blindy the pirate and his attempts of tiki

Lately I've been making these out of portland cement.

The one on the right was my first attempt. The one on the left is the last one I completed. I have a form I made out of wood and pour straight portland cement into. I put a piece of rebar in the middle and leave another sticking out of the bottom so they can stick into the ground.

The left one from the last picture in mid-cut. I use a 4 inch angle grinder to cut out the details. They are only cut on the front side, but soon I hope to expand that to all sides.

This is the second one I did. It has about 5 hours worth of grinding in it. You can see the cut marks in the face more in the picture than in person, but I would have liked to find a way to smooth it out some more.

[ Edited by: blindy the pirate 2008-07-15 10:12 ]

[ Edited by: blindy the pirate 2008-08-03 16:12 ]

This is my newest tiki I made. Not at all happy with it other than the mouth. It looks too much like the last one, only not as good. I think that I'm going to set this one in the city park near my house.

With the leftover cement I made a mold for a paver and cut out a face with a bandsaw.

It was a spur of the moment thing, and now that I know it can work, I can try some better designs.

It at least looks better than the others.

the pavestone kinda looks like the BLOCKHEADS from GUMBY

Thanks moondog. I knew it looked like something, but I couldn't quite place it. Might have to make a Gumby Tiki to match. :lol:

The idea of putting the tiki in the park is cool - you could make a mold and mass produce them, then have them start showing up in parks and public places all over town. People would start to speculate on where they came from, what do they mean?

Was driving down the road last week and saw that someone had cut down some kind of palm tree. So I grabbed two pieces and went to work on one of them to try my hand at wood.

Soon realized that wood is a another ballgame...

Here are some pics of the tiki I put out in the park near my house. If anyone knows Tallahassee, it is in the Lake Ella park.

I dug a hole with a post hole digger about 18 inches thick and filled it with concrete. Then I put the rebar on the tiki into it. Even though each tiki weighs around 100 lbs, hopefully this might discourage it from disappearing.

Had a message from Robin here on Tiki Central about carving wet cement like clay instead of waiting for it to cure and grinding the face. This one was a first attempt. It is still a simple design because I didn't know what I was doing. However, carving this way can afford a lot of designs that I couldn't do with a grinder.

Nice i think they are very artistic looking, good natural
colors that add to the area allot. Nice Work!

You did a fine job on the wood carve much better than my
firsts.

Really like the urban guerilla tiki action. It looks great where you placed it. Glad you enjoyed the wetter approach to cement work.

On 2008-02-19 16:03, Robin wrote:
Really like the urban guerilla tiki action. It looks great where you placed it.

I agree. Keep us updated on other places you put them. Looks like the molding while wet is giving you a little more freedom with design and detail as well. Keep 'em comin.

I really like the simplicity of the one you put in the park. It's very unobtrusive in that natural setting which I think might be key to avoiding conservative public backlash. GREAT IDEA -- keep them coming!

Thanks everybody for the kind words. Working with the wet cement is nice. It does allow me to do a lot of things that I couldn't do with just a 4 inch grinder.

My cousin Nick drew this for me a few years ago for a tattoo that I never got.

I decided to carve it out in cement. It looks like nothing that I have done before in cement and I think that it came out pretty good.

Wow dude tikis of cement! This is one of the coolest concepts i have ever seen. Nice work brah!

I dig the new one, where you going to put it? :)

Hell ya! NICE Man keep them comming.

Quite a leap you've made there Blindy. Looking good.

I made a new mold that was a little bit wider. I thought it would be cool if i could set a tiki torch inside of the mouth so it looked like it was breathing fire...
Well, I learned that putting a couple of 2x4's in the bottom of the mold for the space is not a good idea if you want to get them out.

You can see that it cracked in two. I figured that if the tiki was going to have fire, he should be the tiki god Kane, instead, all I've been calling him is bastard. I did get him back together, thankfully, but I still have a bit of work finishing him up where you can't see the crack.

