How should I finish this tiki? OPINIONS WANTED!!! :) *Now Finished!* (final pic added 10/5) - Tiki Carving

TL Tiki Lee's Tiki Socialite Las Vegas Joined: Aug 23, 2003 Posts: 798	TL Tiki Lee's Posted posted on Fri, Sep 29, 2006 11:26 PM Aloha Folks! I just got to a major decision-point with my latest self-imposed "lesson" on tiki carving. I took the invaluable skills I learned from my Jedi-Tiki-Carving Masters at Coon Tiki this past spring and started in on a "standard" face on a half-log of palm (which was a whole lot dryer than the first one I attempted). Here's a couple o' pics of him after the first session (de-barking, designing & drawing, & carving): I decided to leave the husk on to see what happened. Big mistake! I thought it might have an interesting texture for the crown and nose. However, it ended up just being all hairy and fiber-y and really hard to get a clean cut through it. Oh, will I EVER get to do a project that I don't have to "age" to cover up my mistakes? Next time... yes, next time... Here's a few shots of it after the major carving was finished: I used primarily chisels to carve this guy. Mostly 'cuz I love the chiseled look the wood gets after all those strikes. I did use a chain saw to take out the big areas in the mouth, and used an angle grinder with a lancelot blade to carve the lines in his crown. Man, is that Lancelot sweet! There was absolutely NO resistance from the wood when cutting thru it. It literally Was "like buttah"! It was, in fact TOO easy and it threw me off. You can see how I messed up the symmetry in the lines. Oh well. This is only my second tiki carving ever. There will always be afore-mentioned "next time..." So tonight I finally got the chance to finish up. Here's the big guy after adding details, burning, & sanding: Kinda looks like Wil Farrel's impersonation of Harry Carrey, hunh? Now, here's where your opinions come into play. I don't know whether or not to stain this guy all up with pretty stains and make him look old and mossy like my first one, or just varnish the heck out of him the way he is now and leave him au natural. Whattaya think? Any advice and or opinion will be greatly appreciated! Mahaloz!!! [ Edited by: Tiki Lee's 2006-10-03 00:24 ] [ Edited by: Tiki Lee's 2006-10-05 00:44 ]

Aloha Folks!

I just got to a major decision-point with my latest self-imposed "lesson" on tiki carving. I took the invaluable skills I learned from my Jedi-Tiki-Carving Masters at Coon Tiki this past spring and started in on a "standard" face on a half-log of palm (which was a whole lot dryer than the first one I attempted). Here's a couple o' pics of him after the first session (de-barking, designing & drawing, & carving):

I decided to leave the husk on to see what happened. Big mistake! I thought it might have an interesting texture for the crown and nose. However, it ended up just being all hairy and fiber-y and really hard to get a clean cut through it. Oh, will I EVER get to do a project that I don't have to "age" to cover up my mistakes? Next time... yes, next time...

Here's a few shots of it after the major carving was finished:

I used primarily chisels to carve this guy. Mostly 'cuz I love the chiseled look the wood gets after all those strikes. I did use a chain saw to take out the big areas in the mouth, and used an angle grinder with a lancelot blade to carve the lines in his crown. Man, is that Lancelot sweet! There was absolutely NO resistance from the wood when cutting thru it. It literally Was "like buttah"! It was, in fact TOO easy and it threw me off. You can see how I messed up the symmetry in the lines. Oh well. This is only my second tiki carving ever. There will always be afore-mentioned "next time..."

So tonight I finally got the chance to finish up. Here's the big guy after adding details, burning, & sanding:

Kinda looks like Wil Farrel's impersonation of Harry Carrey, hunh?

Now, here's where your opinions come into play. I don't know whether or not to stain this guy all up with pretty stains and make him look old and mossy like my first one, or just varnish the heck out of him the way he is now and leave him au natural. Whattaya think? Any advice and or opinion will be greatly appreciated!

Mahaloz!!!

[ Edited by: Tiki Lee's 2006-10-03 00:24 ]

[ Edited by: Tiki Lee's 2006-10-05 00:44 ]

Post #258010 by Tiki Lee's on Fri, Sep 29, 2006 11:26 PM