the making of Tiki Rex

Here is my first whack at a Tiki ceramic mug design. Laugh or cry, but I would appreciate some kind of reaction.

The original sculpt in clay before molding:

Each one has unique carved decorations and a different color glaze. These are Artist Proofs, as I'm trying out lots of things to see what I like. Here is the conga line showing the different phases of production. Left to right: original dried after molding, wet greenware casting, dry greenware, bisque.

The woodgrain green:

The side view:

The first few APs all glazed up:

Great glazes - look really good. Fun design!

Welcome to TC - what a way to introduce yourself! Love that satin green, red and the woodgrain green, and I dig how you've done a little hand detailing to distinguish each one.
I sense a few PMs headed your way before long....

Absolutely fantastic design and beautiful glaze. PM coming your way. :) Welcome to TC.

Thank you for the feedback and the welcome!

I had a blast picking out the glazes. Red is often a tricky color in glazes, but this brand of glaze really surprised me. It's nice and rich. I am still adding to my Profile and stuff. Will answer PM shortly.

The plan was to do just 20 unique Artist Proofs in earthenware, and when I decide on the magic detail and glaze combination, keep that one as my production master for a small run. I may leave it at the 20 APs, if that is how it works out. Forgot to mention earlier that the second from the left (light chartreuse gloss) has found a home.

WoW, have to say, everyone of those stands out! I could see you doing a limited run in each color to be honest. I do like the red it is very rich in color. I like the glaze the best for the theme in the first one on the right, and love the design on the stomach of the next one over.

That is an awesome T Rex and I want one but how is Tiki involved with this? Did he swallow a Tiki?

I knew someone would ask that!

My train of thought went: King Kong is cool. He came from Skull Island. Skull Island had people, so what would their culture create (if they ever had the luxury)? Images of the megafauna of the island, like Tiki Rex, of course. I guess you all know what the next mug will be...

I accept that answer. :)

On 2008-04-16 09:16, Bora Boris wrote:
....how is Tiki involved with this?

Come up with a good drink to serve in it, that might be tiki enough. LOL :wink:

Yeah the wood grain version is a stand out! Great mug!

Thank you, Tiki Shark, I'm in awe of your work! There are some great talents on this board.

Just a note to let folks know that the peach and the yellow ochre are the only ones that aren't reserved yet. The next batch will be shown in about 2 weeks.

Thanks, everyone! I'm feeling encouraged to do more mug designs!

bigbro... is it tiki? :D

How can that be called a tiki mug?

On 2008-04-18 09:29, Jungle Trader wrote:
How can that be called a tiki mug?

It probably shouldn't be, yet most people call all mugs from say Munktiki or different tiki restaurants a "tiki mug"

not of a tiki

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2008-04-18 09:36 ]

Wow Johnny Dollar and Jungle trader chiming in at the same time on a question that was already asked and answered. This thread must be the Bali Hijinks assignment of the day. :)

er, i frequent many websites, and arrived at that question independently as i have for many years since i joined in 2003.

On 2008-04-18 09:34, teaKEY wrote:

On 2008-04-18 09:29, Jungle Trader wrote:
How can that be called a tiki mug?

It probably shouldn't be, yet most people call all mugs from say Munktiki or different tiki restaurants a "tiki mug"

not of a tiki

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2008-04-18 09:36 ]

Yeah that's true. But it seems to fit the overall theme to me. Surfer girl mugs, volcano bowls etc often don't have tikis on them but they fit. Do you see my point?
The dinosaur is just a little too far out of the realm for my tastes. It's cool that someone takes the time to create, it just doesn't fit.
Cheers.

[ Edited by: Matt Reese 2008-04-18 13:13 ]

Riddle me this.
When is a Tiki mug not a Tiki Mug?

Not a tiki. But I knew that when I painted it.

Not a tiki. But It's a favorite part of my tiki mug collection.

That's kinda why I liked the wood grain version. It lends itself to be some sort of
strange carved tropical idol - I'm not not saying a historically correct tiki, but
I can't think of one Tiki mug that is.
I kind of dig the more expansive sense of the "Tiki Culture" domain. I like that it can
include Zombies, Fez wearing Monkeys, Skulls, Pirates, King Kong's Skull Island, Bikini Atoll and atomic testing, various sea monsters, Godzilla, Cthulhu and the like.
As long as it's something that could be found in a "fantasy" version of the tropics, I can go with it. I guess we all
have our own feel for what is "tiki" culture - ish.

What ever tiki culture is, it's organic and changing as pop culture mutates and changes.

Tiki Shark

http://www.tikishark.com
http://www.myspace.com/Lotus_Land

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2008-04-18 15:25 ]

Definitely not Tiki, but I still gotta say that this:

On 2008-04-15 20:48, studiocham wrote:
The woodgrain green:

does my Dinosaur loving heart good!

On 2008-04-18 15:07, Tiki Shark Art wrote:
Riddle me this.
When is a Tiki mug not a Tiki Mug?

Not a tiki. But I knew that when I painted it.

Not a tiki. But It's a favorite part of my tiki mug collection.

That's kinda why I liked the wood grain version. It lends itself to be some sort of
strange carved tropical idol - I'm not not saying a historically correct tiki, but
I can't think of one Tiki mug that is.
I kind of dig the more expansive sense of the "Tiki Culture" domain. I like that it can
include Zombies, Fez wearing Monkeys, Skulls, Pirates, King Kong's Skull Island, Bikini Atoll and atomic testing, various sea monsters, Godzilla, Cthulhu and the like.
As long as it's something that could be found in a "fantasy" version of the tropics, I can go with it. I guess we all
have our own feel for what is "tiki" culture - ish.

What ever tiki culture is, it's organic and changing as pop culture mutates and changes.

---

Tiki Shark

http://www.tikishark.com
http://www.myspace.com/Lotus_Land

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2008-04-18 15:25 ]

Point taken. I do enjoy the whole fantasy, broadening aspects but sometimes I wonder if things may go so far away that they lose any sense of meaning to what has been established as tiki.
Cheers.

Those are irresistible! I don't care if anyone does or doesn't want to call them Tiki; I call them adorable (in a ferociously vicious, Tyrranosaurian kind of way). I wish I could've adopted the whole litter.

I think we can keep things a bit loose in creating as far as tiki or no? The T-rex hands on the belly make it tiki-like to me.

Ditto the comments about it being a tropical idol.

We all know the "main focus" but retro things like Sam Gambino paintings, etc... etc... fit just fine in creating. You will inevitably step on toes if you call non-tiki stuff tiki.

My recommendation, just call it a mug not a tiki-mug. Then everyone's happy.

That design is killer and the green glaze on the wood grain is my favorite!

nice clean glaze work. "tiki" mug, a long stretch for sure. Nice cocktail mug, a better name for it.
anyways, always happy to see another ceramicist on the board. look forward to seeing more of your work.
maybe ditch the tiki monicker

Beyond Tiki!!!