BENZARTs Carvings, FIRST thread 04-09-2006

Well, Thats IT, we'll just have to have a Parteee
Thanks...

OK, so heres one guy I started and will vinish next, He is 7" tall. 1" wide and 3/4" deep, and is carved in Honduran Mahogany.
He is LONO, God of Peace and Prosperity, a good guy to have around my neck.










I will post more pix as it gets nearer to being finished.

You're on a crazy carving rampage since you recovered, Ben. Can't wait to see this guy...

Love his 'okole! :lol:

Keep going....

What detail... WOW

Thanks Sam, yeah, I'm crazy, but not quite recovered yet but getting there,
Thanks Moki, Maybe I'll tattoo your name on it!
Thanks to you too Thantos.
He'll be done soon.

Bradddah Benz,
Glad to here you are on the repair.
Those new pieces are dazzlers. The Happy Moai is neat, the lono is looking fearless and you gotta dig the Maori Nick Cage. I have said it before, somebody should tap the celebrity tiki lookalike market. :lol:
Very nice,very very nice.
Chongolio

-- I believe that our Heavenly Father invented the monkey because he was disappointed in man."
... Mark Twain

Come explore http://www.lost-isle.com

[ Edited by: Chongolio on 2005-04-21 07:02 ]

As always, mighty fine work.

Thanks Chongo. I wish I could carve those celeb faces but I never know who it will look like,
FinkDaddy, thanks, I'm gonna have to get busy to keep up with you.

Benzart,

I love your pendants. Are there certain set styles that you like to make, or are they off the top of you head. Please send me a link so I can order one. It would be great having a piece of your art adorning the walls of my house.

Thank you,
Will

Thanks Will. You can email me @ [email protected]. I can do just about any tiki you like. I do some originals and some authentic inspired workswith my own splashn added.
Thanks.

Here is the latest update for the Lono. All thats left to do is cleanup in all the holes and sanding and finish.




More pix later.

Ben-
LONO is Awesome!!!! You never cease to amaze me!!! Keep up the great work. Thank You for the Pic's.
Later,
Scott

My favorite so far! Absolutely incredible!

Ben,

Thats totally killer!!!!!!!!

One of these upcoming months I should get in line.

Want to trade something? Maybe a 5x7 frame for a 3" pendant? I will probably not get to it for at least 2 months

Let me know

Dang! I love the expression and detail in the face. KILLLLLLER!

fantastic as usual Ben...you have a
wonderful way of putting a very difficult
decision before me...what should I order
when I reach the top of your list? I
still don't know...but I am hopeful that
I will have to make a decision pretty
soon.

Damn, Benz. I hope when I grow up I can carve as well as you.

Thanks guys, It's nice to hear kind words about your work, no matter what level you are on.

Spermey, you are welcone tho you may be a bit prejudiced, I'll take it.

Mr Dale, he is one of my favorites too. Even though he is standing there straight with no movement, he has something on his mind, like "GIMME ME BACK MY ICECREAM WAAAA"

And MonkeyMan you know you are right, we need to talk about a trade. I'll do you a frame and you do me a pendant, Ha. Truely, Thanks.

And KAHAKA, I was thinking of you when I gave him that expression (not really)on his face!
Really glad you like him too

Congatiki, yes you had better get those gears workin and figuring out what you will be wanting when your time comes. This guy will go to someone on my list, just don't know who yet. One of you will want it for your choice.

Thantos, I think you are pretty grown up already and it won't take you too many more years to catch up and then I'll be buying tikis from you.
Thanks everyone for the props and support . He will be done soon

Hey, Benz..

On 2005-04-28 20:54, Benzart wrote:

... This guy will go to someone on my list, just don't know who yet. One of you will want it for your choice....

I don't know where I am on your list, but if it's up for grabs, I'm raising my hand!

Anyone else ahead of me on the list gets priority for sure, but definitely keep me in mind if nobody else steps up.

That is one beautiful Lono carving!

A-A

Gee Ben, I'm speechless! Lono is amazing from the top of his head dress, to the detail in the mouth, to the 6-pack abs. You are the king, bar none.

Ben, great facial expression, and the detail is impeccable! I can't wait to see him finished. By the way - cool sandals you have! :)

http://www.samgambino.com

Thanks Aaron, I'll have to go over the list to see whos next that wants it. You have first dibbs after that.
Finkdaddy, don't go losing your tongue over a little piece of wood, but thanks. I'm doing these for you to learn by , so it's your fault. You young guys are finally giving me some good competition...
Sam, you weren't supposed to see those leather thongs. Very comfortable. This Lono is somehow demanding a lot of detail. I hadn't planned to get this involved with him but he just won't take any quick detail. he's talking to me

Wow incredible it's a killer job
congratulation!!!

how many hours for carve this ?

see you

Thanks Al's,
So far I only have about 10 hours in the little bugger and there are afout 3 to 4 hours left to go. Thanks.

Benz, Your lono is radiating mana. That is so bitchin lookin. The whole look of it is great and that tongue is perfect! I too am inclined to say one of my favorites from the "TC era." Of course MY custom Benz shrunken Bone head pendant is first on my list.

On a completely different tangent... I remember almost being laughed off the big island for saying in front of a couple local kids while getting my sandals "Hold on let me slip into my thongs." My buddy, who was also laughing, later told me thongs mean one thing on the islands and that is a bikini that hikes up your butt crack. I have never called them thongs since then. After reading the following quote I couldn't help but "crack up."

