THOR's Experiments in black velvet.. "Molten Moai" FINISHED! page 4

So, when can GROG come and pick it up?

Grog....Didn't you tell me to finish the one of you wearing the chartreuse banana hammock first?

Just plain AMAZING Thor! It's a Velvet Renaissance! You all have such an open door, I can't wait to see what's on the other side.

The show you guys were talking about really is a must.

DYAM FINE!

Dang THOR!
Way to go nailing velvet in 3-4 paintings!
Could you be more intimidating!? :lol:
It's like you were born wearing velvet diapers!
Congrats on pushing it'
AND nailing it!
That lava is insane!

Ok do you suck at anything? :wink: LOL!

Amazing, amazing, glad to see you putting your stellar skills to velvet.

It is so cool to see the resurgence to velvet again.

Every new addition to this piece makes it better and better. Excellent, repeat EXCELLENT lava!

Thanks Robb!!

Now coming from the "Velvis"..that makes my day!! I am hoping to see more of this endless talent on TC get into velvet! There is no one style or approach that is ultimate. Some will struggle more..others may find it a natural transition. In the end though, everyone will learn from each other and have created an unimaginable resurgence. This medium is really the ultimate absence of light and like a dark room where someone says.."Ok..start painting in the air with a light stick".

It makes you ponder all the interesting light sources in our world....or invented worlds. I have so many ideas I wish I could focus on this more and I could be in a room with 50 panels of stretched velvet to get this stuff outa my head. Anyway...if there are any other's out there interested, let's push on a group to study and learn from each other how to get a velvet renaissance that intrigues this generation. Viva La Velvet!!!!

WOW, Tom!!! That is just TOO cool (and HOT)!!!

I can't BELIEVE you just started with this medium and have already progressed to a point where it looks like you've been doin' it for YEARS! Talk about a quick study!

I HATE you! (lol) But I LOVE your talent! And I agree with that post re. the Aurora model art look! A definite compliment in my book. And how cool you had that teacher who had done those Aurora paintings! My "Famous Monsters Kid" nostalgia is going into overload!

Man -- you da BEST! I even geeked out on your very FIRST piece! (~~) (I'm a sucker for All Hallows ANYthing!)

Keep up the amazing work, my friend!

Cheers & Mahalo :drink: :tiki:

Paulo

P.S. MUST make prints of 'Molten Moai'!

MUST... MAKE... PRINTS!!!

:tiki:

WOW Thor, I can't believe I haven't been over to this "Side" of creating for so Long. Seeing your progress in just a few short months and a few pieces makes it seem So much longer. I really love how you Jumped right in and attacked the media head on. speaking of heads, the Shrunken one on a stake is just mind blowing. Your explanations about painting with light really help me to see More than I would have without it, not being a painter, that light stuff is important. Working with sculpture we work with Shadows all the time and the light brush is an excellent example. I wish I had a light brush and a shadow brush.
Anyway the Stuff you are creating is definitely top shelf and if the latest lava is any indication, you will be an Expert at this very soon if not already.
I Love the matter-of-fact, non caring look on the Moai's face as he just seems to ignore the hot Lava which is about to envelope him. I guess he knows it will only preserve him for another thousand years.

That lava flow is amazing! Great work!

That's an amazing work. Nice job!

smokin!

These are AMAZING!! Great work! Looks like you found a medium that lends a lot of feel to your work...keep it up!
Also, I'm curious...where does a potential black velveteer find said material?

[ Edited by: ZeroTiki 2009-02-27 22:24 ]

ALOHA BENZ!!!

Thanks for your comments!! I need to get back to some velvet painting soon!!! I have had so many projects on my plate it has been ridiculous. Lot's of new and exciting ventures I will announce before long. Business is BOOMING..Tiki is growing in popularity like wild fire.

I have LOTS of new idea for velvets. I will have to get onto them!! I miss the lurer of the velour!!!! Hope to see you at Hukilau!! I am not certain..but hope to have slotted out some time to attend.

Take care my friend!!

