The Pipeline Sketches

News

Ignacio Serrano produced a remarkable illustration for our second issue that places the viewer inside a wave at Pipeline in a way that no photograph could. The Spanish illustrator relied largely on Internet footage and Pipeline research to construct the point of view. “I discovered a whole new universe of images that I had never seen before.” Explore his process below.

How it started: “Death”

This was “my first work related to the world of surfing.”

“Because of the recent emergence of the GoPro cameras, the level of immersion by which one can enter into the world of the surfer and witness their viewpoint is astonishingly beautiful.”

“One can almost feel the magnificence of those huge waves and the pleasure of being able to catch them oneself.”

“I started to draw some sketches from the videos so I could get the feeling of surfing.”

“After deciding the final composition, which was from the point of view of a surfer inside the wave, I started to draw using Sumi ink and nibs.”

“It took me awhile to elaborate the intricate textures of the wave.”

“But I think I finally achieved that feeling.”

Illustration by Ignacio Serrano