Surfing the Big One

This composite was done to illustrate the word "influence" for Illustration Friday's weekly challenge.  Most of what I draw & paint is influenced by nature.  This photo of the ocean, taken at North Beach in 2009, is superimposed with an illustration of "The Big Wave," done years ago using Saatchi on-line's digital painting tools.  Then a pen & ink drawing of a surfer, modeled after nephew Gregory when he was younger, was added.  The Big Wave was originally inspired by a series of nightmares I used to have in which I nearly drowned from tidal waves.  Happily those big waves seem to have receded and I have safely paddled out to where the ocean is a bit calmer.