airbrush Tag

01 Dec

Posted at 15:33h in Behind the Scenes..., Painting Story by
20 Likes

FLOWER OF LIFE by Drew Brophy 2014 Sacred Surfboard SeriesSACRED SURFBOARDS VINTAGE SURFBOARD RE-PURPOSE PROJECT – Re-purposed 1970’s Classic Surfboards, painted using old-school airbrush techniques; mint condition, collectible, limited edition pieces of art and craftsmanship.  (Email info@drewbrophy.com for pricing.)

One of my most fun projects this year was painting six vintage, re-purposed surfboards brought to me by collector Jeff Eilers.  (SEE PHOTO SLIDE SHOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST, OF ALL THE SURFBOARDS.)

Jeff and his business partner, Erwin Spitz, had the idea to breathe new life into vintage, worn-out-beyond-repair surfboards, creating up-cycled pieces of art.

Jeff and Erwin have a process where they skin the fiberglass from old boards, repair the dings in the foam, and gently clean up the original shape.  For some of the boards, they even enlisted the glassing expertise of master shaper, glasser and artist Roger Hinds of Seal, Beach, CA.

It is an extreme amount of work to repair them but in the end they came out so well that they wanted to do something extra special with them.  Jeff and Erwin had a vision for these boards to reflect the time period they originally came from, the glory days of surfing during the late sixties and early seventies.

In the 1970’s I was just a little kid introduced to surfing for the first time, so my art has been greatly influenced by artists of that era.

With my recent studies of sacred geometry, I was excited to get my hands on these boards and explore what I could do with these new concepts.

Many people do not know that I got my start as an artist painting production surfboards in factories for some of the best surfboard makers in the world.

In those early years I had to master the craft of spraying boards with air guns and airbrushes.  It is a more technical job than artistic and in some ways very limiting.  I wanted to express my art more fully, and so I found a better way to paint surfboards by developing techniques using water based paint pens on top of glassed surfboards.

I soon became known for bringing a new style of painting to the surfboard market which was painting on the glass by hand with Uni Posca paint pens.  It changed the way surfboards were painted forever.  These techniques allowed me more creativity and gave others the ability to paint their own surfboards as well.

All of these years later, with the knowledge of tens of thousands of boards painted in every way possible, I was excited to revisit and improve upon my own airbrushing style.

This surfboard project was the perfect catalyst to do something really special, up-cycle old surfboards and turn them into a true collectible piece of art.  Cool old surfboards grace the ceilings of surf shops and surfers’ garages all over, but what about the ones that are just too beat up and ugly to care about?

Using all of my years of experience, I committed myself to painting something authentic and over the top for this project.  I created hand-made stencils for every board, incorporating symbols that speak to me these days; such as sacred geometry, chakras, om, yin-yang and the flower of life.

The boards are now completely re-purposed, in mint condition.

All six of these Sacred Surfboards turned out amazing; they came out better then we even dreamed of.  Each one tells a story and is reborn as a unique example of craftsmanship and art that will live on.

The first 6 of the series are released for sale today; if you are interested in adding a Sacred Surfboard to your vintage surfboard collection, email info@drewbrophy.com for pricing, or call 949-678-8133.

Please, let me know what you think of the art in the comments below.

Life is Good – Drew

SEE ALL PHOTOS OF SURFBOARDS HERE:  Sacred Surfboard Art Surfboards

22 Sep

Posted at 16:00h in Press by
29 Likes
Drew Brophy painting the Los Cabos Open of Surfing Surfboard

Painting the Los Cabos Open of Surfing Surfboard

This is an excerpt from a Drew Brophy interview with SurfCareers.com – to read the entire article go to:  Drew Brophy Surf Careers Interview

When did you start surfing?
I was about four or five years old.

What is it that you love about surfing?
It’s just me and nature, and the energy of the earth.

Do you have a session that stands out as your most memorable?
Hard to choose. I’ve surfed all of the best waves in the world, I have great memories of all of them.

When did you first get into art and did you always want to pursue it as a career?
I used to draw on the walls when I was a child. I drew on everything. I just did what I did best. Surfing and art were my passions, and that’s where I put my focus.

