Mieko's Tikis - spirit hook done page 5

I wanted to share the tikis I've done so far, both in Polynesiac's class in San Pedro, and at the Left Coast Oki Oki over the weekend. None of them are "done" yet, but they've all got some progress. I can't draw, so I really wasn't sure how I'd do at carving, but I think I'm addicted. :)

My first Tiki from Polynesiac's class, I'm leaning toward burning it and seeing what happens:

My second Tiki from the Left Coast 'Oki 'Oki, Bosko designed a simple tiki for us to do. I had to keep going deeper, but I think I finally got it deep enough. I'm undecided about the forehead and chin.

My third tiki is from Benzart's lesson, he carved one half and I did the other. I'm sanding it now and trying to decide on stain.

Any feedback is appreciated!

[ Edited by: mieko 2008-05-28 18:20 ]

Looking good, Mieko. Welcome to TC and welcome to the addiction! The influences of the elders whom you are learning from shine through in your work. You are very fortunate to have access to the their knowledge and experience. Keep the chips flying and keep posting pics.

You're off to a flying start - there's very clear and significant progress in those 3 pieces. I have no idea who carved which side of your Benzart lesson.
Pretty cool to have access to such great teachers!

Excellent stuff Meiko. For your first tikis you are head and shoulders above some that have been carving for a long time.. Just keep practising and carving more tikiii. The more you do, the better you get.
HappyHappyHappy

Welcome meiko! You've progressed very quickly in those 3 tikis. That first piece started with a pretty weathered log. Sometimes that just happens. It looks like you'll be a great carver judging by what you've done so far.

A-A

Meiko,

Awesome introduction into this world-o-Tikiness! Beautiful firsts.

(Can you give me some lessons?)

Mahalo

McTiki

mieko, those are some awesome carvings. I think that's my next adventure for making tikis. I'd like to make some nice big ones. I really like the face on the 2nd one. He's going to look great when finished!

Mieko, I Know you are addicted, I Saw you carve at OkiOki and I Know you have to have carved more since, Don't be hiding from us now, snap that camera and Post, post, post!

Aloha Mieko! Great progress you did in definition! but all of them are cool!
The great thing about TC is that it demands from everybody to keep working and posting! I love to see people starting and developing themselves!
...I'm trying to do my part, but I have to confess that I'm trying harder lately....
Greetings!

I finally have some updates. After the Oki Oki I did a little on my big tiki, but I didn't have a hook knife, so I was waiting for that to get here, then I didn't have any wood.
So here's the finish carving on the big tiki. I'm waiting for him to dry to figure out how to finish him.

Here's my Benzart Lesson with stain and poly.

Once I got my hook knife, the only basswood I could find was an egg. I cut it in half and tried these. The swirly one is mostly practice and pretty, the other ended up looking more like a mexican wrestling mask than a tiki.

Finally got some more wood, decided to get more practice with copying a design instead of using my own.

And today, my new tools came! Big logs beware!

On 2006-10-31 18:42, mieko wrote:
....how I'd do at carving, but I think I'm addicted. :)

And there is no known cure.

I am glad you posted. Your first efforts are excellent. Post more.

John

On 2006-10-31 18:42, mieko wrote:
....how I'd do at carving, but I think I'm addicted. :)

And there is no known cure.

I am glad you posted. Your first efforts are excellent. Post more.

JP

I've been carving a bit, mostly smaller stuff cause I get home from work and it's cold and dark outside. Here's my small guy all stained up:

I want to turn him into a pendant, any tips on drilling him?

My next small guy - and first "body". I left the face too flat, but I'm happy with the body:

Here's my kitty cat helping me out. Her name is Tiki.

And here's the bigger one after the Chop Chop. I've done a little more, but don't have pictures.

I also have one more pendant I'm working on, but it's a surprise.

Mieko, you are Really on FIRE and doing some Awesome opieces. Your finished pieces are unbelievable, the Benzart is incredible. cana you tell who did which side? I can't.
Instead of drilling a hole in your tiki, you might try just screwing an Eye-hook into the top. Get a thin one with a long screw. Well done. Congrats on the tools too.

wow!!!!!!!!!! terrific stuff! and prolific too :)

Amy

I recognize those guys! They look great, Mieko. I would go with Ben's suggestion of using the eye hook. Much more aesthetic than drilling a hole through your guy's forehead.

Mieko, Very nice works. Lets see the big ones!

Mahalo

McTiki

Got some new pictures. First one was a surprise for someone here, so I didn't want to post progress pictures. I think there's a few things I could have done better, but I'm really happy with it:

Next I made a pendant sized copy of the big bosko designed tiki I did at the Oki Oki, and made a mold from silicon caulk and cheesecloth. I used the mold with some clay, but then had to touch up the casts before I baked them. Takes a little while to clean them up, but a lot faster than carving.

These last two are ones I've shown before, but now they're all finished.


Mieko

Hi Mieko, I think you can teach me......lol

Amy :)

meiko, i really like that last piece. you're doing great. really impressive.

Mieko, Most EXCELLENT Work, I am Very Impressed. Are you using the Hook blade very much? You are Really doing very well with your carving skills and your Casting process has come a long way too. I think you are ready for the Big time girl!

