pascal bompard
Pascal Bompard is a web designer and he lives here.
Pascal says:
While researching a possible career in illustration, and being a keen surfer, I noticed that the genre of “surf art” had potential, but was also cluttered with some of the worst kitsch I’d yet seen.
– and that’s putting it mildly. Remember this effort ?
The view here is that Pascal is onto a winner with his surf artwork, and in particular the banner pic of what has to be a speedy down the line backhander. He has even caught the evidence of a shift in the surfers’ rails in the track. Be nice to know whether he has copied a photo or has done it from memory and instinct. (pb has kindly answered my email on this question and said the image was ‘ loosely inspired’ )
We detect a whiff of Indo here, a little of a g-land racetrack. There is momentum.
Although the image is indistinct and without detail there is a wealth of information available – the horizontal trailing arm counter-weighed by the dip of its hand, the slight hunch on the leading shoulder all allude to speed and projection, the head is well weighted and looking in the right direction. The subject could also be at the moment of decision; down the line? carve it around and whang off a big cutty? or drop down to the flat and crank up some more speed?
The knees look loose, ready to steer through a change of direction – his weight is right through the centre of the board, very nice indeed.
– and of course with Mr Bompard being a designer we have the stylish diagonal white framing of the image, which perfectly reinforces the wave direction.
Colours: Black, white, aquamarine and aquamarine light. Only four, which is plenty.
What is best about the work is that it looks as if it only took minutes to paint / draw / whatever, old Pascal is undoubtedly a clever fellow – It is handsomely imperfect, like the wave and like the rider.
petebowes.com 