Art by finkdaddy (#8 restarted, this one's a biter)

That's a really cool pendant. I love the character he has too... Nice going, finkdaddy!

Nice job Finkdaddy...hey...we're supposed
to get up to 10 inches of snow tomorrow...
spring is wonderful!

OK Finkdaddy, now you're cookin. If I was you I'd make as many of those as you could and sell them right here on tc,just as OnaTiki suggests. It is Very good and I don't think you will have any trouble selling them.
HappyHappyHappy

Somehow I feel Like a Proud papa

Finkdaddy:

beauteous work on all counts! so, how much are you selling the pendants for?

Thanks everyone! Like I said, I wouldn't have done anything without all of your support.

Palama, if you or anybody else wants one, you can PM me and we'll strike a deal! It makes me so happy that you would even ask. :D

When I finish the next one, and if it hasn't been promised to someone already, I'll post it in the Marketplace forum.

Thanks Benz, Sam, Ona, Conga, Palama, and all the rest. :)

Hey fink!

Love the pendant and I dig the design. Your stuff is looking GREAT!

That's real nice work

Here's what I did today. It's about 2 1/2 inches tall.

Hope to have him done sometime next week.

I like them both. I dont know how you guys carve the small stuff with so much detail. Thanks for sharing.

Finkdaddy, this one looks like it will be better than the last one. Really gonna be sharp. Keep, us posted on the different steps. Lookin good

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2005-03-19 20:41 ]

Finkdaddy, your design skills are great! I really like the small stuff. How's your computer art going?

Damn that stuff is good. Look back at your carvings and that latest one and look at how you have progressed! Damn dude, where you gonna be at in 4 carvings time? 20 carvings time?

That last piece is absolutely beautiful! The quality of the carving and the design itself are both top notch.

I expect there is already a waiting list for those babies - and so there should be! I agree with everyone else - sell them.

Hey Finkdaddy, wow, nice stuff! You're mov'in along by leaps and bounds! I shouldn't stay away for so long. I'm missing all kinds of great stuff. Carry on.

On 2005-03-20 21:14, Aaron's Akua wrote:
Finkdaddy, your design skills are great! I really like the small stuff. How's your computer art going?

Thanks again everyone. I like doing the small stuff. I tried doing some bigger ones, but I think I'm too impatient or something. When the weather warms up here (don't say a word Benzart! :wink: ) I'm going to try again outside.

As far as the computer stuff goes, I got some new software recently that will make my other ones look like a kids coloring book. I just bought a nice new fully loaded computer too, but some of you know about all of the problems I've had with it, so it will be a little bit for those. Plus I'm busy trying to start a new business, so there's very little in the way of free time.

Thanks everyone for showing interest in my work. It means a lot.

WOW fink - the mouth and teeth are excellent!

can't wait to see the completed tiki

I still have to do a clear coat, but basically it's finished. Our friend Hewey has laid claim to this one, but there are many more to come. I'm gonna buy some dremel tools for the next one!

My computer should arrive today, so I'm going to give another picture a try I think.

Thanks all, especially Hewey!

That looks great. The detail is incredible.
Sell them for sure. I think everyone should get one before your to famous. Wheres the list and how many are on it?

That just blows me away. Beautiful finish... you'd never know it's so small from the pix alone.

Thanks guys. I suppose I should have mentioned again that it's about 2 1/2 inches tall. There really isn't any list, so if you want to just PM me the next one would go out to whoever contacts me first. I'm very flattered that people have been asking me for them. It feels really wierd.

Mahalo!

FinkDaddy, this is really an Excellent tiki pendant. I Love the big, bold detail that all says TIKI. It looks much larger than it really is. Well done. One good thing about these small ones is you can do more of them quicker, so More More More.

This is the first time I have seen the finished pendant - way cool! It will look even cooler in my hands!:)

Cant wait till it makes it way over here.

Is that a 2-tone finish on the teeth. Either way it looks sweet.

Here is the first attempt at art with my new computer. Forgive the primative canoe, the next ones will be a lot more detailed.

Hewey, I forgot to tell you your pendant is on its way.

Cool.
What application are ya using?

Hey Finkdaddy, thats got all the promise of a beautiful picture. Makes you want to go out to the hammock with youm MaiTai and finish off a beautiful day. I think we can expect great things from this new computer..
I just figured out what the little tiki with all the teth reminded me of. Looks like he's FREEZIN to Death. get that guy into the sun so he can warm up and stop shivvrin

On 2005-04-01 16:44, surfintiki wrote:
Cool.
What application are ya using?

This one is Bryce 5. I also have Poser 5 (with 6 on its way) and 3D Max, I should be able to do some cool stuff. But boy, its a LOT to learn all at once!

On 2005-04-01 16:44, Benzart wrote:
Hey Finkdaddy, thats got all the promise of a beautiful picture. Makes you want to go out to the hammock with youm MaiTai and finish off a beautiful day. I think we can expect great things from this new computer..
I just figured out what the little tiki with all the teth reminded me of. Looks like he's FREEZIN to Death. get that guy into the sun so he can warm up and stop shivvrin

That's cause I carved him in Wisconsin with snow on the ground! It's on it's way right now to warm Sydney Australia, so as they say, "No Worries"

primitive canoe or not, that is one well done image. It brought back many good memories. What do you end up doing with your computer images?

On 2005-04-02 12:02, Polynesiac wrote:
primitive canoe or not, that is one well done image. It brought back many good memories. What do you end up doing with your computer images?

