(Photo: Laurent Chantegros)
I LOVE shaping surfboards and I'm kinda obsessed with this craft. Even though I am about to shape my 243th board I'm still considering myself as a novice but I hope to become a master one day... This blog is a virtual portfolio and a diary of my journey in the shaping world. Feel free to leave comments or contact me directly at valerie@meremadesurfboards.com.

Valerie Duprat
-Shaper of Mère-Made Surfboards

Monday, February 24, 2014

board#033: egg for Loick

Loick and Laeticia welcoming their new baby: board#033!



Dimensions: 6'8 x 21 5/8 x 2 1/2
[completed in december 2013]


The story:
Loic got his new Mere-Made surfboard last November (click here to see it).
He told his friend Loick about it.
Loick placed an order (with wine and cheese).
Loick got his board too last January.
Loic and Loick are now surfing together on their respective Mere-Made surfboards.

The shape: Loick who started surfing a year ago is so passionate about it that he was ready to move on from his longboard to a smaller size board. He noticed the Astro egg inspired shape I made for Keith (click here) and asked for a slightly longer version. Because I already had the template ready to go, the shaping part was straight forward and easy.

The artwork: (that is where things get more complicated) This section is always a sensitive matter as a custom board comes custom in shape AND artwork. Loick approached me with the ideas of 1) a geiko holding a Belgium and a California flag 2) a side of French fries including somewhere a Belgium flag. Although I acknowledged all those ideas coming at me, I told him I would “think about it”. If you hear that from me, that is a bad sign… That is usually my way of saying “I don’t like it at all” (Remember that if we happen to discuss artwork together ;)). However I deeply thought about what Loick wanted to convey on his board: he is a Belgium guy who loves to surf in California. I suggested a California flag with a reference to Belgium in the star (I have to admit that I wanted to do the California bear design for a long time). He was nice enough to accept my idea without further discussion. Conclusion: at Mere-Made surfboard you get “custom artwork upon artist acceptance”.

Testimonial: no testimonial recorded or documented because I was sitting in the line-up next to Loick when he got to try his board for the first time…According to the number of waves he got that day and the big smile on his face, I am pretty sure he likes his board!




"MINE!"



First time in the water with shaper = spoiled customer!!!



Stoked








like a pro surfer, Loick has fans

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