(thats my assistant to the left, checking the placement of Kane)

But his mouth does look like it breaths fire, so I'm happy with it. The pic doesn't look as good as it does in person, as anyone who has tried to take pictures of fire before can tell you.

My first commissioned tiki!! Well, a friend of mine gave me twenty bucks to make her a tiki for her front yard. But I cleared $7.00. :lol:

Here it is in the mold, freshly carved.

But what looks cool to me is the first couple of days that it comes out. It has great coloring. Unfortunately, these colors fade out after it drys a week or so.

Love the 7.00 dollar thing.
Another starving artist story.

If you really like the wet or darker look experiment
with different stuff? Plaster, epoxy, ? mix with color
i don't know?

I like what you got going on.

Well, it was a sad morning. On the way to work this morning, I drove past the tiki I put out in the park and it was gone. While I knew that it was inevitable, it still sucks. I had seen people checking it out while it was up, so that was cool. I just hope that someone took it to put in their yard rather than having the city throw it away.

It is kinda funny, though, that paintings I put up 2 years ago are still there.

Kinda embarrassed about how crappy the painting is after spending time on TC. I also knocked it out in about 15 minutes for what I thought was going to be a temporary piece of art. (for anyone who wants to know, it is a spray paint and cheapo paints from Michaels on 3/8 inch plywood :roll: )

Ahh... that's to bad. But someone really liked it...now you can make another one...maybe a dozen to place here and there if they keep disappearing. I wouldn't let that stop you from placing more.

That's to bad, but you knew i was going to happen like
you said, but do it again. :)

The tiki must have been really good for lasting only a few days. The Painting, Not a good way to find out the perceived value. It canbe dishartening!
It's OK, the Cement tikis are Cool. There's a park down here by my house that needs one, you could try iy out there???? :wink:

Blinky I want to make street tiki now

Did you know about this guy?

Robin and Seeksurf-- I already have a spot I've been eyeing for the next one. Its in another park near a road I tend to drive everyday. There is also a grass median near (what passes for) the tiki bar here. The biggest problems I have is my friends keep wanting them, but there will be more going out.

Benzart-- If you ever make it to Tally, I'd be happy to give you one to put up. The more out there, the more people exposed to tiki, the better.

teaKEY-- I've come across his myspace page before, it is good stuff. We have an area here (an art enclave if you will) between the two universities that has a lot of graffiti-styled art. Most of the bars and shops have it as their signs.

Been talking to my artist friends, trying to start a tiki movement here. Hopefully, Tallahassee will be flooded with tikis soon.

My friend with one of his efforts. (don't know if the flash is too bright, or he didn't want his face posted online) :lol:

Thanks Blindy, I would Love one of your tikis as long as it stays where I put it :lol:. We'll be going to Alabama in a couple months and maybe we can swing through a different route and hook up with one. THANKS, HappyHappyHappy

Ahh, the joys of owning a pickup truck. Had to move my friends this past weekend. But they have a nice backyard now, with a covered area on a slab. Thinking I'm going to have to convince them to convert it into a tiki bar. They already have one of my tiki guys back there. I had an extra patio table laying around, so I figured I'd let them have it. But, I gotta do something to it, right?

The border is the same blue now. It is painted on the underside so the glass can still be cleaned.
The bad part is the table in my yard is lame by comparison.

One of my friends came up with this design. Since Tallahassee is home to Florida State University, and we tailgate for football and baseball, we figured we needed a seminole tiki out there.

I figure as soon as it gets the garnet and gold paint, I'll post it to the That's just wrong! The un-Tiki thread:. :)

Bored on a rainy day.....

made from old shampoo bottles

Decided to make a smaller tiki. It stands about 15 inches tall, sits up on its own and has a hole in the top for a candle. Made the first one quick and dirty for a tiki bar my friend just made. Can't have a tiki bar without a tiki.

