Paipo's Stone Tikis - 1st Thread - Jun 06 - May 08

Hi paipo!!! I received my resins and the Marq, I love them, especial the Marq!! :) Thanks again...

Amy

Paipo,

The Tang is looking really tight. Oh man, what a chore the other side is gonna beee. One sided isn't good enough aye? I can't wait to see you start cutting into it again. I'll be waiting and watching.

-G

Finally some progress - I had to wait on some tools to arrive (for the "regular" stuff), so I got in a little tiki time again.
#18, "Moku", finished:

I also did the last little bits of cleanup on the A side of the Tang, and he is now safely encased in silicon. Fingers crossed.....

bruddah... where do I start? I just recently came back to TC after da kine hiatus and just set up my new carving studio. Seeing your absolutely amazing work almost makes me want to quit again!!!!

Your work is stunning and of the highest quality. Im in true amazement brah. I just went through all 33 pages of your posts!!!! Shootz!!! Your pono fo'shua bruddah!

Loved it all!!!

Thanks for the props kaha - I was so stoked to log in this morning and see you were posting again. I did exactly what you're doing now when I joined..read through tons of threads catching up on what I'd been missing (in my case for years!) Your work was the closest in style to what we do here in Aotearoa and caught my eye immediately. Start posting some stuff man!

Another day at the office here - still working on various orders and squeezing in the tikis to keep my brain from imploding:

Put in the first few cuts in on lil' baby bumatay:

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[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-12-15 00:39 ]

SsweeetT!

I have only been lurking recently on the Creating forum, trying to limit my TC time to where my expertise lies, in the historical field.

But I have to say that I really love your style, especially since stone Tiki carving is such a rare and difficult craft. One just does not see that many stone idols around.

I am curious how the Bumatay comes out, if it is for sale, I'd like to put an order in for one.

well i know that my friday morning is starting off extraordinarily well!

that bumatay is ZAZZ!

Jonesey, thanks brother - I've sent you a PM....

Sven, thanks for stopping by - I haven't seen you post here (creating) much at all, so I am very stoked to see your comments. I can honestly say the BoT was definitely instrumental in me being here, and taking the step to start working in a more "pure" tiki vein. Without the work of the urban archaeologists, I wouldn't even know who Bumatay was. Classic era carvings, mugs and menu art are a big influence on my work. Unfortunately this one is spoken for (see the post above this!), but I'd be very happy to make you your own personal stone idol. I will be in touch.

Tikicleen, I'm glad I made your day :). I was a bit flat myself yesterday, and I had just drawn this guy up, but wasn't going to cut into him yet. I'm really excited about this one though, even if it isn't my design, so I couldn't help myself!

Paipo, your Bumatay looks like it will really be excellent. Nice deep bold lines and you got Big Bro to chime in, Awesome.
This seems very different from you but I Love it!

I need one of those Bumatays hanging around my neck!

Hey Paipo, How's the family.
What have you been feeding those Tangs on they seem to be reproducing, even throwing up an Albino.
Well the fishing season is all but over so I can now concentrate on some new carving
Regards
Flynny

I'm really blown away by these stone carvings and the speed you're able to whip them out. All kinds of great information on your techniques. We are fortunate to share your knoledge so generously.

The little tiny one is just insane. It must of hurt your eyes trying to see that bugger. Incredible work Have you contacted the folks at Ripley's, Guinness book of word records, I'm sure it's a record.

On 2006-12-15 00:37, Paipo wrote:

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This guy is sweet looking. Looking farward to how this one comes out.

JP

On 2006-12-15 16:02, Benzart wrote:

This seems very different from you but I Love it!

Well, this isn't really my design (he's based on the classic Islander mug), but hopefully the finished article will have a little of my style in it. It's probably a little harder to carve someone else's design, as you can't make stuff up as you go!

On 2006-12-15 21:39, theded1 wrote:
I need one of those Bumatays hanging around my neck!

Welcome to the list! Please take a seat.... :)

On 2006-12-15 23:22, flynny wrote:
Hey Paipo, How's the family.
What have you been feeding those Tangs on they seem to be reproducing, even throwing up an Albino.
Well the fishing season is all but over so I can now concentrate on some new carving

Hey Flynny - long time no hear. The girls are fine. I was wondering what you've been doing...I expected a slew of fine carvings after that cool Marquesan piece you posted. Back to your micromotor forthwith!

On 2006-12-16 02:15, AlienTiki wrote:
The little tiny one is just insane. It must of hurt your eyes trying to see that bugger.

Yes, it was the limit of my eyesight...I think I could go a little smaller with some glasses or a visor, but there wouldn't be much point if you can't see it unaided! Tama took the Ripley's trophy with his much tinier jade hei-tiki.
Thanks for the other kind words, I've been enjoying your posts just as much, and they have led me to look into traditional Hawaiian instruments a little further. I found a really cool online tour on the Bishop Museum site.

