NEW Benzart Black Jade Marq 3-6-14

Well, the Bony Lono is almost done, just a ton of clean up.
Here's the latest progress shots

I was at an antiques place this weekend and saw a carved elephant tusk. Not unusual but my question is that it had a petina on it. Kind of a chocolate brown - is this a paint or a dye?

Nice. Love that facial expression. The tongue is really cool how it's longer on one side like some kind of wild grimace.

This Lono ghostly vision that delights me!!! :o

J.

man that thing looks crisp. don't know what you'd possibly have to clean up.
I love all that find detailing, awesome.

Man! Is it just me or have you been picking up the pace lately (carving wounds and all!)? All of the Benzart creativity, skill and details as always, just faster... Seriously, it's easy to just take for granted that each of your pieces is just as, or even more awesome than the last... You've got us spoiled, Ben.

Smokin pieces of art my friend!!!and so much more beautiful to see in person!!!!Hope the kids diddn't trash your house to much yesterday!They loved the girls and ryan kept talkin about all the tools! It kind of went like this(ryans words...Jeas dad uncle Ben has way more tools than you,we should go there more times cuz it was COOL!!!)How bout that for a 4yr old talkin the goods about Uncle Ben!!I'll bring over some trashy carving that I'm workin on next week and we can make a carvin mess in your Garage,talk to ya soon and Great seein ya my friend, Aloha, Jimmy Mooney

Uncle Benz has more tools than some Tool Stores!! Love the backlit photos.

Uncle Benz has more tools than some Tool Stores!!

And I'm sure he made efforts to tidy... :P :roll:

Ben,got my self the latest tikimag the other day and was pretty stoked
with your article.You are the Man!!!! Cheers WATANGO

Aloha, I'm not sure I've ever seen the patina you described, did you ask the shop keep? I'll have to check that out, thanks.

Thanks BigT, you know me, just gotta be different. :P

Laojia, Thanks, I Knew that and it's why I did it,, Just for YOU! This cow bone is SO beautiful with a back light. Glad you Like.

Thanks Domin, if you look closely, there are Many areas not finished yet and it is tedious work leaving the surfaces smooth without ripples and gunk.

Aarons, Thank you, but its You guys who have ME Spoiled I Have to get each new piece deeper and more intricate to make you all happy. Well I must do it for myself too so I don't get bored. :)

Mooney, Thanks for the visit and you can bring the kids Any time, they were great. Yes that little Ryan is a Tool Junkie Already at 4. You are definitely gonna have your hands full with that boy. He'll be ready for the hook knife lesson in about a year? C'mon Over anytime!

Thanks Aloha but I don't Really have That many tools and I Never have enough. Glad you liked the Lit Lon.

Jerome, Of course I tidied up the big mess the kids left, took me a whole 3 minnits :o Can't help the tool thing, I just gotta Have'um.

Watango, Thanks, I'm really glad you likied that story, it's peeps here like you that made it all possible.
HappyHappyHappy

sent out the Eagle yesterday but not before doing a neat toggle for it. Just HAD to be!
Terrible photos though, sorry

Have I told you I loved you today? You are simply amazing, Ben. Just amazing.

-G$

Awesome as usual Benzart! Way to push the boundaries. We missed you at TO9, maybe next year.

GMAN, No, you forgot to tell me today but I'm sure you will remember tomorrow! :)
Thanks Mang, Hope All's well and better with you.

T-Mango, Thanks,, Boundaries? Just trying to carve some different stuff. Definitely T.O.'10

Heres another update on the Moko/Lono, ALMOST finished.

Wow....great finishing touches on the Lono. The amazing Ben strikes again.
And the Mrs. Conga loves the eagle...your photos are super but nothing
beats having a Benzart in the hand...or around the neck.

I'm standing by the mailbox waiting for sonny bono. What flavor altoid box will he come in?

Moko Lono is a masterpiece of cross-cultural genius,Ben!
You've distilled it to the primieval source of all myth..
The ancients smile....
us too!
:)

Geez, I thought it was already finished.

The detail on this is CRAZY. :)

Thanks Conga, Glad she liked it. The Lono is beating the crap outta me, Still stuck on it but getting closer.Thanks for the kind words.

Hey Hank, This guy is way too big for the Altoid box, I'll have to find something else. Seems I'm still stuck on this guy, Sorry about that! SOON though as there's about Nothing else I can do to him. :o :lol:

Kinny, Thanks,Many times over. You really know how to make a guy feel good. Hopefully this cross culture bony lono survives my bench!

Heres Another update and you can see where he needs to be o cleaned up and Sanded, sanded and sanded some more.

On 2009-08-22 08:34, Benzart wrote:

Heres another update on the Moko/Lono, ALMOST finished.

