1 YEAR, A HANDFUL OF SURFBOARD SPRAYS (REEL)

Adding to my now 34 years of spraying surfboards, another year passes with more sprays under the belt. Essentially the graphics on boards have simplified, especially in production factories, where pumping out numbers is the aim.

But of course surfboards have a long history of being decorated with colour, the bespoke nature of custom orders allows, if fact, encourages the idea of personalising your new surfboard.

So in among all the one colour, standard rail spray, generic production designs and clear surfboards, there are a handful of boards that have a little extra.

1:1 ASPECT RATIO IN COLOUR

Shots from the last week or so using the 1:1 aspect ratio on my camera.

Still really enjoying this way (1:1 aspect ratio) of framing my photographs, to the see-saw point of  it being 50/50 with shooting 3:2 either landscape or portrait.

There are no rules and there is a freedom to just going with it.

So, this time round I've taken to shooting 1:1 in colour.

More photographs and art @ sleeplessink.com

PYZEL FLAMES & CHECKS SURFBOARD SPRAY (REEL)

This time I made a template! 

Back in October I sprayed a Pyzel surfboard with fluro yellow and green flames, shortly afterwards another flame spray, this time in black, made a lap around the factory. And now another surfboard with licks of fire running down the board makes its journey from shaping bay to spray bay. This time with the added trickery of checks on the rails.

Each flame spray done over the last month has seen a different approach being used. The first with an overhead projector, the second made use of an old, dusty, inadequate template that only became useful with some measuring and plotting out, and on the third I made a shiny new template that runs neatly down the centre, so when flipped provides a blaze of flames in perfect symmetry on the other side of the stringer.

More surf and surfboards @sleeplessink.com

I GOT THE PHOTOS! (LOST SURFBOARDS)

Just before they were delivered to North Shore surf shop (Newquay), I got a couple of photos of the two Lost surfboards I had sprayed previously, with a short reel shown in my last post. Not the most exciting of sprays, but you need bread & butter to hold a fancy filling.

Surf & Surfboards @sleeplessink.com

LOST SURFBOARD SPRAY (REEL)

Quick reel of a Lost surfboard being sprayed.

There are a few boards in the order, I think they've all been glassed now, will have a look tomorrow, maybe get a a couple of photos.

More photos of waves, surfing and surfboards can be seen @sleeplessink.com

NEW PAGE...JUST BECAUSE

New page on the Sleepless ink website.

It has been beneficial having a little structure when going out taking pictures – nothing major, just an idea of what I was hoping to shoot in the day.

Living in Newquay it was easy to create categories to do with living by the coast, all under the title 'Down by the Sea'. So if the surf is good the photos may end up in 'Surf & Surfboards', or photos of activity on the beach fall to the 'Beside the Seaside' category. The other sections being 'Seaside Town' and 'Harbour'.

But of course things are seen along the way, or when you least expect it, one never knows! That is what can be exciting about just ambling with a camera by your side.

Over time a small collection of photos gather that don't fall into a category. So the name of the new page is 'Just Because'.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SPRAY

Well, people just keep on wanting sprays on their new surfboards.

This board was specially made for Richard 'dodo' Dodd, who is making his way to Tenerife for a surf contest in late November. I think the contest is the 'Las Américas Pro Euromaster Open of Surfing'.

Dodo had another board made earlier this year, also with a bright spray job, there is a short reel of me working on it.

There have been variations of this spray over the years, this particular design is now the signature spray of Jack Robinson, a professional surfer from Australia.

More art & photographs @sleeplessink.com

THIS MORNING AT TOWAN BEACH

As an attempt to ward off the winter blues born from the diminishing daylight hours, I have taken to going out in the morning on my bike. Just a quick peddle around town, or the beach, or the harbour, each morning without any particular direction.

As ever my camera is by my side.

More photographs @ sleeplessink.com

NEWQUAY STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

A few shots from the streets of Newquay over the last month or so.

As I have mentioned, there have been less dedicated outings with my camera in 2023, I go to the beach when the surf is good, or head to the harbour, but don't spend hours walking from home to town in that wonderful, almost hypnotised state of mind, seeing and framing pictures.

I am not alarmed as there is plenty of interest and my camera is still by my side at all times, so I get to poach a few shots along the way.

I have added some new photographs to the Down by the Sea page of my website.

PYZEL SURFBOARD / FLAMES SPRAY

I'll try and not repeat last weeks minor mishap!

On October 11th I posted some photos and a short reel, in it I claimed the surfboard being worked on was a Pyzel. After it had been glassed and before being sanded, I intercepted its journey through the factory to get a photo, only to realise my blunder, it was an NS, not a Pyzel surfboard. A few days later I followed up with another post and reel of the glassed board, plus a recognition of the hole in the net!

So this weeks chosen surfboard and short reel is a Pyzel with a flame spray.

This is another spray that has had its moments of being extremely popular, although it has been a while since I have done any, and there are now 2 going through the factory.

The late 80's and into the 90's was a prime time for the flame spray, boosted by the radical surfing and 1989 world champ, Martin 'Pottz' Potter. He had a few distinguishable sprays throughout his career, one being the flame spray, a graphic still available on his surfboards today. No surprise really, they do fit onto boards well, and look fast!

Individuals aside, the flame spray swept through the surfboard industry and every surf shop rack had their share, with all the surfboard labels getting in on the trend.

They do still get asked for, as this week shows. Maybe not swamping the racks, but not forgotten, could almost be considered retro, poised for another sweep.

More surfboards and waves @ Surf & Surfboards / sleeplessink.com

ABSTRACT SHAPES IN NEWQUAY HARBOUR

It had been some time, in fact, way too long! It was essential that I went to Newquay harbour with my camera on this morning. 

I actually took two cameras, both light and small enough to be brought along comfortably. My trusty Fujifilm X-pro 3, and the newly acquired Canon 6D with one lens on each camera. There is a saying 'one camera, one lens'.

• Fujifilm X-pro 3: XF 27mm f/2.8 R RW
• Canon 6D: EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake

As the Fujifilm X-pro 3 has an APS-C crop sensor, the 27mm lens is equivalent to 41mm.

The Canon 6D is a full frame camera so uses all of the 40mm lens.

So between the two cameras and chosen lenses, I had only one focal length to work with, but that is what I wanted. This way I got to practise with the 6D and learn its strengths, while at the same time take similar framed shots with the X-pro 3, so I could review, print, and pay attention to the different look and feel of each of the camera's photographs.

All that aside, it was so good to get down there. It was low tide so I made my way down onto the sand among the fishing boats. I had no real vision of what I wished to capture, I was just enjoying the freedom found with no limits or restrictions.

I had forgotten why I like it down there so much, it is alive, even when quiet. There is the forever ebb and flow of the tide, plus the changing conditions of the North Atlantic – of course all moving within the framework of the seasons. The brutal storms of winter, when many boats are up on the quay for repairs, the summer crowds with tourist tours, fishing charters and water sports, while the local fishermen carry on bringing in the daily catch through it all.

Canon 6D   1/3200   f/2.8   ISO: 100

Canon 6D   1/1000   f/5.0   ISO:100

Fujifilm X-pro-3   1/2000   f/5.6   ISO: 160

Fujifilm X-pro 3   1/2000   f/5.6   ISO: 160

More photographs from the harbour can be seen @ harbour : sleeplessink.com

SURFBOARD GLASSED / QUICK CORRECTION / SHORT REEL

So, first of all a quick correction.

In the last post, I mistakingly thought it was a Pyzel board, it turns out it is a NS surfboard. Sometimes I do so many boards in a day, by the time I'm home, or get round to editing the photos or video of the day, I can't remember what make each surfboard was.

Well, that board has now had the fin boxes put in and has been glassed with NS logos, so it is very clearly not a Pyzel surfboard!

FLUORESCENT PINK PYZEL SURFBOARD SPRAY (SHORT REEL)

This fluorescent pink spray on a Pyzel surfboard came through the factory this week. Unfortunately I didn't have the tripod with me, so I took the photos holding the camera in one hand, while working on the board with the other. It was a little tricksy!

The next morning I brought the tripod, which enabled some short footage to be taken. The work had already be done, so all that was left was the finished surfboard going into the rack while music played and we had a laugh.

