Keeping velvet tiki art alive...? TWO PIECES ARE WRAPPED! YEAH!

Beautiful Robb. Have you ever painted any space themed velvets? Would love to see a retro futurist painting on velvet in the style of Chesley Bonestell. When I move on to building my sci-fi theater room (once Hula Sue's is done) I might have to commission you for one :)

Thanks Ken.

Mr. PuPu: I do not believe you're into Bonestell too! I've been kinda quiet about this aspect of my work, but I try to throw an element of astrnomical art into all of my vista landscapes.

I have ideas I've been wanting to do just like you're talking about, and a sketch or two. I bet we could come up with some kickass ideas.

Great stuff Rob...love your work.

I found this favorite old sketch in my black sketchbook and suddenly felt like doing it on velvet:

Here's the sketch. I liked the tiki but felt I needed one with more punch so I did a bunch of tiki sketches with this background in mind.

Here's one of the pages of various tiki designs. I can't believe how tough it is to take pictures of black paper.

Sorry, I don't have any pics of the velvet under construction - I was too into the process to even think of it!

"Twilight Moonrise" - 16"x20" - oil on velvet.

I'm very happy with the atmosphere in this one, and the excellent pigments I used makes it glow in a spotlight yet it retains a feeling of depth between the tiki and sky.

you nailed this one!
The moon
the mood
the tiki..
BAM!

give that boy a BIG REWARD!

beautiful!

killer stuff as always, Robb!! a constant inspiration.

I was wondering when you would be posting something new. I really love the color combination on these pieces...subtle but so detailed.

Even just your sketches are really amazing.

I'm running out of adjectives. Going to acronyms now. OMG
(You are a very talented man, my online tiki website friend :) )

Always great to see what you are working on.

Really nice work Robb.

I may need to get one of your velvets soon!!! :)

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Jeff Central Posted: Today; 08:54 am

Really nice work Robb.

I may need to get one of your velvets soon!!!

ME TOO!!

LLT - thanks my man. I think the mood really turned out on the past two.

Pat - I love your tattoo work too, but you gotta do some more paintings!]

Leeleeliz - Thanks, I wish I could show you my monster black paper sketchbook, there is so much work in it I haven't done yet....

PuPu - your tiki palace blows simple 2D work away, and you get to sit in it too!

Kupcake - thanks for tuning in. I've got some cool stuff coming up, but I've gotta pace it out.

Jeff - just let me know if you see anything you like.

Danno - most of the smaller stuff I've been doing are part of a series if you ever want a copy.

Big thanks guys!!!!

Beautiful new velvet! Nice seeing the sketch it came from!
Love the atmosphere you create.

Thanks Jason - it's good to see you staying active with the velvets, most people just give it one or two tries.

Robb, its always great to see your new paintings.
Cancers like me love the moonlight! Beautiful work.

Incredible work Robb, you have earned yourself a fan!

May Tikis fire forever burn!

Mp - can you make me an honorary Cancer? So many special moments in my life have taken place in the rays of our massive companion, moments that seem made of dream but were real and touched me to my core.

El Stingray - thank you so much for saying that, it means a lot to me. I couldn't help notice you're from the land that gave Tiki so much of it's concrete history. Is there still interest there?

Twilight Moonrise really grabbed me. I love the crescent moons (I actually stand outside in the night and gaze at them, it's very calming) so I appreciate that you paint them correctly and not sideways. The mood and composition on this one is really extrordinary. So I've decided now that my next piece of art needs to be a Robb Hamel. Saving my dollars . . . :) Thanks for the looks!

Robb Hamel wrote:
...

This dark image is meant to be the darkest, most lifeless area possibe above ground. The tiki is screwey.

Reminds me of the old comic strip/pulp hero, "The Phantom".

Kiki - Thanks for feeling the piece grabbed you, that is definitely the goal. Doing Tiki art has been so rewarding since I found that I can express deep inner feelings with it - most of which are about our place in this dark universe and the power of nature to move us.

Tikigik - he is an odd little guy but I like him. Only Little Lost Tiki commented on that pastel sketch but I like it too. It looks way better in person than the pic.

Have you considered painting a luau [complete with firedancer(s), of course]?
Largely off-topic for here, I guess, but an Aztec calendar might be cool too.
Perhaps not so off-topic since some think that South Americans travelled ac-
ross the Pacific via canoe to inhabit Hawaii. Some of the Aztec, Mayan, etc.
temples, symbols, etc. would be cool too. Might be an interesting diversion
for you if you "burn out" on tikis, etc. a little or want a change for some
experimentation. I'm thinking that they might find a market. You never know.

Weird double post, sorry.

See below.

http://www.robbhamel.com

[ Edited by: Robb Hamel 2009-06-28 15:06 ]

Tikigik - Thanks for the ideas, I like them. The luau, seen from a distance, would be very doable (the distance thing would be my "personal expression" part of it).

I've had other genres I've been working on designs for but they're kind of a way down the priority list. Harold Golen asked me to do a Kaiju (Japanese giant monster) painting late last year and that was a blast! So I'm planning on doing more.

