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

WELCOME SEPTEMBER 2023 - SURF'S UP

After a dreary July and August, in weather and surf, September arrived and turned on.

What did you think was going to happen - the schools went back and on that day the sun shone brightly, swell arrived and the wind dropped off and went around.

With a little bit of juggling I managed to surf, work and get an afternoon on Fistral beach with my camera. So good to to feel the energy when the conditions align, allowing everyone to enjoy it, surfers, swimmers, spectators, visitors...

It was my first outing with my Canon 6D and longer lenses. It felt good and I look forward to some winter swells and storms arriving, so I can spend time along the coast and get some shots of the Atlantic force meeting the Cornish coastline.

But for now, it's all about now!

More photos of surf and surfboards @sleeplessink.com

FROM THE VAULTS (FRAMED)

Yesterday I posted my monthly bulletin on the Sleepless ink website. 'From the Vaults' images used on the new page were chosen for the cover of the bulletin.

It links to lasts weeks post (1st September) about the new page, and I like it enough to have a short post with it here.

FROM THE VAULTS PAGE (LIVE)

Back at the end of March this year, a few of my prints were seen on a restaurant wall, luckily there were numbers left in the print run, so I was able to fulfil the subsequent order generated by the sighting. 

I remembered them although created several years ago. I was very happy that prints I thought had long been forgotten, were still on walls and being sought after. The interaction prompted me to post my thoughts on adding a new page on my website, dedicated to earlier artwork & prints. I set about building the page to make it more than just a thought.

It's taken a little time, in between spraying surfboards, collage, photography and life. But I got there! As suggested in March, I have titled the page, 'From the Vaults'.

You can take a closer look by visiting sleeplessink.com