More artwork and photographs @ sleeplessink.com

NEW SURF IMAGE ADDITIONS TO 'SURF & SURFBOARDS'

Four new photographs for the 'Surf & Surfboards' page on my website.

The last of the four photos in the set was posted here 1st on September 9th. That post was to celebrate the opening week of excellent waves in September. It's now early October and we are enjoying another run of good surf...with the sun out as well!

All the shots are from Fistral (Beach), apart from the 3rd, this photograph was taken in Mexico a few years ago. This day was so much fun! 3-4ft swell, light winds, warm water, minimum crowd...perfect fun surf. Truth is, I couldn't exactly pinpoint the day, I have been extremely fortunate in having had it like this on numerous occasions, so the memories blend effortlessly into just being stoked.

More waves and surfboards @ sleeplessink.com

SQUARE 1:1 SKETCHBOOK & DRAWING (SHORT REEL)

Excerpt from the October Bulletin on my website.

In the early July Bulletin, I mentioned a visit to the Krowji Open Studios, were I met the impressive printmaker Fijke Middendorp. Although not quite matching her relentless twenty minutes (at least) each day drawing in her sketchbook, I have enjoyed adding to my own square (1:1) sketchbook.

It seems the blank pages beckon to have faces drawn on them, it has always been this way, or for at least as long as I can remember. I just find the pen moves on its own and the shapes and simple lined expressions take form in front of me.

The process is cathartic and although repetitive, each page delivers something a little different. I’m gravitating to the idea of creating larger, or layered collage pieces using these drawings, allowing them to take on more life then they do when confined to pages in a closed sketchbook.

More @ sleeplessink.com

FLUORESCENT PINK & BLACK TIGER STRIPES SURFBOARD SPRAY (SHORT REEL)

This Pyzel custom order made its way through the factory this week. Nothing like fluro pink and tiger stripes to scream 1980's!

The 1980's were bright – well, from a surfboard and surf fashion point of view. Ironically, several other aspects of the 80's were really very bleak. Maybe as a disguise, or the fuck you attitude of surfing at the time, nothing stopped the loud, brash flare of the fluorescent colours being splashed over everything in the surfing world.

So every now and then, someone will want to capture the essence of the decade on their surfboard. A board will come through with bright fluorescent pink, yellow, orange or green, or all of them! Often adorned with flames, paint splats, checks, chevrons, angular shapes or tiger stripes, as was the case this week.

I started spraying surfboards in 1989 so got in on the tail end of the excitement! It often happens that a noticeable period will be followed by another that is distinctly different. As was the case in the early 90's when we saw a trend of clear white boards and black wetsuits.

These things tend to be cyclical – a craze from some time when will reappear slightly tweaked to help it fit in with the now, or for younger people be totally fresh.

Having done lots of surfboard industry cycles, I'm approaching the point of having seen it all! Luckily these retro nuggets arise from time to time, a welcome refreshment in a time when the mass production element of surfboard construction has lessened the idea of each board being 100% original...like no other.

There is more @ sleeplessink.com

PYZEL RED TIGER SURFBOARD SPRAY (SHORT REEL)

There are a couple of Pyzel Red Tiger surfboards going through the Ocean Magic surfboard factory just now – the model has proven popular this year.

As with many Pyzel models, there has been positive feedback for the Red Tiger. There is often a global response to new models, due partly to the outstanding surfing of John John Florence. John Pyzel and JJF talk surfboard design, specifically the Red Tiger, (Reel).

I have sprayed several surfboards with the recognisable red & yellow spray that JJF has on his own boards, but on occasion a custom order requires something different.

More surfboards and waves, plus photographs from the North Shore @ sleeplessink.com 

AIRBRUSHED WAVE!

A quick photograph showing the wall in my spray bay at Ocean Magic. A bit of a carry on from last Friday's post and reel. As ever finding moments to draw or airbrush another perfect wave on the wall at work, or in the corners of my sketchbook, in the dust of the surfboard factory...etc.

The wall at work is forever morphing with new additions, not just surf, here is a surf hound who has turned to the dark side in a quest for waves, willing to draw blood!

More to be seen @ sleeplessink.com

WEEKEND BREAK IN CORNWALL

The title suggests an inter-county sojourn has taken place, in reality we popped 25 miles down the coast for a friends wedding.

