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Negative sketch of Teahupoo barrel view celtic knotwork

Here’s a sketch I’ve been working on over the last week or so, it’s inspired by a photo by Jon Frank of the monster wave at Teahupoo.  It’s taken from inside the giant tube Mick Fanning is racing away from.  It’s a pretty awesome shot, I love the way the wave is curling over and completely joins up with the spray from Fanning board.  I think the shot was taken up by Rip Curl or Billabong for an advert.

The knot in this sketch wasn’t really finalised, I didn’t resolve it to be continuouse or a single line, I really just wanted to try out a few different ideas the photo gave me. 

I’ve played with scale on the lines to give perspective and depth.  The sea heading off to the horizon I was playing with an arbitrary pattern when I made the network for the knot and then chose a rule for the crossing over points (which way the knot continued to lead or break).  The result looks quite computer generated, a bit like game graphics from the 80’s I think.  

I played about with the shot in paint shop pro adjusting the hue and saturation, lightness, contrast and then making the image negative.  The sketch original was done in coloured fine-liners.  You can see the steps I took in the sketch:

• Concept sketch
• Grid
• Network
• Line Fattening

Mick Fanning, Teahupoo, by Jon Frank

 I came across this photo in the Surfers Path Magazine, you can see more Jon Frank images here:

http://surferspath.com/photographer-folios/image_full/253/

Favorite quote from the artical:

“Most opportunities slip quickly away, but occasionally I will trap one in my little black box to keep.”

Best shot in the Folio is (in my humble opinion):

Silver Linings, Tahiti, by Jon Frank

It looks wild and stormy, I get the feeling the surfers alone in the elements.  It looks like a huge arena to be lost in!  Hmmm how much is a flight to Tahiti??  Still, I think this appeals because it invokes a feeling of what it’s like to be alone in a big stormy surf area, like a less than perfect but big ish day a Saunton, when there’s not many people out and you find yourself all alone. 

Like Tahiti, but cold, without the power and mushy.  Ok so not that much like Tahiti.