Tiki carvings (gibgib) - New tiki's on page 2

G'day all :)

Since discovering this great forum last week I decided to try out carving a Tiki creature.

Yesterday, a tree lopping gang were hard at removing a Eucalyptus tree nearby, so I was able to obtain 2 logs from them.

The size & the type of wood the logs are I read is not ideal at all, however I'm keen & wanted to get started immediately.

This one took about 8 hours to do. I think his nose looks funny (a Frenchman's moe) but what the hey!

I will chip into the other log sometime this week.

As I reside in a subtropical climate, there are palms everywhere, can't wait to try a palm :sheckymug:

Anyone else from Australia?

http://frondly.com

[ Edited by: gibgib 2005-12-24 06:18 ]

Welcome,Gibgib! Terrific first effort-I love the sneaky grin.Keep em coming.

real nice Gib...you'll find this is a
great little community...nose looks fine
and he does have a sneaky air about him!

Very cool, and it seems you have a cool yard too! I like the second picture, but how did you get that person to walk on the wall like that? :)

Great, GG.

He does have a mischievous look about him, doesn't he? Welcome to TC.

A-A

On 2004-10-24 07:01, gibgib wrote:
(a Frenchman's moe) but what the hey!

Killer first Tiki Gib!
Welcome!

AGAIN Another First carving comes out great. Looks fantastic, especially for the first try. Can't wait to see more.

Great tiki! Man I wish I could carve, only in my dreams.

Thanks for the encouragement you lot :D

I punched out another one this arvo. 4.5 hours for this one.

I think he is better but haven't sorted out what to do with his eyes. The eyes are drawn on at the moment as the whole Tiki's appearance is greatly affected by what I do with the eye dots :-?

Any suggestions for a cheeky, just told a funny joke look?

There must be a knack for highlighting with paints & burning.
My first one I think I ruined a bit (not shown).
At a glance, you aren't immediately sure of what you are looking at, mouth/ teeth are not prominant.

Anyway here's the latest:

Looks great GG. Love your back yard.

Thanks Aaron!

I like your "concrete" style carvings in another post.
It doesn't look like there is a distributer for that stuff in Aussie :(

We do have LOTS of palms so I can't complain.
Could be a bit pricey to send you some stumps :D

Hi gibgib,

That post was way back! I've got more palm stumps now than I know what to do with, all stuffed under my porch.

There's a guy who goes as Gavtiki on TC, but hasn't posted here in a long time. He lives in Melbourne, and has done a lot of carvings with AAC block. Here's some links to his work:

On 2004-07-09 15:39, freddiefreelance wrote:
Here's some links to gavtiki's posts:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=8929&forum=7&vpost=90348

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=8948&forum=7&vpost=90570

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=7947&forum=1&vpost=79294

Maybe he can find some local AAC suppliers for you. I've had some correspondence with him in the past. I'll email him about this & Cc you on it.

This post has more than you want to know about AAC block:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10055&forum=7&6

If you get ahold of some of this stuff, just make sure and put lots of concrete sealer on it before you put it in your garden.

And post pics...

Cheers!

Aaron

Yes Aaron, I like posting pics :) hope this page isn't too heavy!

Thanks for the links for AAC. I'll play around with wood for a bit & perhaps look at carving an AAC piece later.

These stumps are starting to crack so I am pretty much going to let these 2 tikis be.
No use in wasting material applying a sealer.

I did apply some paint colours & chiseled some more. The moe had to go :wink:
I will follow through properly on my next palmwood tikis...

Blue herons eating our goldfish....Watch Out!

Moeless tiki

Hey gibgib,good work.
I'm going to be out your way next month, mainly down in Sydney but will be up round Brisbane for a few days. I'm going to be doing afew carvings whilst there and would be good to get some palm if theres any spare.
Be good to meet up anyway.
Keep chipping away.

Cheekytiki,
Most welcome to as much palmwood as you can carry.
I should have sussed out which of the local breeds are better in a few weeks.

There is nil tiki action here. I can't even buy a tiki statue locally, hence my own efforts.

Give us a yell before you leave your homeland :)

Haven't been here in a while, but I've completed 2 more tiki's since my first 2.

I've stolen ideas for the "Guard Tiki" from some of the carvers here 8)

I intend to create a second guard tiki to protect that pathway down to the back of the yard. Also adding a structure protruding out from the shed with a thatched roof over the path to walk under. Adding more tiki themed accessories around the tin shed at that time as well.

I have some good logs ready to go, now I need some time. Anyone know a good place to buy time? :)

Nice tikis Gibgib, I Love the Moai with the mulch on his head. Looks like he has been having fun rooting around in the flower bed like a wild pig. Mulch Head, Cool.

cool carvings gibgib,

go the aussie tiki!!