Come next Friday, I'm going back to the Polynesian Resort in Walt Disney World for a week (happy me :D). I'm going to make another one this size and put it out somewhere.
I also made a little mold (3 1/2" by 7" by 1 1/2" deep) that I'm going to make a few little bitty tikis to hide somewhere. I grew up in Orlando and would hang out on property everyday I wasn't at work. Back in the day, we used to drink MD 20/20 Blue Hawaiian (mixed with Powerade over ice, it wasn't too bad and it kept you hydrated during those hot summer days) and Crown Royal while hanging out at the Poly and Contemporary Resorts. When we were done, we would stick the empties in the ceiling tiles by the ice machines, among other places.

(pic of a pic, so kinda dark)

So I thought it might be cool to put a few tikis around for any TCer that finds them. Will post where when I get back.

Had a question about my molds and tools so here is a few pics

(my expansive carving tool collection)

(the three molds I've used for everything I've done so far.)

nice and different using concrete, look foward to the progression

Nice blindy keep them cumming.

Awesome work, Blindy. I can't wait to try this idea. Hey, have you ever thought of using papercrete to lighten these up and/or save a bit on materials? Give this a look: http://livinginpaper.com/index.htm There's some great info on there about mixes, shrinkage, strength, etc.

Also, I had an awesome idea to make a multi-layered mold out of your box form and cut plywood or even closed-cell foam attached to the bottom. That way, if you needed to make multiples of a single tiki (or multiples with only slight variations) you could cast them. Say if you were selling them or wanted to make cornerstones for a raised garden...

The Best tools are the ones that create Amazing stuff like what You seem to have there. Way to Go. Gimmee More!

Just got back from The Polynesian Resort. I hid these two tikis.

One is hidden in the Fiji building (by the marina). It is on the first floor by the ice machine.

The other one is in the Rapa Nui building (closest building to the Transportation and Ticket Center), above the Coke machine.

To get them, raise the roof tile next to where they are.

Unfortunately, work got busy before I left and I couldn't make any to leave on the grounds. I saw a whole bunch of places that would have been perfect. That will have to wait for next year.

crazy blindy love your tactics.

You are a nut! Love the idea.

Every time I come back from Disney, I realize how pitiful my yard looks.

I cut down some bamboo behind my neighbors house and decided to make lantern holders from them. I used a T bracket with 3/8 bolts to connect the wood, then wrapped the joint in rope to hide it. Originally I was going to use a candle lantern I had around the house, but Home Depot had solar powered lights in the clearance aisle.

You go Blindy!

I found a few different piles of cut down trees at the street this week and decided to try my hand to carving wood again. Hopefully this one will turn out better than the last attempt (which ended up in the woods behind my house half finished).

After a few hours of carving:

There is a bar a half block from my house that has a typical Florida tiki bar (no tikis in the tiki bar). Decided it is my duty to correct that. Had a little one lying around, so I gave it to them.

Going to make a bigger one for them too.

Way to go after the log. Nice work! It looks better than
my #2. On my #3 i bought some fancy chisel's and sanders.
I like the bar story.

Thanks Seeksurf. Your stuff is awesome. You, Benzart, and Robin have helped me a lot, between advice, positive comments, and the shear talent of you guys. Hopefully one day I can make quality stuff like you guys. But, in the meantime, here is some quick tapa styled designs on plywood to hang on telephone poles around town.


(the blue one is one of the designs off the Polynesian Resort buildings)

I was searching around here and found a surf rock band called The Intoxicators. Come to find out, they are from Tallahassee and played with my friends band on Saturday.

(cell phone pic)

Gonna try and carve some more this week.

Very much enjoying this! Post pics of the installations.

Here is some more progress on the latest tiki.

Going to have to find a chisel thread, because the cheap ones I have are about worthless. They did what I needed them to do for this one (barely), but I can tell how bad they are.
I got a sander attachment for my grinder that I couldn't be happier with. It makes quick work of bad chisel cuts.

