New to tiki central

Howdy all...

I'm new to the forum and ive been reading and looking at everyone elses post and everyone else images.. and the work here is great.. but i have one question where is everyone getting there ideas? ive been carving for about a year... and it hard for me to find insperation... well i do live in ohio has something to do with it... but.. just a little help would be cool...

thanks,

Welcome!
I haven't done large scale carving. My only carvings are small 1 inch diameter poles for a tiki mug shelf, but they came out nicely. I'm not sure if there is any one place for inspiration. Tiki Centeral is probably the best. I just looked at as many tiki pictures on TC as I could find. I guess for me the best inspiration is to find as many pictures as I can and then start sketching my own variations. The Book of Tiki is a great book, but you probably already have that. My advice is just mine Tiki Central for photos and links to other web sites with tikis and obsorb.

Welcome!

First off, Welcome to Tiki Central! I think if you live with us for a while you will have no trouble at all finding inspiration. I never carved anything before I discovered TC, and now it's one of my favorite pasttimes.

I started by trying to carve the Easter Island style Moi tikis. I found that there was less detail, and I could consentrate on the wood without worrying too much about composition (of course there are Mois with tons of detail. Just look at a Benzart tiki!)

Most of all I just looked at all the many Tiki Central artists for hours and hours and then dove in head first. And don't be afraid to show pics, we looooove to see pics! You'll find TC folk are very supportive, I wouldn't have even tried if it weren't for them.

Good luck and stay a while!

Welcome Hankd, glad you finally decided to join. Finkdaddy is right, there are tons of pic's here on TC and he assumes you have the BOT, if you Don't, it will be money WELL Spent. You can get the pocket version for around $12, a real Steal.
Also search google images for tiki and you will get back hundreds of images. There are thousands or millions or tiki pix on the net.
Good luck and don't be afraid to ask?...

Welcome. Sit back pour a cold one and keep readin and looking! Inspiration will come. I get my inspiration through music and of course, the weather here. It will come to you. Stick around. Just remember to post what you do.

Mahalo

Carving, It will come to you. I started carving after coming here looking for Tiki's to buy. Tons of pics. There are lots of people on here who will help you and plenty of post to show you how... Yell If I can help!

welcome!

I found just surfing through the creating tiki area on TC was the coolest way to scope out some other peoples work. There are aome way creative people here.

Bring on your carvings!

Go over the BOT study it, then close the book and see what tiki is born of what stayed with you.

For you newbies and those who do not know, The "BOT" is "The Book Of Tiki" By none other than our own dear BigBroTiki, aka Sven Kirsten.
Available from Amazon for $19.99. If you don't have it Get It! You will find that you really need it.

Get it Here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/382282433X/qid=1114697898/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7173828-5892122

It’s funny for me. I carve differently all the time. I read the TC boards, look at local tikis, look at the shape of the wood I have and get an idea. I often change what I am doing as I carve to fit the wood or my mistakes. I think for me I am driven by the idea that’s its only wood and all fun. So if I don’t like it, it’s a learning experience. I do see Eyes, mouths, ECT on other people work that I think “wow I would like to try those eyes”, and I never get them right but learn a ton and am normally happy with the outcome. I look at carving like drawing. I have 4 or 5 “Sets” of eyes, a few mouths and some body variants. I try to work what I can do with what I want to do and lean from it all.

OnoTiki