About the Book

This book was a passion project that started while Miguel and his wife, Brandi, were volunteer teachers abroad in Micronesia.  Living on a tiny island with few distractions allowed them to spend more time on hobbies.  While some were new, like surfing and spearfishing, others like running and drawing made a welcome resurgence.  The project spanned many years and ended up becoming a memory book of sorts from their time living on a tropical island.

MY INSPIRATION

Although the two characters are named after Miguel’s two oldest kids, the bird character evolved from Matt – a close friend and mentor who took Miguel under his wing and taught him everything he knows about surfing – while Miguel saw himself in the goofier, less experienced furball character.  The illustrations in the book were inspired by their lifestyle and experiences while living in Micronesia, and reflect the eclectic education Miguel received in surf culture; derived from his time spent with Matt, as well as from watching classic surf movies and reading through dozens of old editions of Surfer’s Journal magazines.  Many of the illustrations in the book are based on some of Brandi and Miguel’s favorite photographs taken during their time on the island, as well as from Matt’s photo archive of his past surf trips.

For the first several years the book was illustrated in pencil on simple printer paper.  It didn’t take long for Miguel to realize his lack of skills in watercolors and then colored pencils, but eventually he found some success in digital art – using an iPad Pro, the Procreate app and an Apple Pencil.  After years of working on the book on and off he was able to complete the project and self-published it.

Photo Gallery

While the pictures in the previous section more clearly inspired many of the book’s illustrations, the spirit of the entire book was shaped by our lifestyle and experiences while living there. Sharing pictures was the best way we found to connect our friends and family – who were 6,000 miles away at the time – to our experiences, so it felt appropriate to share some of our favorites with you here.

Everything truly felt special, and we wanted to capture it all. It also kind of felt like we were collecting proof that what we were experiencing was real. Despite ending up with an enormous number of pictures, it still felt like so much was left out.

checking the swell charts online was the first and last thing I did everyday

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Sample Sessions
for Digital Art Classes

This is meant to show the format and content of each class.  It may be adjusted to meet the level and preference of each group.  

Week 1: "Brush-tastic Beginnings"

Project: Create a whimsical monster friend!

Skills learned

  • Introduction to Procreate interface
  • Using and customizing brushes
  • Undo, redo, and navigating the canvas

Extra practice

  • Experiment with different brushes to make textures for fur, scales, or skin
  • Create more monster friends using what they learned

Week 2: "Layer Cake Creations"

Project: Design a layered cupcake with frosting and sprinkles

Skills Learned:

  • Understanding and using layers
  • Adding and adjusting colors
  • Organizing elements for a multi-layered project

Extra Practice:

  • Draw other desserts (cookies, donuts, etc.) and use layers for toppings

Week 3: "Shape it Up!"

Project: Build a silly robot with basic shapes

Skills Learned:

  • Using selection tools to create precise shapes
  • Transforming and resizing objects
  • Applying symmetry to create balance

 

Extra Practice:

  • Practice making new robots using symmetry tools or freehand

Week 4: "Texture Treasure Hunt"

Project: Draw a magical underwater scene with textured fish

Skills Learned:

  • Applying textures using brushes and patterns
  • Using clipping masks for detailed designs
  • Experimenting with opacity to create depth

Extra Practice:

  • Add more fish or creatures to the underwater scene, trying different textures

Week 5: "Color Pop Parade"

Project: Illustrate a parade float with vibrant colors

Skills Learned:

  • Creating and using color palettes
  • Applying gradients and blending colors
  • Using the smudge tool for soft effects

 

Extra Practice:

  • Draw a parade of floats using custom palettes

Week 6: "Finale Fiesta: Show-Stopping Scene"

Project: Create a complete illustration of a silly cityscape

Skills Learned:

  • Combining all skills: brushes, layers, shapes, textures, and colors
  • Organizing complex illustrations
  • Exporting and sharing artwork

Extra Practice:

  • Finish their cityscape or add characters to make it come alive
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