**Aussie Aussie Aussie!!!

Oi Oi Oi!!!**

Nice carvings man. Love the mulch-head moai, and the guy holdin the torch looks crazy. Nice stuff. Hopefully it wont be so long till the next ones

I am a palm tree collector and grower, seeing a rare for California palm behind one of your new TiKis I almost flipped and rushed to see where you live, figures, down under...that looks like a Madagascar variety, eh?

Gib Gib. Pure Dinkum on the last 2 logs mate (partied with way too many AAF rooos on Guam!)The Moai and the last one rock for sure. The first ones rock too, but, hey, as you keep em coming, they naturally get better and better. (I still love my first one)

And you have the only Tikis in your area? wink wink!!! Give it a go!

Keep going keep going.

Many Mahaloz

The mulch on his head is to disguise the split in that palm log!
It's a cocos palm, you can almost see through it in the centre.

bananabobs, I am also into living palms. That one behind "Russell" there is a chambeyronia macrocarpa (flame thrower). It has a deep green trunk & produces a blood red new frond for a few days. There's another one with a different colour trunk as well. From New Caledonia. I reckon you'd get it to grow in cooler climates myself.
Also have a Lipstick palm which should not grow here. It needs some help, but happy to report strong growth over Winter & not death.

My wife thinks I would get $50 for the big guard so I don't think I would bother going into business carving :)

I reckon your doing pretty good. I wouldnt count out selling a tiki here and there to help pay for tools though. My philosophy is Im happy to have a hobby that doesnt cost me anything (unlike pouring money into a car or similar, which you dont see again :) ).

This one is for my parent's Christmas present. I stuck with what I knew & completed it in a short time.
I have also updated my website with pics of our garden:
http://frondly.com

Excellent First tikis GibGib, keep'em coming. The Mulch head has So much character trying to disguise himself for some reason, it makes him almost human. Post more pix when you can and keep up the good work.

Thanks Benzart!
You are truly gifted. I'm a fan. Got me intrigued how you can carve so detailed.

My favourite tiki so far is the guard. I have another log earmarked for his mate (co-worker), "the protectors of the rear of the property", ie the vege garden :)

The other logs I had in storage are not too good now. Splitting & absolutely light as a feather. Even just trying to cut with a saw almost knackers you.

So I'm on the search for more palm logs & I want tiki's everywhere in my garden by next Christmas.

One for the aussie's on here, Bunnings (hardware shop) have a concrete easter island style tiki in stock available in black or light yellow. They look quite OK. They are in with the terracotta pots.
But why buy when you can carve em eh?

http://frondly.com

[ Edited by: gibgib 2005-12-24 04:38 ]

Carved another character this week for our front garden.
I've got one palm log left so I gotta source some more real soon.

Cool gibgib, looks like you have a cool garden. Do you have a big picture view of what the whole garden looks like with all the tikis you made?

Now, he is a cool garden tiki. Looks like he belongs there. Keep it up Gib. Great work. Its so addictive ain't it?

You have an envious yard...I really appreciate your love for plants...

"He who does anything because it is the custom makes no choice."

[ Edited by: Loki 2006-01-20 06:53 ]

Bete, if you have a look at my website there are pics of the garden under "our garden" title here http://frondly.com/gardens.html

Thanks for the encouragement guys :)

I agree, excellent plants in your tiki garden. Those are some Different looking plants, but Very nice. COol tiki too.

I worked out we have around 30 different species of palms, most are native to Australia but second to that would be the Madagascan ones. I can try & list them if you want.
This area would be a similar latitude to Florida's lower tip, so it's sub tropical.
We also have 4 species of bamboo. The one in the background there is b. multiplex which I'd recommend for a quick dense 3metre screen. It has yellow & green stems & grows very fast. I subdivided it from one small plant to 6 in a matter of a few months & all portions are expanding out nicely.

Tropical plants are what led me to tiki. I am so jealous of your garden. I could really enjoy just sitting there.
JP

So cool, I totally want to pack up and move somewhere tropical now, such a cool garden you have there! You have a cool website too!

[ Edited by: Bete 2006-01-21 13:23 ]

Don't dispair unless you get snow where you are.

It's possible to create a microclimate in your yard & grow some tropicals. Sydney is 1000k's south of here (on the coast) & I have seen species there that shouldn't grow.
In Melbourne (further 1000k's), it's rare, but I see very healthy Bangalow palms in areas where they have frosts & black ice, perhaps even snow. Bangalows look great mass planted.
Bangalows: http://www.junglemusic.net/palms/archontophoenix-cunninghamiana.htm

Cold climate tropical garden info:
http://au.geocities.com/sydneytropical/tropical_look_gardens.htm

http://www.tropicalfoliagegarden.com/contents.htm

G'day all!

Haven't been here for over a year but I saw a coconut palm being cut up this week & couldn't resist grabbing it all!
I'll be back for ideas then I will pick up a chisel again when time permits.

I need to fix up the dead image links in this thread sometime too

Cool! That fat boy in the middle has "Ku" written all over it! Looking forward to seeing the finished works of art!

wow, yeah...

you scored for sure. I love coconut palm....