FGCU Art Student Collaboration Week 3

09-27-19 / Contributor: Megan Shinham

Week three started the shapping of one of my two forms. After some consideration and discussion with Jeff, we decided to begin with the skimboard first.

Like we had discussed in previous meetings, Jeff gave me the option of using discontinued polyurethane foam blanks from US Blanks. These blanks are very rare, as they were made as samples to see if skimboard makers would want to change up their processes to be more closely related to surfboard production. This made the experience more nerve-wracking because we only had two blanks of this size, and, therefore, there were only two chances to get it right.

Shaping the board was a different experience than observing as I had done in previous weeks. Jeff made the process look so easy and fast due to his experience, meanwhile, my use of the tools was much slower and less precise. Using the planer seemed easy until you mess up and go too deep, or take a chunk out of the tail. Board shaping as I learned it included being open to the process and updating your plan for the board as various obstacles got in the way and changed the plan for the final product.

Although the plan may change throughout the process, planning is essential to the end result. Without it, balance and symmetry would have been off and the way the board planes through the water and responds consistently in wave conditions would have been compromised. With Jeff’s advice, I made sure that even while updating the plan I maintained that symmetry to the best of my ability.

My final product, while thinner than I had originally anticipated, was still the shaped I desired and I am proud of the result. Stay tuned to see how the shaping of the surfboard will go and wish me luck on the surface design and glassing!