Longboarders make statements through artistic designs

A picturesque sunset overlooks a serene beach. The ocean glistens as the sun begins to disappear into the mountains—the perfect place for a vacation. So where is this scenic beach?

It is on the back of a longboard.

Longboarding, or “land surfing”, is becoming more popular throughout MVHS. Despite the name “longboard,” not all longboards are actually long. The shortboard actually is only 30 inches long, but is still considered a “long” board. It is used for riding about almost anywhere and going up curbs, while the downhill board is the speedster of all the longboards, meant to go speeding down slopes as fast as possible. Carving boards are mainly used for traveling from place to place and dancers, the longest boards, are used to show off tricks.

Although the longboards’ main purpose of riding still remains the same, the design on the board is becoming more significant. Look closely at the back of any longboard, and more often than not, there will be a design. But these designs are not just for show—these designs have a deeper symbolism unique to the person who designed it.

“My influence for this particular design was fluid movement because it has bubbles going out into fish,” sophomore Ashton Krajnovich said. “[It represents] fluid movement because [this] is a really carvey board for street-riding and just relaxing.”

No board is exactly the same and each is unique to its own rider. Riders express themselves in a variety of ways, from the way they ride to the way they look at life. Almost anything could be found on a longboard. Designs can range from a beautiful painted landscape to a series of words made by grip tape. Some riders even have multiple longboards for the sole reason of creating more designs and represent themselves in different ways.

"[Designs are] eye candy,” junior Ben Yang said. "It looks good. Sometimes [I design] color fades if I make my own boards."

The back of a longboard provides the perfect canvas for a rider to make a design. Longboarders make designs to differentiate themselves from all the other longboarders on the streets. Each design is unique and creates a powerful statement to whoever sees it.

“[People design boards] because they want to express who they are on what they ride,” sophomore Abdul Eleish said.

Next time a longboard passes by, be sure to sneak a quick look. Look for that scenic beach, an ocean vista or maybe discover something never seen before. You never know what kind of art you will find.

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