mask, have Canada’s British Columbia coast on the right side, and Russia’s eastern coast on the left side, each coast wrapping around from the back of the mask. Fill the BC line with Vancouver imagery (I’ll throw out the pine tree lines surrounding Vancouver, the city skyline, the Ilanaaq Olympic mascot) and Russian imagery within its coastline (maybe Moscow’s skyline, birch forest line to echo the echo the pine line on Vancouver’s side). Put a bear on the top of the mask, in the style of a woodcut by the Inuit/one of the Canadian aboriginal peoples, with the Olympic rings over it.

As an alternative to cramming multiple pieces of national imagery in the coastlines, use a big image of the Russian Eagle coat of arms on the left side of the mask (a la the current Caps mask, which looks great) and a big Inuit/Canadian aboriginal-style, wood-cut eagle on the right side.