How did you find your niche in surfboard art?
I love to surf, and I always painted my own surfboards.  People started asking me to paint theirs. In the late 80’s, I was painting my own surfboards using techniques with Uni Posca Paint Pens that no one else was doing or cared about at the time. I developed my own style of painting with Poscas, and I knew it was the better way to paint surfboards. It took years before others caught on. I never gave up on my vision, though it did not come easy. Early on, I painted production boards, traditional airbrush style, for H2O glassing and Kelly Richards’ Perfection Surfboards, in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Then I moved to Hawaii, airbrushing surfboards at Bill Barnfield’s Pro Glass in Haleiwa on the North Shore for the best surfers and shapers in the world.  Brands like Channel Islands, Rusty and Brewer and surfers like Tom Curren and Tom Carroll.  This was a big jump for me, coming from South Carolina. I was in the thick of the industry, and I was in my early 20’s.

But, what I really wanted to do was paint surfboards using my own style and paint pen techniques, but none of the companies would let me.  The local underground chargers on the North Shore wanted it, but the companies held it back. While in Hawaii, I had approached all the best surfboard companies, asking if I could paint their boards using Poscas. No one would let me, my art was too radical. I was turned down by T & C, Local Motion, all the big companies at that time. Nobody cared about what I was doing.

Eventually I moved to California, painting at Ron House’s Surf Glass in San Juan Capistrano.  There, Stewart, Hobie and Harboursurfboards, among others, were being made.  At that time, it was the busiest surfboard factory in the world; it ran 24 hours a day. For a surfboard painter, this was a dream job.  There was always plenty of work.  But I still wanted to paint using my own style, so I continued to seek out other surfboard companies to let me paint my way.  I approached Spyder Surfboards, one of the biggest brands at the time, and just like the companies in Hawaii, they didn’t get what I wanted to do and told me “no”.

One day, on my bike ride home from Surf Glass, I stopped to meet artist Matt Biolos, an edgy, up and coming surfboard shaper.  We were the same age, and his art was really cool.  He was the only person I had seen who was painting with the Poscas, the same as me. He made surfboards for all the young guys.  My art was a perfect match for the vibe of …Lost Surfboards at the time. Matt got it!  I started painting …Lost surfboards that day.  Matt would let me paint whatever I wanted.  I would paint ten boards traditional style at Surf Glass, and then at the end of the day I’d go to …Lost where Matt would have surfboards waiting for me, and I’d paint them in my own style.They were an instant hit with the new breed of surfers. Within six months, my art and …Lost Surfboards began to take over the surf market.  That was 1996.  And the rest is history.  Surfboards were changed forever.

Do you recall when your pieces first started receiving widespread response?
Yes, it was in the late 1990’s, when I started painting, live, at the surf trade shows.  …Lost would exhibit at Surf Expo and other shows. The surfboards were never finished in time before the show for me to paint them.  So my solution was for me to paint, live, at the shows.  What surprised me was ……

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE HERE:  http://surfcareers.com/blog/drew-brophy-artist/

29 Jul

Posted at 08:31h in Behind the Scenes..., CASE STUDY, Live Event Painting, Painting Story, Shows & Events, Tips & How To by
50 Likes

Vintage VW Bus Painting Drew Brophy for Verizon FiOS So Cal US Open Huntington Beach

“We worked with Drew to transform our VW Bus into a work of art that celebrated the SoCal lifestyle.  It was great and effortless working with Drew and Maria. They had very little time to plan and design, yet the final result was more than what we could have asked for.  Anyone who walked past our VW bus as Drew was painting it, couldn’t help themselves from stopping and observing.   He was extremely personable and engaging, often inviting children to help with paint.”  Bryan Babiartz, Art Director, Marketing Werks

CASE STUDY:  Verizon FiOS at U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach

WHEN:  August 2013

CLIENT:  Marketing Werks (on behalf of Verizon)

MISSION:  Connect Verizon FiOS with youth and Southern California community by painting a vintage VW Bus in two days, LIVE, during the famous and busy U.S. Open of Surfing event in Huntington Beach, CA.

SCOPE OF WORK:  Strategize an art design that would illustrate the Southern California action sports lifestyle.  Paint the design live, during the busiest event of Huntington Beach each year, onto a 1965 VW Bus.

Paint a surfboard that will be given away to one lucky winner.  Give Drew Brophy surf art posters and stickers to the crowd.

Create a vortex of energy to attract people to the Verizon booths to sign up to win prizes and get more information on the product.