Instead of driving down on the morning of the big day, we got a small chalet on a well established holiday park for two days. Perfect for a little break and situated a stones throw from the beach. Although screaming onshore on our arrival, the wind dropped the next morning so a quick 1 hour surf could be had before getting suited and booted.

Either side of the wedding allowed for good walks on the beautiful Hayle Towans Beach, stretching all the way to Gwithian and Godrevy at low tide.

On Sunday morning and (surprisingly) intact from the wedding, a quick surf check of Hayle River-mouth was necessary as the swell had picked up. Unfortunately so had the wind, making the waves unridable. Still, I love that stretch of sand so much it was good to get out and walk along the shoreline before the tide rushed in.

A few desperate surfers were making their way back to their cars, gripping onto their boards with both hands and leaning into the screaming wind. Despite the wind, the Hayle Surf Live Saving Club were out in full force and having a great time, the unstoppable enthusiasm was uplifting to see. Almost to the point of swaying me to a foolhardy quick twenty minute surf!

More of my art and photographs can be seen @ sleeplessink.com

PERFECT SURF! (SHORT REEL)

It's always offshore and pumping somewhere!

I did post this reel on my instagram account this morning, but the platform cropped it. Another illustration of my infancy with working on capturing, editing and posting video.

Still, the main thing is that I find it enjoyable, which is a good thing as it is incredibly time consuming. But the rewards are there, and the creative options seemingly endless.

I have been drawing perfect waves for as long as I can remember. On school exercise books, beer mats, napkins, train and plane tickets...etc. This was on the wall at work while waiting for paint to dry on a surfboard.

More waves, surf art and photographs can be seen @ sleeplessink.com

SURF – FISTRAL BEACH

Some more shots from the first week of September.

It was what we all dream of as surfers – the tourists leave, the schools go back, and the surf turns on. A classic start to a month we all relish.

These shots are from Fistral Beach on the 5th. Over several days the conditions were so good I'm sure each beach along the north Cornwall coast was on fire – I surfed a couple but shan't divulge where! However, on this afternoon I finished work at the Ocean Magic surfboard factory, and headed to Fistral Beach with my camera.

More surf and surfboard shots can be seen @ sleeplessink.com

LOST SURFBOARD SPRAY (SHORT REEL)

I sprayed this Lost/Mayhem surfboard in late June this year. A few shots of the process did make an appearance on July's monthly bulletin, but the video footage remained in a folder, until now.

A part of the push to use the footage and complete this reel, was to make room (on hard-drive) to collect more video footage and produce further short reels of surfboards, artwork and anything else I might capture as I gain experience and confidence with filming.

With completed reels accumulating, I have added a dedicated page for them to gather and be seen.  The new 'Reels' page can be found on the menu bar across the top of the page.

Artwork and photographs can be seen @ sleeplessink.com

POINT BREAK (THE MOVIE)

A few shots from an evening out a couple of weeks ago.

One of my birthday presents this year was a couple of tickets to an outdoor presentation of 'Point Break' – the early 90's bank heist/surf film with Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, and of course Gary Busey, who also starred in the unmissable classic coming of age surf movie 'Big Wednesday'. 

Although Point Break is a film I have seen numerous times, I was happy for the opportunity to see it again, especially with the novelty of watching it in a field with the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop. A lot hinged on the weather, and thankfully it couldn't have been any better.

The sun dropping to the horizon created a warm orange sky, which cast a beautiful light over the mellow crowd gathering on blankets and camping chairs. The last slither of sunlight dropped away to change the sky colour from gold to dusk and the movie began.

Artwork and photographs can be seen @ sleeplessink.com

CAMO SURFBOARD SPRAY (SHORT REEL)

For as long as I have been spraying surfboards (since 1989), there has been a steady stream of camouflage surfboard sprays.

Just recently an order came through to the Ocean Magic surfboard factory for a Pyzel board with a camo design to keep the stream trickling along.

The camouflage airbrush pattern has been popular and done in many varying colours, but it became iconic throughout the 80's and 90's, as it was the artwork choice of Gerry 'Mr Pipeline' Lopez , who went on to use it as his signature spray on his surfboards.

More surf and surfboards to see @sleeplessink.com