Calmer than you are, dude.

Notes on the design:

Digital illustration done in Procreate with various monoline pens and gouache texture brushes.

This is a personal project to keep practicing my figurative character drawing. I've been gravitating towards this playful, exaggerated, cartoon-y realism style, if that's such a thing. I like the challenge of laying out the scene and figuring out how to work in a variety of elements that tell a story in a single composition.

I had this sketched in development for a while, but it was the font (Easy Coast from the awesome Dan Cedarholm at @simplebits) that really tied the room together. Once I saw it, I decided to add the text of one of my favorite quotes from my all-time favorite movie.

The story behind the piece:

This artwork was inspired by a surfer buddy of mine who epitomizes equanimity. Where I'm inclined to over-grip everything with effort and anxiety, he carries a natural ease to stay perfectly balanced and calm amid the chaos, choosing to ride with the waves of life rather than fighting against them.

I'm not a surfer (yet), but like many I'm captivated by the displays of fluid grace and zen-like flow watching someone ride atop one of nature's most powerful forces. Not to mention their fearlessness around sharks that has eluded me since watching Jaws at age 6.

This character is meant to capture the effortless coolness and chill vibe that surfers seem to have a lot more of than us flat-landers. When I think of the word 'calm,' I can't help but hear Walter and The Dude in my head...

"Just take it easy man."

"I'm perfectly calm, dude."

"Yeah waving the f*cking gun around?!"

"Calmer than you are."

"Will you just take it easy, man?!"

"Calmer than you are."