From My Sketchbook:
This wave action on the beach was the result of Hurricane Igor which at the time was the largest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history, over 900 miles wide and at a Category 4. Even though it was still hundreds of miles away to the southeast, somewhere between North Carolina and Bermuda at the time, the storm was pushing out large swells as it moved northward off the US coast on its path toward Newfoundland. The water was warmish, and for a slightly breezy, hazy overcast day the beach was filled with end of the season sunbathers, and the larger than usual waves were very popular as they provided great entertainment to body-surfers and boogieboarders.
This sketch was accomplished more quickly than many of my more deliberate line drawings, in part this was due to being slightly pressed for time, but mostly it was because of my attempt to capture qualities of the movement of the waves and the activity of the people on the beach. The result is a fairly gestural drawing, expressive of the motion and energy of the water and individuals along the shore, which is all in juxtaposition and contrast to the stillness of the stationary umbrellas, blankets and distant sand dunes.