There is nothing more mundane than a plain white board. The surfboard is one of the most pure canvases an artist could ask for, and if you are looking at your surfboard rack, thinking you need some style, you are in luck! I am going to walk you through 10 easy steps to make your shred stick into an amazing piece of artwork.
1. First you want to scrape any wax or unwanted dirt and grime off the top and bottom of the board.
2. With a piece of sandpaper lightly sand the surface of your board so the paint will have an easier time sticking to the board. Make sure not to sand too deep, you only want to texture the top layer of fiberglass.
3. After you take the fins out, tape off your stomp pad and fin box to prevent paint from seeping in.
4. You are now ready to tape off a design! My go to design is to put a paper plate on the center of both sides and connect straight lines of tape emanating from the paper plate. It should look like a sun on the top and bottom with connecting rays.
5. Spray on a coat of primer, let dry, then spray a light coat of color spray paint over your board. Wait until the paint has dried to apply another coat. Keep repeating till you are satisfied with the color. Be sure to keep the spray can at least 6 inches away from the board to prevent any runs.
6. Once you are stoked on the color, make sure it is dry, and remove your taped design.
7. Begin outlining your design with a sharpie. It is easier to work from left to right, so you avoid smearing your lines with your hand. A good effect is to just scribble inside the unpainted lines.
8. If all has gone right, you have a great piece of shreddable art just waiting for a clear coat to protect all your hard work. I prefer to use Krylon clear coat spray but any clear spray paint will work. Hold the spray can at least 10 inches away from the board on the first coat. Too much can make the paint run. After the first coat is dry start spraying closer with every coat. You should use 1 can on the top and one on the bottom.
9. Remove tape from stomp pad and fin boxes.
10. Put your fins in and go show off your new board. It always makes me feel more comfortable while surfing. If you don't believe me then just give it a try and see!
If you have any original board art using a different technique please post a comment or email us with the picture - andrew@storeyourboard.com.