Post #330035 by Basement Kahuna on Mon, Sep 3, 2007 11:31 PM

My tips (as one of the better-looking old guys): Get on Amazon, purchase the Book Of Tiki, and purchase some general books on Oceanic Art to get inspired. This is a must if you're going to call yourself a tiki carver. Get down to the molecular scale of tiki, the ancient Oceanic Art. The embryo from which this all grew. Take it higher and learn the traditions. Polynesia is the wellspring that you want to draw from. Now-there's a million tikis out there stuck in "faceville". You don't want to get stuck there. They're a dime a dozen, twenty guys in every coastal town doing them for a fast buck. A million takes on takes of takes of takes, if you get my drift.Half of them will be in the landfill in 15 years. It's merely the surface of what's out there, and whilst a good way to practice or get the feel of carving, you -really- need to imperatively attempt the most intimidating thing you're willing to tackle right off the bat. Push, Push, Push. You want your carvings to stand out. Plan the most over-the-top thing you can think of, buy your materials, draw it out, and go for it. You know if you can carve, one can clearly see that if you're getting the right results after a couple of trys. Don't be timid, don't stick to faces, learn Oceanic art, and don't hold back on trying anything.