Aztec or Mayan stuff would be very cool.

Sorry about dragging my feet on the hornbill painting, but here he is:

"Papuan Wreathed Hornbill" - 16"x20" - black velvet over wooden stretcher frame.

This was meant to be my surprise piece at the Hukilau, but it and another didn't get displayed.

Wow, love that Hornbill painting!
You are the master of mood Rob.

GORGEOUS in GREENS!

beautiful!
i feel like i'm in the jungle!

more BOIDS pleez!

:o WOAH! :o I bet that hornbill is just AMAZING up close & personal... it absolutely GLOWS on my laptop monitor!

Eyecatching and breathtaking Robb! I can smell the jungle, hear exotic bird calls and feel the mist upon my face... :o WOW!

"... I can smell the jungle..."

That's not jungle you smell, that Hornbill is so realistic it crapped on Robb easel!

Great work Robb!

Mike

Dude!
I just came back for another look!
oooooooooooooooooooooooo...

Smell the jungle
taste the Hornbill.....
:)

i am SO into this one!

you NEED to make 7-footers of these!

friggin polyPop Museum style!

lovely as always Robb

On 2009-07-02 06:35, Robb Hamel wrote:

"Papuan Wreathed Hornbill" - 16"x20" - black velvet over wooden stretcher frame.

This is GROG' favorite piece that you have done. Simply outstanding.

love, LOVE, LOVE this piece!

Swamp Fire - thanks Doug. You can NEVER have too much mood. Except in some of Ridley Scott's films.

Llt - Mondo thanks. Sorry I forgot to post this earlier.

Travelling Jones - Big thanks. I think I might keep this one, it does look far more dimensional in person.

MadDogMike - it DID crap on my sketchpad. For a week I was totally, like, DUH! And finally it came together. (the valley girl-speak was simulated).

Llt - cooked Hornbill... Yummmmmm.

Leleliz - love your Swap work!

Grog - that's a big compliment, thank you. Like other artists, one of my biggest fears is that my best stuff is BEHIND me.

Thanks guys.

pure magic!

I totally love "Papuan Wreathed Hornbill", it feels to me, like you captured an unique moment, in an unique place, one of those moments of solitude were a revelation hits you... that's what the feeling seem like to me... inspiring... Congrats.

Holy Crap!!!!!!! That hornbill is awesome! I need a Hamil!

I already let you know, but yeah, this is my favourite by far too (by that I mean the best "revival" velvet I've ever seen). Your composition and use of blackness is perfect - I especially like the way the branch zigzags across leading the eye into frame and up to that slightly sinister looking bird. I'm looking forward to the fruits of your expanding research library!

Iokona - thanks mucho.

Clarita - THAT is exactly what I desperately hope for every time I start designing any piece, thanks.

Bongofury - I'm half tempted to have some prints run of this thing, but I have a very hard time telling if one of my on pieces is worth it.

Paipo - I'll never have a chance to die in peace until I own one of your masterpieces... how's that?

TC ohana: one day I've gotta have quality prints done of one of my pieces... should I do a run of Hornbills???

I've found that painting tropical flowers are like miniature vacations in velvet painting.

Like most of us I'm a real sucker for hisbiscuses (is that right?).

The yellow one I did earlier this year is one of my faves to do, but I couldn't find another to get a pic of, so I used the same photo but changed the color.

Thanks for watching!!

Here's the original pic I used, shot in Ft. Lauderdale.

This one'll use a new, expensive cadmium paint I bought.

The cadmium red paint I use maintains it's bright color when dry but is going to take a lot of coats to bring the brightness up.

Everything is looking fine, but I'm going to use a loose, risky, improve style on the background to make this one look as different as possible.

Looking great so far! Thanks for sharing.

WooHoo! Red hisbisci, very cool Robb.

Oh man....my yellow hibiscus needs a red hibiscus buddy!

Looks greats Robb

machinelf: thank you.

MadMikeDoggie: I sometimes call them hibiscuses myself.

Leeleeliz: everybody (flowers included) should have a companion (hint, hint).

Here is the finished article:

"Red Velvet Hibiscus" - 11x14 - velvet mounted to bristol board.

I got improvisational on the leaves, which is crazy on velvet, but got results I couldn't have planned out. I felt my heart rate go up for a little while there.

I haven't ebayed in a while, this'n outta do just fine...

http://www.robbhamel.com

[ Edited by: Robb Hamel 2009-07-27 14:00 ]

Oh crap...I love the red! (maybe even more than the yellow)

Looks awesome
Robb.

leleliz - damn that was fast, I just left this. Do you have ESP for flowers or what?

Beautiful, Robb! What a piece. You do some excellent velvet work. To make one flower on velvet look like that is loads of talent.....

GORGEOUS Robb!

Great "leap into the void" on the leaves
"fortune favors those who dare"!

stunning...

That turned out fantastic!!
You captured tons of "MOOD" in that one flower.
Awesome :)