All the Colors Under the Sun

by Paul Finley

There is a true and distinct beauty of a plain, clear-finished surfboard.  The way the the foam is accented by the wood stringer and the outline is only defined by the true curvature of the board, speaks volumes through it's simplicity.  In its most raw form a plain surfboard is a magnificent piece of art.  My personality is drawn towards that simplicity.  Torn by a love of color, creating functional art has become a passion of mine.  This article is going to take a look into what goes into making the colors and patterns on a surfboard.  In a time of overseas manufacturing, mass production and unpersonalized products, it is sad to see art and craftsmanship be tossed aside.

 I came across a quote by Merle Haggard,  It's easier to force feed people than it is to give 'em what they want. It makes more money."  I am not saying there is something morally wrong with purchasing mass produced products.  We all do this and it is virtually unavoidable.  I would say though, with out hesitation, that taking part in the production or consumption of art is at the least beneficial, if not healing, to our being.

Pin Lines

Pin lines are a great touch to accent the rail outline of a board or add some dimension to the shape.  Often a pin line is added to cover up the seam of the layer of cloth that has wrapped over the rail during a previous step of the glassing process.  This pin lines would be added to the board just before the final coat of sanding resin is applied.  Some craftsman use acrylic paint, but others prefer resin. Pin lines can be painted on the foam before glassing as well.  This is typically done by an airbrush after the board is taped off.

Airbrushing

Airbrushing can really lead to an endless amount of possibilities. There are simple one color sprays  all the way to the extremely complex mural-like masterpieces.  These are typically applied directly onto the foam before the glass process starts.

Rice Paper

Rice paper is a very thin paper material that becomes transparent when wet out by resin.  It can be printed on or drawn on before placed onto the board.  Typically all the board logos are printed onto rice paper and applied during the glassing process.  They usually sit right under the top layer of fiberglass cloth.  Most logos are screen printed for a vibrant solid color.  Some companies use digital printers to print out graphics for there boards as well.  These mainly all fall under the same category of rice paper art.

Inlays

Fabric inlays are basically just that.  You inlay a fabric with the desired pattern or design into your board during the glassing process.  Not all fabric can be used, and because of added weight are not extremely popular.  They can look incredible if mixed with the right board shape and colors.

Colored Resin Work

Colored resin work is an art form and a construction project all wrapped into one sort moment of time.  When glassing a board, you are building the structural shell around the form or blank.  This is technical and time sensitive in and of itself.  With fast drying resins and a curved and and often very large canvas of a surfboard setting on a rack in front of you, adding color with control seems like the most illogical  and impossible thing to try and achieve. Alas, it all seems to make scene when you see the art come out as the colors lay on the board.  Opaques and tints, swirls and patterns, they all have a purpose of  portraying the board and the board owner's personality, personalized without force feeding.