This piece was entirely handmade. The process began with crafting a deck from 9-ply maple wood. The inspiration behind this work were retro pintail longboards which became popular during the 60s and 70s. The design is based on a beach in El Salvador called El Tunco. I had to capture the essence of the island rock formation which is very well-known, and the dolphins which are often seen in the waters. But it had to be done in a way to match the nostalgia of the 70s while at the same time, reinventing it with a modern and sleek look. I accomplished this by employing bright colors, and by transferring the graphic using a paper to wood transfer technique to get the worn, faded look. In contrast to this, I installed black trucks and a set of wheels to show that it is also a serious and functional board.
I designed the illustration based on the famous beach in El Salvador known as El Tunco.
After experimenting with different possible deck layouts and dimensions for the ideal board that would be small enough to maneuver easily within a college campus while maintaining stability at higher speeds, I settled on a miniature pintail design.
I printed out the design and decided to do an ink-wood transfer. I believe that this was a good way to have a rough and worn, vintage look, while also conveying modernity.
I glued the paper and then scrubbed it off gently to not remove the ink. But to achieve the roughened aesthetic, I went a little harder on the edges.
I signed it (it was a gift for my lovely girlfriend) and applied five to six coats of resin.
After drying, I installed the hardware.