I was just in your Waikiki Gallery and actually got to see the skull velvet and WOW...!!! I can't believe it's still available. As soon as this economy picks up and if it has not been snatched up I hope to make it my THOR original #4. Keep up the great work...

Aloha Ku Ku!

The skull IS available. It is in my Gallery in Waikiki. The reason it's still available is, from what the sales people tell me, the "subject matter". Most of those going in the gallery now days are serious buyers but tend to buy the more "whimsical" pieces. "Molten Moai" sold fairly fast, was on the "dark side" but not as dark as things like skulls and shrunken heads. No rush for them to sell though. I knew those would take the right buyer coming in before it was sold to the right "home" lol!

I will be back in Waikiki the 13th of March. I will be doing a number of shows/signings...I just missed you!! Stay healthy and full of Tiki magic Ku Ku!!

[ Edited by: THOR's 2009-03-02 20:13 ]

Those are really great.

My only comment would be that for me your darks could be a little darker.

You said in one post, Thor, that the painting went fast because so much of the black velvet remained untouched, and in another post you said that the background was more subtle in person, so I guess it's on the digital image side that the blacks are getting a little elevated.

You said it Tiki Moon!!

As any artist knows who has painted in velvet and tried to photograph it...it is almost impossible to do justice to the physical properties that you see when a piece is seen in "person". The darks ARE VERY dark..in the actual painting..and in that rich darkness..are subtle accents.

It's a really magical medium. In scientific terms, any matte black surface..velvet included absorbs a light source. Paint, reflects a light source and you get the illusion of light originating from the painting. Velvet is absence of light..paint..is a reflector...and in the form of varying colors and values. You can only see this in an original when we talk black velvet. Photos lie...and do NO justice. Try painting with this medium!! IT'S A BLAST.....AND very EXOTIC NO MATTER WHAT!!

I had the great pleasure of seeing the original black Velvet Skull painting in the Thor Stor in Waikiki, and it's amazing. The blacks are beyond black. The velvet is pitch, lightness, bottomless, black. The skull pulls out so much from the background that it has a three dimensional effect. When you walk into the side room in the gallery where it hangs, you are slightly jolted by it's intensity. Sure, the average Waikiki tourist might be a bit freaked by seeing this gorgeous icon of macabre perfection. However, if it was hanging in a shop in Disneyland situated near the Haunted Mansion Ride, it'd be sold before you could say: "Bats Day*"!

*Bats Day. Google it.

BRAD!!!

When were you in Waikiki??? I would have given the tip of my best brush to hang with you?? (side note..most of my brushes are seriously pu pu'ed out by rum painting...but i DO have a few left!!). Thanks for the wonderful feedback...especially coming from such a master of tikificational splendor. I will be on Oahu most of this coming summer and year...so please let me know when you are on Oahu. Also..do you have a hammock(not a banana hammock like Grog wears for velvet painting modeling)in your place on the big Isle?? I need a break man!!!

Thor -- PLEASE say that you studied photos of real lava flows in doing your 'Molten Moai'!

Or that at LEAST you've SEEN sooooo many of the actual thing that the images are seared into your consciousness!

Cuz you got just too darn good just too darn quick on that velvet!

And I really dig your idea of forming a velvet painting group to learn from and inspire each other! But, with my luck, it'd probably be nowhere NEAR Los Angeles! Or were you referring to an ONLINE group? THEN you might REALLY be talkin'!

Anyway, your talents continue to take my breath away! MORE velvets, man! MORE VELVETS!!!

Cheers :drink: :tiki:

[ Edited by: KreepyTiki 2009-04-01 05:56 ]

I too had the great pleasure of seeing the original black Velvet Skull painting in the Thor Stor in Waikiki, and also thought it was amazing.

Bad pic of me but great one of your work. Skull looks to have more blue in it then your picture. I got a demo of the light being dimmed on it and it was awesome. It was the only spot of light in the room.

Ten Freaky Girls Inside the Chin Tiki

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2009-04-07 18:04 ]

HEY TEAKEY!! So glad you liked the skull! I need to bring those to LA..cus most people in Waikik are just too freaked out by it!!

Excellent mood and lighting in that piece!