Making Tiki Mugs - General Tiki

T the75stingray Member Dayton, Ohio Joined: Mar 24, 2002 Posts: 447	T the75stingray Posted posted on Tue, Sep 17, 2002 6:57 AM Actually, my cousins and I talked about doing this about 3 or 4 years ago. (Long before I knew there were other people in the world like me that enjoyed this sort of thing!) My cousin Greg had recently graduated from Ohio State and was big into his art, specifically pottery. But, as my luck would have it, nothing really developed. I was always working here and there on assignment…they were starting off on their own lives. Greg has all of the equipment (In fact, I just helped my uncle unload it into his garage…whew! That crap is heavy!) But the hardest thing was coming up with an ORIGINAL idea. We were adamant that we would not rip off any idea, but create something cool and retro, but original. Oh yeah, we’d come up with some cool sketches and then find out that it looked similar to existing tiki mugs that we had never seen. (Example: That wide grinning mug “Frankoma” from Sweetheart Luau found on page 176 of the BOT). Then we’d be saying a few curse words then, “Back to the drawing board”. Keep in mind that this was before the Book existed to us and before we knew that there were so many tiki bars and restaurants. Hell, we thought there was Hawaii…and the Kahiki. (Not really, we just didn’t know there were so many! We were totally unaware of the real tiki-culture and that era.) I think the creativity and imagination of creating an original mug far out weighs the knowledge to actually manufacture one. The process itself, I know very little about, except for what I have learned from my cousin and what I remember from high school art class. Yes, the equipment needed is quite expensive, but more importantly, it is very space consuming! You need a place to put the kiln and work space. I keep hoping that someday, my cousins and I can come up with something very unique and call it ours. But for now, his kiln and firing equipment and molds and test materials are all in a garage now. My ideas, tucked in a sketchbook somewhere. Thanks for the resources though. I think I’ll make my way to the library and try to see if those are available. If not, I’m sure Greg has some he will lend me. (If I find some new ones, I’ll let you know.) Good luck. If you create a line of mugs, I’ll be jumping in line to get one. -C. :sheckymug:

Actually, my cousins and I talked about doing this about 3 or 4 years ago. (Long before I knew there were other people in the world like me that enjoyed this sort of thing!)

My cousin Greg had recently graduated from Ohio State and was big into his art, specifically pottery. But, as my luck would have it, nothing really developed. I was always working here and there on assignment…they were starting off on their own lives.

Greg has all of the equipment (In fact, I just helped my uncle unload it into his garage…whew! That crap is heavy!) But the hardest thing was coming up with an ORIGINAL idea. We were adamant that we would not rip off any idea, but create something cool and retro, but original.

Oh yeah, we’d come up with some cool sketches and then find out that it looked similar to existing tiki mugs that we had never seen. (Example: That wide grinning mug “Frankoma” from Sweetheart Luau found on page 176 of the BOT). Then we’d be saying a few curse words then, “Back to the drawing board”.
Keep in mind that this was before the Book existed to us and before we knew that there were so many tiki bars and restaurants. Hell, we thought there was Hawaii…and the Kahiki. (Not really, we just didn’t know there were so many! We were totally unaware of the real tiki-culture and that era.)

I think the creativity and imagination of creating an original mug far out weighs the knowledge to actually manufacture one. The process itself, I know very little about, except for what I have learned from my cousin and what I remember from high school art class.

Yes, the equipment needed is quite expensive, but more importantly, it is very space consuming! You need a place to put the kiln and work space.

I keep hoping that someday, my cousins and I can come up with something very unique and call it ours. But for now, his kiln and firing equipment and molds and test materials are all in a garage now. My ideas, tucked in a sketchbook somewhere.

Thanks for the resources though. I think I’ll make my way to the library and try to see if those are available. If not, I’m sure Greg has some he will lend me. (If I find some new ones, I’ll let you know.)

Good luck. If you create a line of mugs, I’ll be jumping in line to get one.

-C.
:sheckymug:

Post #8468 by the75stingray on Tue, Sep 17, 2002 6:57 AM