Post #368179 by Paipo on Thu, Mar 20, 2008 4:26 PM

Thanks all!

JP - I knew you'd like this one. There are more of these on the cards (see below) !

Robin - Maybe it is an ear? I see these raised spirals quite often on the side of the wheku-style carvings, but hadn't given it that much thought. More research needed! I caught up (finally) with our mutual friend in Hokitika last weekend. Such a cool guy - I wish I'd had more time to hang and talk story. As always, he was busy with his students though, and I had my wife, mother, sister and daughter driving round Hokitika trying to work out where I'd gone!

Hank - cheers Mr. Tiki-Mod! I can't wait for your little guy to join the crew in the shed!

G -the big boy is in the collection of one of our good TC members and also one of my most loyal supporters - timidtiki. (Hope he doesn't mind being "outed", but respect/acknowledgement is due to the collectors and patrons who help keep us artists alive!)

Ben - one day one of these will be swimming/sailing your way I'm sure. Keep your eye on the shoreline!

Clarita - thanks! My wife just rescued Hoku Ili from my workshop and brought him into the bedroom. He works very nicely in there! If candles could talk... :lol:

seeksurf - it's funny, this stone was a "reject" that I actually bought from another carver for next to nothing, but I saw its potential straight away. It has just got better and better as I've delved deeper into the interior. The colours aren't obvious cause it's still rough and dry, but just wait until the finish!

Kinny - you're on the money - I'm almost done removing stone and it's just refinement from now on. Probably do some shell inlays for teeth and eyes to give it more life, but the jury is still out on the line work to blend the features into the natural surface on the right side. Maybe some swirling lines to suggest the features taking form out of the water or something similar. I'll make that decision when it's closer to being done.

No new work on the cobble yet, but as promised I took a photo of the next one in the preliminary stages - untouched stone, and then drawn up ready to carve. I was going to photograph this one, print out a sheet of them and draw some variations, but as soon as I picked up this pebble (about palm sized) I could see my birdman sitting in his egg trying to break loose...

It's probably a bit on the ridiculous side for a pendant, but I think I'll string this one up when it's done. It's a nice flat, round shape and would look pretty impressive!