CALLING ALL SURFERS!
Do you have an old, retired board sitting around collecting dust? Have a favorite surf spot that you want to memorialize and have in your home when you can’t be in the water? My latest creation, “tidal surge”, is AMAZING and I want to offer you a truly unique opportunity to create something awesome that you’ll have to cherish for many years to come… read on about tidal surge or skip past the pictures to see options and pricing for new commissions.
This piece started with the sale of paradise above about a month ago. I really enjoyed making a beach scene and I wanted to do it again, but I wanted to do more… I wondered if I could add to my mixed media ingredients for more textures, and also if it was possible to create the work on a real surf board! Answers are yes, and yes! I found this board for sale around the corner from my house my first day looking. It’s actually a wake-surfboard, and measures about 22″ wide by 68″ long… perfect for this application!
First I had to decide whether to put the image on the top or bottom. I really liked the fins and the bottom was much smoother than the top, so I decided to prime and seal the bottom for my project. Next step was to lay down the base colors… this step is not necessary if you use a decent amount of pigments in the resin (I didn’t back color paradise above); however, it does help for planning the composition. And since I was adding some new features, and had fins to work around, I wanted to plan the layout and separation between sand and sea. This first layer is also when I add some iridescent flakes in the water section… I did this previously and just love the multi-color sparkles as you move around and light reflects through the colored surface from various angles. For a new feature, I used some tile mortar with a little coloring added to build up a shoreline that crops in the sandy beach area. The beach is actually not colored at all… it’s just white background with sand mixed into my clear resin base… I used two different colors of sand to give the effect of wet and dry sand. See some progress pics below…
Next was the best part… the waves and water! This was done in four separate layers and it REALLY shows when you see this in person. Pictures simply don’t do the different depths and 3D effects any justice. It reminds me of the old Crackerjack hologram toy surprise that shape-shifts as you move it around in different light. I’ll wait for the perfect overcast day when I can take a video without having too much background reflection and be sure to put it out for all to see.
First layer of water is where I add in all the color. I used a mix of alcohol inks and mica powders in resin to create three primary hues; deep navy for the deep blue sea, royal blue with some pearling effects from the mica for the mid-section, and a turquoise with same pearling effects at the shoreline. Next layer begins the white wash; I wasn’t sure how much to add, but it’s always easier to add more later rather than to pour on too much and being stuck with a mess… so first white accents were added just around the rocks and sand edge, as well as the beginnings of the “big surge” and the next wave behind it. Over the course of the next few days (each layer has to cure for ~24 hours) I added a little here and filled in a little there until I was smiling from ear to ear with what you see in the final product today. Last steps were completed this weekend to give the backside a clean prime coat of white and then re-install the fins.
I took a lot of pics because each angle, under different lighting, results in unique views… I could add a dozen more images and each would have it’s own luster and flare. As you can see in many of these, reflection is a serious concern for photos. I had to move around to various parts of my home to get certain angles without having a window or light source in the reflection (and still many glares remain). Let me know if you want to come by and have a look in person to truly see how impressive this one turned out!
Let’s Create Something Unique!
As I mentioned above, this technique uses real sand… how cool would it be to fill a jar of sand from your favorite spot and to use it on an old board that you wore out at that very spot! Even if you don’t have a surf board, we can find an oldie but goodie fairly inexpensive for sale in the market. Finally, you can provide a snapshot of your favorite break and I’ll use it as inspiration for the sea colors, wave shape, and coastline features.
Truly ONE-OF-A-KIND, and Yours!
I have a rough idea of the materials and time to task to create something special.
Below is a guide for pricing if you can supply the board (else I can help source one and you pay whatever the cost is for it):
5 feet or shorter – $420
5 feet to 6 feet – $520
6 feet to 7 feet – $620
7 feet to 8 feet – $720
Longer than 8 feet? Let’s talk! =)
You can decide if you want to go vertical, like tidal surge above, or horizontal, where there is more beach along the long edge of the board.
We’ll also need to figure out mounting hardware, or you can decide and do yourself once it’s complete.
Let’s Collaborate!
