Post #336583 by Lake Surfer on Fri, Oct 5, 2007 12:19 AM

Pappy, thanks so much. I do think this one is different in many ways from even some of the work that I was doing earlier in the year. On many of my most recent pieces, I guess I've let go even more and stopped worrying about the outcome of the tiki. Many times it is easy to overthink what you're working on.
I was shooting for a rough, vintage look on this guy and I think in the end it worked out that way. I've been into curves alot lately too... big sweeping curves.

I got another shot of it outside, gives it a bit of a different feel, even under cloud cover...

Ash... hard wood? You betcha. But holds really tight detail and beautiful grain as you can see here on another tiki I did earlier this year. With the right techniques to bring it out you can get some beautiful results...

Johnny, thanks! A very detailed baseball bat at that. :wink:

I started previous tiki with the mouth... about a half hour with a gouge. I worked on him some more for about 2 hours at Foundation's tiki party. James Teitelbaum was there signing books and talking with people and he would comment every half hour or so about how the wood chips were flying and how fast progress was being made. I was on a mission to show people something that night. I brought it back home and worked on it for another 3 hours I think. So, spread out over three days at about 5 or so hours. I have been known to knock something like this out in 5-6 hours straight too though if I have the time. I kind of get on this mission to see what it looks like done... hate unfinished things always laying around. Kind of like the Trader Vic's pole that starts this thread off... going on 3 years I think and I haven't touched it since. I gotta get back and finish it up.

Thanks surfintiki! As for what's in store for the winter... I've finally sold off the rest of my 2007 work to a store and I am focused on next year's work. Primarily Hukilau 2008 and some new stuff I'd like to bring. Hopefully some more custom work for both commerical and personal locations too. And doing more research on early Oceanic Art that will carry through into my work for next year.

virani, thanks! That one has been kicking around for a while and I actually finally sold it to Hala Kahiki on Wednesday along with a big tote full of other goodies. Here's a bigger pic of it...

[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2007-10-05 00:23 ]