On 2006-12-16 15:34, JohnnyP wrote:
This guy is sweet looking. Looking farward to how this one comes out.

Me too...this guy has been on the waiting list for quite some time, but it is a piece I have been absolutely hanging out to start on. I'm optimistic I'll have him done before the end of the week!

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[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-12-19 11:40 ]

Kia ora Paipo!

Hey - thanks for the link to the Bishop Museum - that's a great resource.

What kind of stone are you carving for the little bumatay? This guy:

Thanks,

gap

Hey gap
If you have a look on page 7 you'll see some pics of the beaches I fossick and the stone I use. It's greywacke, which is a hardened sandstone, and can be found all over the world. I see Benz and Amy are using "river stone" for the garden which looks similar, however the ones I get are very carefully picked for colour, shape, consistency and hardness so they'll take the detail required. There is a huge variation in quality amongst this stone.

THat bumatay is going to be a beauty!!!! Has that Paipo signature style. I got to see one of your casting this weekend at the tonga hut - Little lost tiki was wearing it. You do some great work! if the casting was that good, I cant wait to see an original!

[ Edited by: Polynesiac 2006-12-19 14:01 ]

That piece is already lookin killah. Lookin forward to future pix.. Keep those bad MF'ers rollin'!!

On 2006-12-19 11:59, Paipo wrote:
Hey gap
If you have a look on page 7 you'll see some pics of the beaches I fossick and the stone I use. It's greywacke, which is a hardened sandstone, and can be found all over the world. I see Benz and Amy are using "river stone" for the garden which looks similar, however the ones I get are very carefully picked for colour, shape, consistency and hardness so they'll take the detail required. There is a huge variation in quality amongst this stone.

Wow... that's right - it;'s been a long time since I've been looking way back at page 7.

Those beaches are great for stone - obviously! It's really cool that you can still
just find jade on the beach. And the greywacke - I've seen those rounded stones
around before, in the States on Oregon's Pacific beaches. I now live on the other coast now, the Atlantic, so I don't know where a beach like that is nearby. There probaly isn't one - they are all populated with McDonalds and Wal-Marts.

The skulleater on p7 is insane! Would you make on for me? I'll PM you on that.

Thanks for the info...

gap

Love this post. You are so talented bruddah. Im in awe in how clean and finely made your pieces are. Shootz! They are truly "Miki'oi"!!!
Im gonna go back and read from the beginning and absorb your acumen brah!

A hui Ho!

Thanks Polynesiac, it's cool you met on of the "clones" at the Tonga Hut. He's just a placeholder for a stone piece I'll be making for llt in the New Year. I haven't forgotten about you either, and I'll be in touch shortly...

Hey FBalls, long time no hear...thanks for stopping by. I hope to have this guy done in the next few days.

gap, I'm looking forward to getting your piece done - I have some cool new ideas for that design!

Kaha ki'i - back again! Come on brother - less posting , more carving! I've missed your super detailed little guys. I looked up miki'oi - interestingly the first 2 results were posts of yours here on TC. It's a really cool word that is much less of a mouthful than its translation.

Onwards with lil' Bumatay. I did virtually minutes of work on him yesterday - people are always stopping by so sometimes I don't get far, but I did some serious hacking to get the depth better. This guy will be a bit more "in the round" than usual to get the side profile looking right.

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[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-12-20 14:37 ]

Man, for just "Minutes", he is really starting to look like he is supposed to. You have this bull by the horns and you're gonna win it. Bumatay will be Proud.
I guess too many fans know where you work, I think you will have to move your shop to a secret location soon, but with a growing fan base you might leave well enough alone and stay put . I know If I was living close, where I would be every day.

Still chippin' away....blow by blow action shots:

AH, I see "Raisen Fingers" which means you got to work in earnest for awhile, YEAAHHH!
I guess you caught everyone at their dinner hour. Hungry?? Looking good too. Every little bit you shave off shows us that you Know What you're doin'.. You should have him done by Christmas or even this coming Friday, Hey?
I Just LOVE them Rasin Fingers,

Back out for a final session - maybe the last until after Christmas it seems. First I had to remove an intruder from my chair:

FABULOUS

Ben

Hey, his eyes look great, bug like.

Thanks for the link to the online tour at Bishop Museum. I've been back several times.

Oh wow! That is too cool. It looks like he's gonna be a winner too! Have a great break!

-Gman

Bumatay, Evil son of The FLY. Actuaqly he looks like a lil baby and So Cute!

Wow, check out Lil' Bumatay! I like simplicity of the abstract shapes, and how they fit together so well. Nothing there that doesn't have to be.

Go, man! Go!

Cheers Ben...

Alien, I've spent a lot of time on that site now too. I saw a great new book with some fantastic pics of Hawaiian pieces (including a few drums) while I was in the big city recently. This is a superb book - one of the best I've seen in a very long time.

Hey G, break's over now! 4 days with the families and it's carving time again. I don't know if he's winning or I'm winning yet..?