Amy - I'll teach you hook knife if you teach me stone. :)

Benzart - these are all done with the hook knife. I did get a set of dental tools that I was able to use the pick on the last one for some really fine cleanup. You are a great teacher, I haven't even cut myself yet (knock on wood).

pdrake - thanks again for letting me borrow your hook knife at the Oki Oki. Without you, I wouldn't have gotten hooked. :)

I drug my dremel out for the first time to try it out on the wood, I was hoping to use it to do some roughing out as my next piece is going to have a lot more wood taken off, but I didn't have too much success. I'm doing a 2"x2"x5" piece, and need to round off the entire head, the hook knife is going to take a while, does anyone have other ideas on what to use for roughing out to speed me up?

belt sander

Mieko, there are some special bits for dremel's that are specific to roughing out wood. They are called extreme kutzalls burrs or monster carbide burrs. They are made for "removing alot of wood fast". I found them in the woodcarverssupply.com site. this company is owned by a nice couple who are very helpful.

hope this helps, I will take you up on the swapping wood carving for rock classes :)

Happy New year!

Amy

Well, it's been a while since I posted any new stuff, I've been too busy carving to take pictures and post stuff. :)
Here's some of the things I've been working on:
My first carving/mask, burned and wet with spar urethane:

My newest pendant small guy, should be number 7, I did a little more stain after this pic, and he's waiting for a top coat:

My big tiki #2, with one coat of spar urethane on him:

I've got 5 more small guys in varying stages of doneness and a new big guy that I started at the last chop, and more staining and finishing to do (seems like that never ends....)

On 2007-02-24 15:19, mieko wrote:
Well, it's been a while since I posted any new stuff, I've been too busy carving to take pictures and post stuff. :)

Oh Mieko, that's soo lame! :P :wink:

Is that first pic the piece I cut in half?

They all look great!

Very nice work

Mieko, everything looks great so far. You are doing a great job. Please keep on posting so we can see what new stuff you are creating.

Hey Mieko....I'm really digging on your stuff here. Hope your bring some of these things to the next chop-chop for us to take a peek at. Looking forward to a good day had by all....see you there!

Mieko, you are Really coming on Strong. I can't Believe all the excellent stuff I am seeing from you here recently. It seems you are living proof that these carving gettogethers are helping people learn to carve tiki. What ever it it=s, you are really learning Well and Fast. Makes me Proud. Just keep up the excellent work.

Wow! A lot of activity round here! And a lot of improvement too!
Everything is nice, I love this one

Very cool indeed, Congrats!

Great work,nicely done!

Hmmm, I could have sworn I posted more pictures than this... I guess I've been busy carving. :)

Ok, first off, here's this guy finished:

I think this guy is number 8:

Here's my little craps playing good luck tiki, I think he's number 9.

Here's my first non-basswood small guy. I think this is walnut, the only finish is a light spray of lacquer:

I made resins of these guys plus some of my older ones to sell at the Tiki Farm parking lot sale, here's one of each with a scale:

Here's my walnut number 9 guy with two of his copies. The wood gave an interesting texture to the resins:

Older one that I made resins of:

Here's copies of the craps guy:

Here's all the resins I took to the tiki farm event. The hot pink one sold first. I painted that one figuring I'd be able to keep it, since I couldn't imagine it selling. :)

Mieko, I just can't believe how far your skills have advanced. Your carvings are Way excellent and your Resins are top notch too. Verrry Well done.

Hey Mieko,

Damn...I wanted that pink one!

The work looks choice on that leaf back drop.

See you at the Chop Sister! Bring your knifes...I'll bring mine.

I can't believe that somehow I didn't manage to buy the pink one. What was I thinking? (Not usually a big fan of anything pink, but he really looks great in that color.)

You can't buy everything Kate! Leave some for everybody else!

(Sounds like it's time to make more pink ones...)

Mieko, do you have any shots of the ones you're using the shellac layers on? Or is it one of these?

hey M, I love the selection of these little guys and the detail, they are fun!

Amy

Hey, Mieko. Your carvings and resins look great! Hope to see you again soon. Missin' the musubis!!

Cheers,

Aaron

Excellent stuff, makes me want to get the hook knife out again.
Best Regards
Flynny

Great job Mieko. The pendants look great.

yes, great stuff! sorry I missed the event

[ Edited by: Queen Kamehameha 2007-05-07 13:36 ]

Well, I made a few new carvings and made resins, I've got lots of pictures of the resins, but none of the original wood. Ooops! Anyways, here's the resins, I'll be taking these to Hukilau to sell.

This guy just kinda showed up in the wood. Felt kinda weird, but as I looked at the wood I could see a big head and his round beady eyes.

Something small, had been eating at Islands and looking at one of Leroy's masks, and decided to do a small mask, had also wanted to do a tongue for a while, so came up with this:

I've always loved this design from the "trader vic's" mug, so used some pictures to create this guy:

I've done a lot of colors to take to Hukilau, I'd love to meet fellow carvers if you're at Hukilau, come by my table. :)

If you have anything left after Hukilau, could you please bring them along to the next Chop?

The website looks great.

Darn Mieko, These are some COOL Pieces, Really WELL Done!

where can i get one?????

Wow - where did the summer go. Hukilau, Oasis, monthly Chops, and the summer swap - been doing a lot, but not getting too many pieces done. :( Anways, here's the few pieces I did finish this summer:

Pendant I started at Hukilau

Swap Piece

Turtle out of mahogany

For fabulous pendant designs, Mieko is it! I've not seen the octopus guy before. Pretty unique!