Nothing yet. When I'm confident enough I'd like to make some poster sized prints and offer them to all the tiki folk here. I've also thought that when I've created enough carvings, prints, and whatever that I'd like to try and do a web site.

If you or anyone else would like a large, hi-res version of this to use as a wallpaper or something, I'd be happy to email it to you.

Mahalo

Send it on down

Nice work, finkdaddy. Makes me wish I was in the picture...

I just showed my girl the pic and asked if she liked the photo. She said it was nice.

I then told her it was computer done and all she could say was "bullshit, bullshit, bullshit..."

If you weren't such a nice guy I would hate you for being talented in so many different areas...Is it okay if you are a bastard? Actually this is a term of endearment down under!

As for the little guy, he will soon have pride of place hangin off my rear view mirror. This way i can check him out every day, and the drive to work aint so bad. He will be soaking up that hot Aussie sun, so he should warm up a little.

Hey, FD. That's beautiful!

I received some of Finkdaddy's finest today (as seen on Page 5). Beleive me, it looks way better in real life than it does in the pictures.

Within 15 minutes of releasing him from his international cocoon (envelope), he was hanging in the sun off my rear vision mirror, just under the lei. He doesn't say much, but I can tell he is happy (despite his scowl).

Thanks Finkdaddy, he's tops.

If anyone is contemplating purchasing one, I reccomend it. The detail in these things is tops and you wont be dissappointed.

Still needs a clear coat and a cord, but here is my tiki pendant #2. He's about 2 1/2" tall. This one is promised to Polynesiac. Thanks for lookin!

My thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth...

[ Edited by: finkdaddy on 2005-04-12 21:55 ]

FinkDaddy, this one is your best yet. You have a really great eye for design. This guy looks great. What kind of wood is he?

On 2005-04-12 10:17, Benzart wrote:
FinkDaddy, this one is your best yet. You have a really great eye for design. This guy looks great. What kind of wood is he?

I'm honestly not sure. I assume it's pine, but I suppose it could be anything. It has a very light colored grain and is pretty soft. It's fairly old wood (I wouldn't doubt if it's 30 years old or more!), so it's dry and really easy to work with. It's strange stuff to stain though. The areas that are carved even with the grain hardly take the stain at all and remain almost shiney, while everything else soaks up the stain like a sponge.

I got the wood from a machine that was stored in the warehouse at work that was being thrown away. It had all these wooden rollers on it that are about a foot long. No one could tell me how long the machine was sitting there. All I know is that no one that works there now could remember the machine ever being used, and my company has been around since the '20s. It was some kind of RF heat seal machine.

Really cool.

Your work is so good that you should consider using using something other than scrap wood for your tikis. There are alot of nice woods out there for small pieces (do a search on ebay for "wood blanks"). Scraps aren't bad either - I'm finishing up a small piece from what was the tail stock of a shotgun (walnut). With some of these woods you don't have to stain them, just seal it. Keep carving!

On 2005-04-12 10:57, AlohaStation wrote:
Really cool.

Your work is so good that you should consider using using something other than scrap wood for your tikis. There are alot of nice woods out there for small pieces (do a search on ebay for "wood blanks"). Scraps aren't bad either - I'm finishing up a small piece from what was the tail stock of a shotgun (walnut). With some of these woods you don't have to stain them, just seal it. Keep carving!

Thanks. I just bought a piece of rosa wood. It looks great, but it turned out to be to hard to carve by hand. It just chewed up my knives. What woods look pretty and are still soft enough to carve with a tiny knife set?

Most exoctic woods are hard. I've found that Cocbolo and Lacewood are managable (I sometimes carve with an X-acto knife at work). One way to try out different woods is to buy a package of "pen blanks" that have a variety of wood in them. They usally run $25 for about 30 pieces (5'x1.5" square) or $1/piece. Ebay has the best deals! Check out any woodworking (wood turning or carving) stores in your area, they carry woods and burles and can give some great advice. I have 2 stores that I go to here - Woodcraft and Constantines. Woodcraft has a very good website (also Rockler.com). Look for wood turning (lathe) clubs in your area too - thats were I found the best advise about different woods. You may be doing tikis but the wood characteristics are the same.

I'm still experimenting with different woods. Next up is Koa and MonkeyPod. Does anyone out there have any advise for carving these Polynesian hardwoods? Knives or powertools?

Hey, finkdaddy-

What a cool pendant! Gotta love the design. Lots of character and style. Keep up the good work.

Just thought I'd show a finished pic before I wrap him up. He's going to Polynesiac's house to play with the other tikis.

The other one is one I started a couple of nights ago. Hopefully it's going to be traded for a mug with another TCer. There's a long way to go on that guy. I'll show more as that one progresses.

Mahalo!

Man oh Man FinkDaddy!! I really can't believe the sharp, crisp detail you are getting. You maybe should become a Dentist with the chompers you are giving your tikis some people would be proud to have in their mouths.
We gotta get you some good wood.

Finkdaddy,
How do I get on the list? I've got some cherry wood I can send over...

Benzart, thanks. I like to start with the mouth first because I think it holds the most personality. I would kick myself for a week if I carved a whole tiki and then screwed up the mouth!

PolynesianPop, just PM me and we'll work it out. If you want to get one you'll be recieving #4. I would love to try some new wood. Can you carve cherry with knives? I don't actually have any power tools, which is what has kept me from trying some of the nicer wood.

Thanks everyone.

Looks great. Can't wait to see the finished piece.

Cherry is pretty tough to carve with knives but you can do it, just takes longer. It can take SO Much more detail, you won't believe it. You should try some mahogany too. Much softer and beautiful. Whatever you use, just keep carving.