Benz, he does look like a fly, a little less so now the eyes are cut. The Bumatay tikis are like nothing else I've seen - I can see some Marquesan influence but his style is really unique, which is perhaps why it's so popular. This has been a very challenging piece to replicate.

Tikidav, likewise I can't claim the credit for the design on this one, so the deceptive simplicity of the composition is just something I'm trying to recreate with the right feel. Once it is all filtered through my lens it will end up being slightly different and hopefully have a little Paipo style too.
It is a lot of fun reproducing a vintage design though, and there quite a few classic designs I would like to try my hand at further down the track.

On with the carving...back from holiday today with enough time to make some more progress:

One more time you did a huge masterpiece.
Bravo

Benjamin.

very cute :) like the smooth style on this one

Paipo, What everybody else said, Beautiful. Great detail in such a small package. Simply Complex. It is unbelievablr how this simple looking piece would be so difficult to do and yet you make it look so eazy.
On another note I have been trying to reproduce the braided cord you have on your resins and I can't come close...HOW do you DO IT??

On 2006-12-26 22:42, Paipo wrote:
Cheers Ben...

Alien, I've spent a lot of time on that site now too. I saw a great new book with some fantastic pics of Hawaiian pieces (including a few drums) while I was in the big city recently. This is a superb book - one of the best I've seen in a very long time.

Hey G, break's over now! 4 days with the families and it's carving time again. I don't know if he's winning or I'm winning yet..?

I just bought that book. Thanks for the link.

I don't know who is winning either, but if this is tha art you are going to turn out, you can keep fighting.

JP

Ben, and hewey...thanks! I hope I can have some finished pics of this guy really soon.

Benz...TENSION! Keep your threads tight and braid hard and in no time you'll be making cords like the pros. A hook on your workbench and a loop on one end of your strands is all you need.

JohnnyPighammer, I wish I'd got the book too - you are gonna love it. I can see this one becoming a standard reference very soon.

Only a little more progress squeezed in around "the other stuff"....

Sanding mostly done, just a few touchups to do to balance some of the elements and the final detailing on the eyes to go. Ol' fish lips is taking a bit longer than I expected as I had to go deeper to get the definition right.

I think he needs to pee :)

Nice, smoooth

I think he should come waaaaaay up to the U.P. ....He looks like he'd keep the jewels warm, like we do up here... I'd givem a Hell of a Home.:D

On 2006-12-28 21:15, Paipo wrote:
Sanding mostly done, just a few touchups to do to balance some of the elements and the final detailing on the eyes to go. Ol' fish lips is taking a bit longer than I expected as I had to go deeper to get the definition right.

Paipo, I love the way all your pieces have such fun identities. They all have a personality! Very cool, this one is sweet!

Amy

Thanks Paips, I'll try more Tension!. Your wee guy here is really lookingfit and proper, Beautiful as normal.

Love this guy. Once again very well done.

On 2006-12-28 21:41, hewey wrote:
I think he needs to pee :)

Unintentional on my part, but I would have to agree...he has a slightly panicked air about him!

On 2006-12-28 21:48, FreddieBallsomic wrote:
I think he should come waaaaaay up to the U.P. ....He looks like he'd keep the jewels warm, like we do up here... I'd givem a Hell of a Home.:D

I'm a little confused by this Freddie, but I think you're also referring to the hand placement? :wink: I was going to give him a little bit of belly below the arms so it didn't appear so much like he was grasping his nads, but he looked better this way...

On 2006-12-28 23:21, Queen Kamehameha wrote:
Paipo, I love the way all your pieces have such fun identities. They all have a personality! Very cool, this one is sweet!

Amy

Thanks Amy. Again I have to give credit to the original artist, as he already created the personality , but I feel like he's got a little bit of my influence in there too.

Benz, keep those lines tight and the handpiece busy! That jade Lono won't carve itself!

AS, thanks for stopping in. I'm pretty keen to see what you've got cooking :wink:

Lil' baby Bumatay is now pretty much on the home straight. All the carving is done - I just have some inlays to cut and set and he'll be all ready to go.

Fair warning, people... This is going to be one of those critiques of no content, but here's goes anyway, because I just don't have the appropriate words to convey my stratospheric opinion of this piece, and I whole heartedly feel the following statement:

Dude! You rock!! I'm sure Tikicleen will be very happy with her little buddy.

Now go back to the shed and finish the tang :wink:

Wow man, that is a super clean carve. Excellent work from you, with tons of personality. I take it he already has a home; good deal. Now I want to see the rei puta!

Glad you guys are back from vacation. We need some more NZ content here.

That goes for you too Tama.

-Gman

IKnew he would be another Excellent carve paipo, I don't think you carve Anything that is not superior! (or izzit that that "Box of 80, holds your duds that will never {maybe} be finished).
Anyway this Bumatay looks like a sweet little baby that just cries out for a hug and a diaper change too.

I put the jade eyes in the little guy today, but no pic unfortunately...I'm having camera troubles:

Regular transmissions will resume shortly!