Surfing Doctors

A commission for "The Rolling Home Journal" - a quarterly journal by 'van-lifers' Calum Creasey, and Lauren Smith of stokedeversince.com and @therollinghome. Find them there, learn more about their journals, and camper-van conversion works.

My commission was to create an illustration to accompany an article on "Surfing Doctors", and the work they do. Rather than make a literal observation, the illustration is more fun, and fitting with the journal. Colours used are muted, and largely complementary, though with a sense of "slap-dash" thrown in for good measure. Who's got time to colour coordinate when your office is the beach?! The juxtaposition of a medical white coat, and flip flops highlights the crossover between two lifestyles, and blends them to one.

Initially intended to be a small spot illustration, the work ended up on a page to itself, much larger than originally planned! The illustration was already complete when this was decided, hence the lack of background to really anchor the illustration. Had the work always been planned for full page, I think some of the draft ideas would have been included to create a seaside hospital ward look. Camper ambulances, and perhaps a few more flip flop clad doctors!
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Surfing Doctors are a "close-knit group of like-minded individuals who have filtered out of various specialities and areas of medicine to combine the love of two totally different passions; the surfing sport and lifestyle, and a lifelong career in medicine". The doctors are prepared to go over and above the call of duty for people in need, with no expectation of financial reward.