DETAILS:  I was tasked with transforming a vintage VW Bus with spray paint and airbrush, in about 12 hours, during the Vans U.S. Open of Surf.

We gave away posters and stickers of my art, and the Verizon So Cal team held drawings daily, giving away surfboards and tablets and other great stuff.

ABOUT THE VAN and THE PAINTING OF IT:  The Verizon FiOS So Cal team drives this VW all over Southern California; the bus has been outfitted with FiOS internet and tv capability, along with 42″ HDTV.  Now, with the custom painting, this van will never be missed driving down the freeway! (For more info, see Press Release)

I painted the van in two days, 6 hours each side.  A lot of people ask how it can be done so fast, so I thought I’d share my process:

PLANNING:  Is the first step.  I work with the shape of the van and the most important thing to me is composition.  I’ve painted dozens of vans, and often I’ll have it in my head what I’m going to paint and just show up and start spraying.  But for this one, I wanted to knock it out of the park for Verizon, so I spent a lot of time sketching out ideas and then getting their feedback.

PREPARATION:  I show up with everything I need – more then enough paint and an arsenal of tricks.

MEDIUM:  Spray paint is the most efficient way to get all the color on.  Most of the painting is done using Mtn 94 Spray paints – they are the best.  I only use quality paints and materials.

MAPPING IT OUT:  I start with the background and build up to the foreground, using spray paint first.  I spray on rough lines to use as my “map” of the layout.  Then, I fill in all color.

DETAIL:  Then I start detailing it.  I finish with airbrush and stencils, and finally, highlights that make the painting “pop”.

WATCH THE VIDEO on YOUTUBE:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6dKtlLKhRM

I had a great time, it was a fun event, working with great people (thanks Verizon So Cal and Marketing Werks!) and it was rewarding to see this painting go from conception to reality.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

 

drew brophy vw bus van painting verizon socal fios vans us open day 2

 

 

 

24 Jul

Posted at 08:56h in Live Event Painting, Wheres Drew by
28 Likes

Verizon FiOS VW Van Painting Drew brophy Day 2WHAT:  Live painting of a Verizon fiOS Vintage 1965 VW Bus at the U.S. Open!  We are giving away stickers and surfboard posters daily.

WHEN:  Friday, July 26, and Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:  ACROSS FROM THE US OPEN OF SURF, ON THE STRAND at 155 Fifth Street, Huntington Beach, CA (just across from Forever 21)

I’ll be painting a Volkswagon Van, LIVE, during the U.S. Open in Huntington Beach this weekend!

The Verizon FiOS SoCal campaign wants to influence SoCal residents to conquer their creativity.  They have transformed a 1965 Vintage Volkswagen van into a mobile entertainment experience, custom-fitted with FiOS Internet and FiOS TV capability, along with 42-inch HDTVs.  (Read the Press Release here)

And I’ll be spray painting it, LIVE, during the event – across from the Vans US Open, on the Strand, between Fifth Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.

Using my favorite graffiti-style spray paint, MTN 94, and airbrush, I’ll customize the van, and you can watch, on Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27th from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily.  (Go to my Facebook Page here to see sketches and the progress as it’s being painted)

You’ll also get a chance to win a Lost surfboard, custom painted by me.

FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION:  Stay tuned to what’s happening, the progress of the van painting and the giveaways – follow these channels:

INSTAGRAM:  @DrewBrophy and @FiOSSoCal

TWITTER:  @DrewBrophy and @VerizonCA 

FACEBOOK:  DrewBrophyArt  and VerizonCA

HASHTAGS:  #DrewBrophy #VerizonSoCal #VansUSOpen #FiOSSoCal #SurfArt

Concept Sketches

Concept Sketches

I’ve painted over 50 vans these past few years, including my own.

If you ever wanted to watch how it’s done, this is your chance.  I’m excited to show people how, in one day, with a few cans of spray paint, you can create a masterpiece on the side of a van!

BONUS:  Verizon is giving away some cool stuff during the time I’ll be painting.  Surfboard posters and stickers.

WILL I SEE YOU THERE?!   If so, RSVP on Facebook  or let me know in the comments, below.

Life is good,

Drew

PS:  Verizon FiOS SoCal has an ongoing giveaway that’s just awesome – you can enter to win a custom Surfboard, Skateboard and Bike!  They are giving away one A WEEK between now and the end of August.  Enter here:  http://fiossocal.com/#area-design