Not overly happy with it, but I figure I have to let it be what it is. I still have a few things to clean up on it. Then the fun of sanding and staining.

You are doing fine. I keep meaning to take and post a few
pics of my first 2 tikis. YOURS Look great.

Hey, I saw one of your tikis a few hours ago... cleverly stashed near the police station. Wish I had a camera to take a picture of it...

Cheers!
Brian
The Intoxicators!

Blindy, you MUST be aware of Banksy, is that where your name came from?
If you are, allow me to enlighten the TCers who are not with some Banksy info: A British grafitti artist, he has been not only very prolific, but very original and funny in his action art, and his work is now very collectible:

Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerrilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New York City's major art museums, he's also "hung" his work at London's Tate Gallery and adorned Israel's West Bank barrier with satirical images. Banksy's identity remains unknown, but his work is unmistakable—with prints selling for as much as $45,000.

In addition to his artwork, Banksy has claimed responsibility for a number of high profile art pieces, including the following:

At Sothebys, he arrived in a penguin suit and painted "We're getting rich off Banksy". The piece sold later that day for £16,999.[citation needed]

At London Zoo, he climbed into the penguin enclosure and painted "We're bored of fish" in seven foot high letters.[citation needed]

At Bristol Zoo, he left the message 'I want out. This place is too cold. Keeper smells. Boring, boring, boring.' in the elephant enclosure.[citation needed]

In March 2005, he placed subverted artworks in the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.[26]

He put up a subverted painting in London's Tate Britain gallery.

Here is one of his paintings he put up:

They hang up for days, sometimes even weeks before they get noticed. He explains his ability to do this by "Museums mostly watch out that art is not taken out of their building, but not for it being brought in".

In May 2005 Banksy's version of a primitive cave painting depicting a human figure hunting wildlife whilst pushing a shopping trolley was hung in gallery 49 of the British Museum, London. Upon discovery, they added it to their permanent collection.[27]

In September 2006, Banksy dressed an inflatable doll in the manner of a Guantanamo Bay detainment camp prisoner (orange jumpsuit, black hood, and handcuffs) and then placed the figure within the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California.[35][36]

These are just a few of his "placing art in public spaces" actions. He also hung one of his pieces in the Louvre. In his very funny art book "Wall and Piece" he mentions an anecdote from his early days where his sister mockingly commented "It's not like your stuff is ever going to hang in the Louvre!" The back cover of the book has a quote from the London Police Chief' office that reads: "There is no way we will give you a quote from us to print at the back of your book!"

His website: http://www.banksy.co.uk/menu.html

So will Blindy become the Banksy of Tiky?
I like the fact that your Tikis are mute witnesses to the environments you put them in, I makes the whole thing more mysterious. But just in case you are looking for a motto, I want to suggest this quote from an artist friend of mine, which years ago I printed on some stickers underneath Shecky, the early TC mascot Tiki: LESS VIRTUAL REALITY, MORE RITUAL VIRILITY!
Never use the term Tiki, that would be too demystifying.

Seeksurf- I think everyone would like to see your first tikis. Weren't they in the background of some of your tiki bog pics?

Tikigoob- That one you saw was the first true attempt I did. It was made out of concrete instead of the cement of the subsequent (thanks spell check) ones. The reason why it is still there is because it is on the property that my house is on. If you take the next driveway there is 5 more tikis in the yard.
Also around midtown, the paintings on the telephone poles are from Bgizzy (the drummer from Tiny Fists Of Fury) and mine.

Bigbro- When I first posted on the introduction page, you told me about him. I checked him out. I have always been a fan of "guerrilla" art. As a kid, I would watch the trains go by, checking out some really great spray paintings that criss cross the country. Banksy is truely a mad genius.

The name Blindy came from a pirate themed tailgate party. Shortly after chuging two beers, I put an eyepatch on both eyes and stumbled around yelling "I'm Blindy the pirate". For some strange reason, the name stuck. :lol: