[6/5/23] Summoning the Wave Gods - Part 5, Surfboard painting

"Hey there. Master Shaper, come on out, wake up."


It was a normal day in a normal time, at least from the perspective of the normal people inhabiting a post historical world, were giant sea monsters are real and humans live in little clans by the sea. Jordivaro, Shaper of Things, had a visitor.

"You home?"


Jordi recognized the figure in front of his door.



"You are California, Capraia's sister."



"I know!", she replied.


"Hello there."


"Ola."


"What can I do for you today?"


"Capraia said you shape everythin."

"A lot of things, yes. Specifics?"


"Yea, I want you to make something like this."


"A..fish? A miniature surfboard?"


"...no. Real one. It's a template of sorts. I want a wooden Alaia board."


Jordi decided fast. "Can do."


"But, if I may ask...why don't you just take one of the old world ones? They have a beach literally littered with those over here, and no one to surf them."

"You may, you may, long or short version?"


"Hm. I have time."

"Nice. You know, I've been surfing for quite a while. On old world material and the like. But wood is king."



"You see, when I first got on an Alaia back at my other clan, I think I kinda found the soul of surfing. Like, the real soul. I connected with the ocean and the board and the energy that flows through us."


"That frictionless feeling of nothing holding you back. You don't just surf the wave, you slide across the wave and become one with the wave."


"I mean, the speed you get from flexing the board in the pocket while prone is mind warping, the Alaia likes to go sideways, down the line of a wave, what makes it special, since it has no fins, it can slide, I feel like dancing with the wave."


"It's so cool. It's like the most spiritually connected thing, ever. I mean I didn't mean to, but I think I accidentally connected with the wave gods back there, you know what I mean?"


"It's about as pure as it gets. A pure form of surf riding, that's what it's all about. Don't you think?"


"Hm. I usually just shape the boards. But that was a great monologue."
"Thanks! So you will do it? Great."
"I guess."


"So when do you think we can start? I will be with you guys for a while. Didn't work out with the other clan."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure I have some planks ready. We could start just right now...."





Some moments later, Jordivaro arrived back with a fitting plank of wood.

"Awesome! Can I help somehow?", California asked, blocking the path.



"You could clear the stands."
"Alright, how do I clear those? Where are they?"
"Behind you, just step aside."
"Oh!"









"Ok then, let's make a surfboard."

I been surfing for a while
It's getting bigger every day
From Hawaii to the shores of Peru!

That's what came to mind when she said, "I've been surfing for quite a while." I thought you were going to work in another song lyric.

Jordi's response to the esoteric monologue was hilarious!

The photography and the "space" in which the figures interact is superb! I wish I could live in this world you've created. Even if it means dealing with the occasional giant mutant crabs.

Unlike Dave, what came to my mind when I got to this… "That frictionless feeling of nothing holding you back. You don't just surf the wave, you slide across the wave and become one with the wave."

Was this: Until the sharks come and then there’s screaming and blood.

I love it. Great job with the figures (I think you had them done more or less before) and the whole environment. And a nice way to work your next custom into their story. The thing about art is that it is partly in the eyes of the beholder -- and in that respect, I loved that you (ostensibly) poked fun at the allegedly spiritual and philosophical mumbo-jumbo of diehard surfers. One might have thought that the apocalypse would have erased some of this, but I guess it comes with the territory. Or perhaps you had no such intention after all.

Love it - you used so many great perspectives here, like the few threw the net or from above, where you can see all the little details like the crab claw and other things laying around.
Then your attention to detail for posing and gestures chime in. Very real.

I like the lighting conditions with the sunlight shining on parts of the scenery and also the use of the calendar backdrop! MAking the whole scene feel wide

Can't wait to see him making the board!

Very cool Ovy! excellent figure posing, the story flowed along really well. your figures look so good in the set you built too. Looks like a great place to visit. More, please.

Very nice, and a good story to go with it too. I like that place even if simple it looks comfortable.

Before he could start to cut out the new surfboard, Jordivaro marked the outline.



"I think you drew a smiley!!"


"Mh. You think? I will cut out his mouth."




"You have all the positions in your head or something?"


"Shh, I am concentrating."








"Now I see it."


"Yes, the board has been there all along, just have to get it out without hurting it."


"Deep."


Jordi got out his saw and began the tedious process of sawing.










Slow and steady effort were key.





"So Jordi, why do you live all the way here, away from the others, like some hermit?"


“It makes me more interesting, you know..."


"...People usually come all the way here with demands.”


"Haha."


“The chieftains daughter came here some time ago and wanted me to make her a one piece jewelry out of a heart shell.”


"And how did that work out?"


“She doesn't wear it often, it's not very comfortable.”



"Could have told her before, hih."




"Ok then, the board is almost free, next bit."




"And you, California? Why did you run away from the other clan?”"


“Well I didn't run, it was more of a slow walk."


“Aha. Any more information?”
"It was a scenic route by the sea.”


“Weren’t you supposed to get married or something?”


“Weren’t you supposed to make surfboards or something?”


"Indeed."








"Still a little rough around the edges...."


"...but nothing a bit of sanding couldn't solve."


"Nice shape, shaper."









"Now for the sanding."


"This might take a while."
"Ok, then I'll plunder your food storage a bit."

davidd wrote:I been surfing for a while
It's getting bigger every day
From Hawaii to the shores of Peru!

That's what came to mind when she said, "I've been surfing for quite a while." I thought you were going to work in another song lyric.

Jordi's response to the esoteric monologue was hilarious!

The photography and the "space" in which the figures interact is superb! I wish I could live in this world you've created. Even if it means dealing with the occasional giant mutant crabs.

Thanks a lot. Yeah you are really good in identifying lyric references, even if I am not sure this one was intentional.
Glad you liked the story and feel a longing to be at this place, it's a great compliment.

Stryker2011 wrote:Unlike Dave, what came to my mind when I got to this… "That frictionless feeling of nothing holding you back. You don't just surf the wave, you slide across the wave and become one with the wave."

Was this: Until the sharks come and then there’s screaming and blood.

You, sir, are a psychopath. Just like Ephi. And I think mermaids are much more vile and dangerous than sharks.

GubernatorFan wrote:I love it. Great job with the figures (I think you had them done more or less before) and the whole environment. And a nice way to work your next custom into their story. The thing about art is that it is partly in the eyes of the beholder -- and in that respect, I loved that you (ostensibly) poked fun at the allegedly spiritual and philosophical mumbo-jumbo of diehard surfers. One might have thought that the apocalypse would have erased some of this, but I guess it comes with the territory. Or perhaps you had no such intention after all.

Thanks a lot. Valiarde provided the Tattooine Diorama.
And I almost knew nothing about surfing, when I wanted to make a board I had to learn about the shapes and materials and techniques. I decided for a wooden board because it made most sense, as the Mediterrans don't have access to resins and foams etc. The Alaia stands for the most pure and traditional form of surfing the Hawaiians practiced for long times before the USA uh...liberated them. I listened and read my fair share of enthusiastic surfers who discovered their love for the Alaia boards, most of California's monologue quotes are paraphrased or direct quotes from happy stoned spiritual surfer dudes, some just regular guys, others staring in overproduced surfing and surfboard manufacturing videos. And I'd say the Apocalypse saw the loss of a lot of knowledge, but in the little tribal communities the surf culture re-emerged as more spiritual past-time, the existence of wave and weather spirits and the believe in the ocean being a godlike entity seems much more real to them than to our society.

Valiarde wrote:Love it - you used so many great perspectives here, like the few threw the net or from above, where you can see all the little details like the crab claw and other things laying around.
Then your attention to detail for posing and gestures chime in. Very real.

I like the lighting conditions with the sunlight shining on parts of the scenery and also the use of the calendar backdrop! MAking the whole scene feel wide

Can't wait to see him making the board!

Thanks a lot, glad you noticed the different perspectives. Thanks a gain for that Tattoine dio.

BAMComix wrote:Very cool Ovy! excellent figure posing, the story flowed along really well. your figures look so good in the set you built too. Looks like a great place to visit. More, please.

Thanks a lot, hope you liked that installation.

Theboo-bomb wrote:Very nice, and a good story to go with it too. I like that place even if simple it looks comfortable.

Thanks a lot, yeah Jordi likes it simple it seems.

More brilliant stuff Ovy! The surf board came out great, as did the sequence of the build. Truly inspiring!

As always, you surpass yourself with creativity! The way you incorporated the making of the item itself into the diorama is so clever and it makes us appreciate the importance of the surfboard to the character(s) even more. :')

just so beautiful.... it almost hurts...

Such attention to detail and to the individual characters. Always a great treat. I admire your patience and skill to weave stories around your creations.
I love his pink knife (and I guess so does he ).
It's cool to see him work with his crayons and put them to different places.

As for mumbo jumbo: obviously they both have their very own
She with the spiritual waves.
He with the spiritual wood.
and it makes perfect sense in their "age" and environment.

Personally I do not mind anyone's mumbo jumbo as long as they do not hurt anyone and as long as they do not expect me (and everyone else) to adopt it.

The shell saw is an impressive tool! Did you carve the serrations, or did you find a shell with the proper edge shape?

Great set of photos. The shell saw is inspired, and the use of the actual saw dust and scraps was well done. I like your saw-horses as well.

Ah, spiritual wood and waves! Sorry, that partial alliteration got to me.
Excellent sequence, Ovy, and kudos for putting Simon's diorama to such good unexpected use. Loved the realistic, natural paradox of the situation -- he's supposed to be working, she's chatting him up, yet the work gets done somehow. Nice shell saw indeed. And sanding tool!
For those who don't realize it, it seems Jordivaro is actually... Ovy's alter ego (mini-he?).
I'll let Simon tell us if there is any resemblance.

GubernatorFan wrote:Ah, spiritual wood and waves! Sorry, that partial alliteration got to me.
Excellent sequence, Ovy, and kudos for putting Simon's diorama to such good unexpected use. Loved the realistic, natural paradox of the situation -- he's supposed to be working, she's chatting him up, yet the work gets done somehow. Nice shell saw indeed. And sanding tool!
For those who don't realize it, it seems Jordivaro is actually... Ovy's alter ego (mini-he?).
I'll let Simon tell us if there is any resemblance.

lol
yeah I think this is the blonde, bit longer haired version of Ovy now that you mention it. How could I've missed it

Valiarde wrote:lol
yeah I think this is the blonde, bit longer haired version of Ovy now that you mention it.    How could I've missed it

Nice, thanks for the confirmation, Simon! Ovy, you've been found out.

"...and that's why sea urchins can basically see with their entire body, without even having eyes..."


"...they are their own eye ball!"


"That's cool isn't it?"


"Wouldn't want to be an eyeball.", Jordi answered.


"Yeah but if you don't know anything else..."


"...maybe some sea urchins are discussing humans, or eyes, and wondering why some animals use eyes."


"Sea urchins have scholars?", Jordi wondered.


"Who knows! I am sure there are philosophers among them."








"Looks smooth to me."


"Yep, need to refine the tail and we are done with the form."









So the basic work was done.


"That's it."


"Awesome work, thanks! Before we continue, look what I got here."


Several beautiful pearls which California had collected from the depths.


Jordi shook his head. "No, I am sorry. I don't want to be paid..."


"...these are really beautiful and I am sure it was a lot of work retrieving them, but..."


"...firstly, I don't have a use for them at the moment and I don't want to be in possession of something someone else might have more need of..."


"...secondly, I don't believe in those 'currencies'. We left that behind in the Old World but somehow it's coming back. It takes away from the real interactions between people. It's been the bane of our ancestors and look where it got them...."


"...thirdly, you should really keep them and turn them into something beautiful."


"Haha, I know, I know. Just wanted to ask if we could somehow put them into the board, it might look cool."
"Oh. Of course."
"But that was a nice monologue."


"Thanks...well. We could power through before it get's dark and apply the oils and spirits."

BAMComix wrote:More brilliant stuff Ovy! The surf board came out great, as did the sequence of the build. Truly inspiring!

Thanks a lot!

skywalkersaga wrote:As always, you surpass yourself with creativity! The way you incorporated the making of the item itself into the diorama is so clever and it makes us appreciate the importance of the surfboard to the character(s) even more. :')

Thanks so much, yeah it's like building your own lightsaber.

Illusion wrote:just so beautiful.... it almost hurts...

Such attention to detail and to the individual characters. Always a great treat. I admire your patience and skill to weave stories around your creations.
I love his pink knife (and I guess so does he ).
It's cool to see him work with his crayons and put them to different places.

As for mumbo jumbo: obviously they both have their very own
She with the spiritual waves.
He with the spiritual wood.
and it makes perfect sense in their "age" and environment.

Personally I do not mind anyone's mumbo jumbo as long as they do not hurt anyone and as long as they do not expect me (and everyone else) to adopt it.