Are we there yet?!?

Hi Benno!

Wow, now THAT's a hunk o' bone! If you take off those magnifiers, you won't see what needs sanding. It looks great.

Well, that'll teach me to leave the reply window open for so long! So we aren't quite there yet? It doesn't matter, he's worth the wait!

amazing, beautiful, brilliant, i could go on and on. i hope to score one of your tusk carvings. i really dig the backlit pics. mahalo for creating another little masterpiece, ben. more great pics for my benzart file!

:o

Your work really is beautiful. I can't believe how much deatail you can incorporate into such a piece that is the size of your hand. You must have the patience of a saint or at least eyes that are all bugged out!

outrageously good!

Beautiful Ben!

The back lit pics really show the uniformity of your work.

You remain at the front of the pack for these types of pieces; A true gauge of your talent - for me - is the fact that your peers always state your work is THE standard by which they measure others. Always.

Take care. I look forward to seeing the next project and better yet - meeting you at Tiki Oasis 10 next year.

Benz, you are truly inspiring!

Amy

The Moko/Lono it's spectacular!

The detail you can cram into such a small area is amazing.

Johnny? I thought you were dead?

It's Finished!

Where izzit?

On 2009-09-01 04:51, GMAN wrote:
Where izzit?

"I can feel it comin' in the air tonight! Oh Lord!" -Phil Collins

Holey crap Benz nice curly bone lono going down and a good size.
Sick sick sick.

Incredible work of art my friend. The teeth, face crazy and
its bone!

Also incredible than the depth moko detail!!!! :o :o :o master master piece...

J.

Simply, "over-the-top"... :o

This guy looks fantastic! The moko detailing is insane, especially on that tiny toggle.

Last night I spent a half hour on this long post but I dozed off a bit and when I woke up this was all that was left. I'll fix it tonight. now its Back to WORK time!

Lemme do this again..

Paipo, YES we Are there Finally, Thanks for the Prodding :)

Hi GMAN, You OK, Be good!

Thanks Mango, yeah, you Gotta have the magnifiers or you miss SO Much,

Paipo, Yes, Don't leave that window open so long. SOOOO it was Your fault this guy took so long, Thanks lol

Bullet, yeah, No goin' On and On and On (except for me.) I will make sure to make you one before they are gone.

Jonesey, Thanks, :o

G-PooBah, Thanks for the kind words, Yes I have the patience of a Saint, Wait a minnit, I AM a Saint? Ha! Thanks,

Big T, Thanks Muchly

Thanks TikiG, I usually have to carve these bones over a light anyway so I can avoid going all the way through so it is easy to grind until all looks the same . I started thinning the bones out so they wouldn't weigh 20 pounds, then the light carving then the backlight photos, thats how that all happened. :)

Amy, Thanks for youe constant support, Much appreciated.

Clarita, there you go again, bribery will get you everything. Oh yeah, it's supposed to be Nothing. :o

Johnny it's the Magnifiers, without those I'm blind, they turn a tiny space into a giant place.

Thanks GMAN, I Was but decided to come back and finish this guy. :lol:
Whereizzit? Right here

Hank, it IS in the Air!!

Thanks Seeks, yeah, 5 whole inches long, Giant by any standards.

Seeks AGAIN? Thanks Again

Jerome, Thanks, Glad you like the final thing. Didn't think I'd ever get here did'ja?

Jonesey, Thanks, I'm Really glad you like this guy since it has your name onnit. :)

T-Mangop, Thanks I'm glad he's finally done, (Darn that Paipo! : ) The tiny toggle only took a little while. Somewhere along the line I thought it would be neat to carve the toggle a little bit. Wrong Move! Now I can't send a plain one.

So I guess you've all seen these Pictures:

HOWEVER, These you Have NOT seen yet. :) :lol: :o

So bright promise I dare to say anything.... :o

J.

I sure am glad you can carve so wikkidly....cause you can't draw for beans..... :lol:

On 2009-09-04 10:02, GMAN wrote:
I sure am glad you can carve so wikkidly....cause you can't draw for beans..... :lol:

LOL! Nice tho, there's always some awesome around the corner with you. :)

Jerome, Thanks, Dare to say anything you like, this one will be yours soon. Glad you like him.

GMAN, Whadd'ya mean I can't draw,, those lines are just Hen scratching so I know whee to with the Real drawing tool, the micromotor and bur, that's MY brush and pen. The Other stuff just washes away to be forgotten forever, leaving just the carving. But Thanks, I Did see the comp in there. :P

Thanks BigT, I guess you just never know what I'm going to surprise you with next is what you are saying? That's because I never know which piece of what I'm gonna make into that. I like surprises. :lol: :P :o

Yesterday's update in these few photos