Post #573947 by little lost tiki on Mon, Jan 31, 2011 12:45 AM

Hello Kids!
Mahalos for your visits and comments!
They always make me smile!

zerostreet-Thanks! I wanted to put a little twist to the shrunken head theme for this exhibition,because i knew a lot of folks would be taking the angle of terror and horror
and all those implications...
That old adage of "Leave the world a better place than how you came into it"
crossed my mind,and the thought of a shrunken head providing a home for a family of birds
touched me as humorous and a lil sweet at the same time..
Of course,there are terrifying implications if the viewer really digs deep
the concept of choosing a home with a rotting foundation
and the like...but i prefer the sweeter tones resonating to the viewer first....
most folks look at a painting for about 2-3 minutes max....
probably because it don't move! :lol:

Bill!-Totally Cozy!Really diggin that pair of marqs you're doing for the SkinnyDogs!
Inspiring!

mp-Shucks! get that shrunken head stuff done!
the clock is ticking! and i wanna seee! i wanna seee!

TIKIVILLE-thank ye kindly! We aims to please around here!

MadDog! Appreciate the kind words,my friend!
No recycled canvas on this one!
The texture under the black gesso is just lil ol me applying it onto a brand new canvas and not sanding it down and just leaving the swooshes and swirls in there... Once i get a matte finish over it,i'll be able to photograph it better!

Brad! Thanks so much old buddy! What great paths are chosen by the artist on their journey!Bravos from Brad are always humbling! Gimme a jingle soon! i wanna hear all about those shows and the calender and the towels and all that! Miss you man!

Decided to really get crackin on these 2 4x4 foot wood Bamboo framed undersea paintings...
but first..i needed to get the study done!
Originally,this was conceived as a 3x5 footer
but evolved into 2 4x4 footers
A few pages back (169 and 170)are the undersea studies i did BEFORE doing this study!
So if you haven't seen em,Go check em out!
Maybe they'll inspire you to take a dip into undersea realms...
Unless you're Brad Parker...He's like man from Atlantis when it comes to undersea painting!
and let's not forget the mind-blowing work of Thor too! and Dennis!and...
i could go on.....
SHEESH!
Well anyways,you ask...WHY?
Why Ken?
Are you crazy? Is that why?
Well.... no
Whenever i catch a fire, i let it spread and draw and learn until it's spent
All those reference/sketchbook studies i can use in other paintings!
They just happened to spill out during this project.
i WISH i could put them ALL IN THE PAINTING,but I'm crazy,not stupid...

Anyways ,here's my progress on the study
(with the actual text from my FaceBook notes on these included as a FREE Bonus!)

After a very productive weekend,i think this study is almost finished and ready to be formulated into two 4 by 4 foot paintings on wood with an eventual Ultra classy bamboo Ben frame!
As you can see,I've added a Nautilus,a stone Hei-Tiki with a stone stairway and Moai atop it,i also thickened the outlines of a few objects and characters Just so they read better against the colored background....

Added a fish and some background up top to establish some scale and distance....I've intentionally enlarged some animals and shrunk others ,as well as took liberties with markings,fins,etc.. Same thing with the undersea plants....some are actual plants,while others are a mixture of different undersea elements to form "palms" and pseudo tiki torches and the like....I've kept some areas a bit more open just so the eye can breathe... (did i just say that?) Well, actually...so it can rest there... I'll be putting lil crabs and snails and starfish and stuff in the actual painting,tho... But subdued....

Added another Moai and an orongo (Birdman) carving behind him...I wanted to do a Janus orongo,and may fit one in the background of the piece..in the distance... Also added a curious barracuda floating in some kelp...and a pseudo tiki torch,some background and a delightful angelfish! I really want this to be a painting that the client can enjoy forever!

This area is really getting fun! First off, behind the pufferfish staring contest fellow,I put another mermaid with a seahorse in one hand,and the other slightly holding onto the upper bridge of the moai's nose... Also added a Stone Marquesan,and intersting entrance to some sort of cave,and finally got to apply an early idea of multicolored pufferfish against a dark background to add to the mysterious feel of the piece...
Getting excited to start the actual painting!

So there you have it!
You're all caught up
and now i gotta get to bed for the work week ahead!
G'night Ohana!