Thanks a lot. Glad you followed the way of the crayons.  And yes they both have their "professional philosophies" some might call mumbo jumbo.

davidd wrote:The shell saw is an impressive tool! Did you carve the serrations, or did you find a shell with the proper edge shape?

Thanks a lot! Yeah, I carved in the serrations. But I only got the idea to make knifes and saws out of shells because some had those little spikes already. You know, some of the first saws were probably made out of shells.

Stryker2011 wrote:Great set of photos. The shell saw is inspired, and the use of the actual saw dust and scraps was well done. I like your saw-horses as well.

Thanks a lot, yeah I mixed the real work with the show. glas you notice the saw horses, wouldn't have worked without them.

GubernatorFan wrote:Ah, spiritual wood and waves! Sorry, that partial alliteration got to me.
Excellent sequence, Ovy, and kudos for putting Simon's diorama to such good unexpected use. Loved the realistic, natural paradox of the situation -- he's supposed to be working, she's chatting him up, yet the work gets done somehow. Nice shell saw indeed. And sanding tool!
For those who don't realize it, it seems Jordivaro is actually... Ovy's alter ego (mini-he?).
I'll let Simon tell us if there is any resemblance.

Thanks a lot. Yeah he only had to concentrate for the markings, but otherwise he is able to multi task. The sanding tool is just a piece of sand paper, but it was partly used on the real model so it's a legit proven tool now.
And no, only because Jordi does create things doesn't mean he is a mini-me. And I would never make a surf board or do a lot of wood working. I don'T have a "central" mini me, maybe my personality is distributed among all of my custom figures. I most identify with the little forest kid.

Perhaps the most noted of the early sea urchin scholars was Spiny the Elder.

Nicely shaped board.

The surfboard looks brilliant, Ovy!

Thanks for the clarification, but it's too late. With Simon's encouragement, I am considering Jordi mini you, until I really know better.
Nice continuation. I liked how they took turns being philosophical and practical. Those pearls looked so good, I would have taken them, whatever my philosophy. But blinging out the surfboard sounds very promising, too. I hope you have multiple surfoards, for multiple settings (since a pearly surfoard might be overly specific for most other purposes).
And I learned something new about sea urchins, unless of course you were yanking our chains. (To lazy to look it up. Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen alle faule Leute. Nichtwar?)

This part is pretty straightforward, evenly distribute the oils and spirits on both sides of the board.













"Now there is the wood grain!"




















It's a rather meditative process.

davidd wrote:Perhaps the most noted of the early sea urchin scholars was Spiny the Elder.

Nicely shaped board.

Yeah that guy had spine! Thanks.

BAMComix wrote:The surfboard looks brilliant, Ovy!

Thanks a lot!

GubernatorFan wrote:Thanks for the clarification, but it's too late. With Simon's encouragement, I am considering Jordi mini you, until I really know better.
Nice continuation. I liked how they took turns being philosophical and practical. Those pearls looked so good, I would have taken them, whatever my philosophy. But blinging out the surfboard sounds very promising, too. I hope you have multiple surfoards, for multiple settings (since a pearly surfoard might be overly specific for most other purposes).
And I learned something new about sea urchins, unless of course you were yanking our chains. (To lazy to look it up. Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen alle faule Leute. Nichtwar?)

Thanks, no California doesn't lie about those facts, although we don't know exactly were she takes that information from, maybe old info boards?
And I have only one mostly finished board, and another dummy which was used in the photoshoots, but everyone noticed that already, right?

Btw, I always imagine you as this guy with the Arnold Schwarzenegger physique who is always wearing his stormtrooper helmet, jogging along Venice Beach every morning, and answering forum posts on his laptop between workout and surfing sessions.

The pouring the oil pix are too cool! Very nicely composed and photographed sequence.

Beautiful continuation of the sequences. The poses are so natural and, like Dave said, those pouring oil photos, wow! Well, your Mediterrans need more surfboards -- one imagines it is one of their favorite modes of transportation.

Thank you for that very flattering image of me, by the way. If I looked like Arnie, it is my sunglasses I would never take off, not my helmet.

Woooow!!! I just read the whole thing. Beautiful dio, story, characters and presentation. The camera angles are gorgeous and I LOVE the dialogue!

I'm definitely sensing a connection here. "Deep." 

Pretty neat to see them actually spreading the oil.