Sam, you weren't supposed to see those leather thongs. Very comfortable.

No offense meant Benz, you call your shoes whateva you want. Show em' to whomeva you want too :lol:

Chongolio

IIIIIIIII
x x
xxx

(That is suppose to look like a shrunken head)

-- I believe that our Heavenly Father invented the monkey because he was disappointed in man."
... Mark Twain

Come explore http://www.lost-isle.com

Thanks Chong. Thongs, Thongs Thongs . My leather thongs are different from the thongs that girls wear, those are Thongs, Mine are Thongs.
Thanks a Thong

Ben that Lono' is very cool. You never cease to amaze me with your talent.

G.

Thongholio!? Why didn't I think of that!

Chongolio

Yes, Thongolio, I thing you would have MORE than your share of the girls with that one.

Here is #59 finished except for lacquer or wax, haven't decidid yet, but all the carving is finished.

[ Edited by: Benzart on 2005-04-29 21:06 ]

hmmmmm, hey Benzart, gee, golly gosh, you're pretty good at carving. Cute buttocks on the Lono. Now I gotta do a buttocks. That's it.....4 foot buttocks.

Dang! That's a rump shaka!

How do I gets on that Benzart list? Sign this fool up!

Love the stain... Also Details in the headgear. Very nice...

Those "beads" on the front of the headgear are sick! I can't imagine the control it takes to actually pull that off.

Also a fan of the butt.

Once again Ben makes you say. How the (insert explative of choice) did he do that??? Ben your work is absolutly amazing!!!

[ Edited by: sungod on 2005-04-30 07:35 ]

Thanks JungleT, I'm slowly learning to carve. The next one will be better.
Yeah you need a 4 foot butt.
Thanks KAHAKA, I seem to be getting a little behind in my work, I have added you to the list
Thanks Thantos, I enjoy Overdoing the headdress, it's fun and nervwracking. All those things want to break off and when you have a lot of them there is a Lot of worry.
Raffertiki, those "Bumps were actually easy. I just used round toothpicks and cut them all 1/2" long and rounded the tips and drilled the right sized hole and put in a dab of glue and with a few choice words for flaver, just stuck them right in. The other sides were too small to drill or I would have done them all for strength. The Butt? everyone loves it including my wife.
Sungod, thanks, but I really didn't do this guy. He is not at all what I planned and whoever was controlling this carving didn't let me do anything the way I wanted to. They justn made me hold the tools and close my eyes so they could have all the fun.. Seriously I had some ancient help with this one.
Thanks everyone

Wow just when I thought it could'nt get any better. That headdress is soo cool. The detail is unreal. Excellent work BEN - I am going to have to give you an A+.
Later,
Spermy

Thanks Spermy, An A+ WOW, I'm gonna hang it on the fridge and keep it there forever or until someone buys it which may be forever.
Thanks again All you TC'rs
HappyHappyHappy

Ben

dang your latest carving is thick and trick...i love you!

seriously...amazing amazing amazing!!!

aloha!

WOW...

The detail you put into these is amazing.

Thanks Kooch and Susane, You both know how an artist thrives on such props, HappyhappyHappy.
#58, the Maori head has a home with polynesiac and the Lono, #59 is on his way to JTD's house.
Thanks to both you guys for waiting so long on my list.I'll be working on whittling it down ASAP.

I started 3 more Lono's today. I'll try to do a lot of step by step pix for you carvers out there who are interested in that sort of thing

Here are the 3. Don't look like much yet, but they will slowly change.

Thats it for today, Thanks for looking.

Wow benz. Looks great. You must have steady hands.....

Ben,
Don't know how long the list is -- but put me on it!

Wow! One day?

I only have one question - HOW did you make the deep V cuts that swoop to the top?

OK two questions - when are you going to start teaching real classes? I can think of worse things to do than spend a weekend in PSL carving!

Ditto Aloha's 1st question.

Oh, and kindly put me back on the list.

Thanks Thantos, Not a steady hand, just sharp tools.
p-Pop, I have you on the listas requested, Thanks
Alohastat,actually I started laying them out yesterday and did the bandsaw work then too.
For the 4 long, deep, V-cuts, I started with a #5 gouge to the point of pic #1. Then I used a 1/2", 90degree V liner, and then a small sanding drum to get it all evened out and straightened up.
It is easier to remove All this wood before you start cutting the detail. I Didn't use to do it this way and this is much faster And gets better results. For any of you who decide to do one of these, Always start with Oversized uprights for the headdress. You know , the 4 long "Sticks" that form the outside edges of the h-dress. This is because during the process, the sticks will get cut, chipped and will end up much smaller than planned.
If any one has any ?'s, just ask.
When ever you guys want to get together and come down, I'll be glad to show you how to do it right. That is If I remember how to do it right.

DUDE! those are AWESOME!

thanks for sharing...how many folks do you have on the list waiting for those??? you may have another person wanting to do the double down on his second BENZO...i need to get my battery replaced in my light up eyes!!!

Thanks Raffer. you are back on the evergrowing list
Kooche, thanks Your "eyes" take a Garage door opener battery. It should just snap in since it is a regular battery holder. it's like an AA Battery but shorter and I think 12Volt.