Surfboard art has been part of the sport for a long time now. Adding surfboard art on boards is of great importance to most surfers. It helps individuals to express their surfing passion with graffiti, tribal designs, landscapes, catchphrases, etc. Your surfboard design conveys a lot about your tastes, preferences, sense of style and personality. Having art on your surfboard encourages people to form instant conclusions about you as a person. Some surfers prefer to limit their art to minimalist designs whiles others want to go all out. It really doesn’t matter.
Different types of Surfboard art on display in a California surfboard art festival
On the contrary, surfers without art on their boards defend their simple and plain surfboards proudly. Frankly, they don’t know what they are missing. The usually white surfboards are a potential canvas, albeit for a while, where you can exhibit your creativity and express yourself through art.
Reasons for Having Surfboard Art
- The importance of image
The image you convey forms the basis of the perception that people have about you. Surfboard art gives you a real life canvas to create the perception that you want people to have about you. If you want to be perceived as an outlaw, you can show your defiance by having spray jobs of skulls, guns or Nazi signs.
Alternatively, you could preach your predilection of class and classic taste by having a colour gradient that complements your shorts or matches your iris. The buck stops with you. You can find some cool surfboard spray ideas on DiverseSurf.
Surfboard Art by a freelancer
- Getting yourself Motivated
You have heard stories of athletes who listen to specific songs or watch specific movies before a competition to get motivated. For the best part of our species, motion pictures have been non-existent and thus we looked up to art for motivation. Surfboard color schemes, logos, landscapes, sea waves, dragons, etc. Whatever motivates you needs to find a permanent space on your surfboard.
As you catch the waves, you need something on your deck that will keep you going and get your spirits high. Speaking of catching a wave, here are our Disrupt Surfing tips on How to Catch a Wave Surfing
Surfboard art showing the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn
- It is the beauty
Beaches and seas have so much beauty; the sunset and sunrises, the naked people on the beach, the bright blue skies you name it. However, this should not stop you from adding more beauty to the already beautiful space. And have you even considered how great you will look in photos? A classic surfboard art, whether it is sprayed onto your board or shaded with surfboard art pens, can make your wave-riding thrill even more electrifying. I found some cool surfboard sprays gallery on Classic Malibu.
- The birth of an artist
There are so many misconceptions about artists. As much as art can be taught, it can only be perfected through practise. Two things that are common among artists and surfers is passion and an eye for beauty. Your surfboard is a free canvas that you can use to perfect your art skills. Who knows you might be so good at it that you start having your surfboard art for sale. If you don’t have the artistic mind, it doesn’t hurt to pay someone to do it. After all, you have commissioned an artist.
Preparing your surfboard for some surfboard Art
If you want your surfboard art to look good and last longer, you need to prepare your surfboard. At the very least, your surfboard must be clean. Sparkling Clean. Get any foreign material off the board; grease, wax, sand everything. You can learn how to remove wax from your surfboard here.
Removing wax before adding surfboard art
Different types of surfboard art will require varying degrees of cleaning. If you are interested in a DIY project, you will have fun spraying paint your surfboard. You can source assorted surfboard designs sprays cheaply from the internet. In case you are unsure of how to go about it, you can find some inspiration from 360Guide. They have some 77 cool Surfboard art and design ideas.
Ocean themed spray paint surfboard art
Having custom surfboard art on your stick is like forging your own surfboard. It gives you an opportunity to board with your board, explore every inch of it and most importantly, adding a touch of uniqueness. Some surfers don’t really care how their surfboards look like. I know of people who order ready-made rice paper decal or spray paint with their boards, but a great deal of people like to have bespoke surfboard art. If you are one of these cool guys, you should also take a look at our guide on how to make your own surfboard rice paper logos.