Wendy Cevola I finished carving on 10-31-10.

This past weekend was the Sacramento Tiki Crawl. It started Friday night and ended on Sunday night. It couldn't have been better. There are tons of photos on that thread under California Events. On that thread I had fun posting my step by step creation of our Crawl mug. My first beginning to end ceramics project. I have decided that I will do the same here, step by step as I carve my very first palm log tiki.

The crawl group asked what I was going to carve since the log was on our back patio throughout the event. I told them to look at the tiki in Rugby Matts' living room later that day. It's head was the right size for my log and I like the tiki so much I want to one day turn it into a mug.

So here we go. I've already made errors today in copying the design, I will learn from those errors.

Here are photos from when I cleaned the log last year.

First time I'd used a chain saw, I leveled the ends better.

This is Rugby Matts' tiki that I want to duplicate.

These are the tools that I got for Christmas last year. All I needed was a friend with a spare log. Bullet gave me his, it's so good to have friends.

I drew the tiki on my log with chalk. If you go wrong water takes it off and you can start over. I began at 11 am.

I started to carve where ever there were lines.

I made a deal with Dan, if he would always clean up the wood chips I would let him have the tiki. His motto, "Will work for Tikis".

I carved for one hour washed off the chalk and then we went to lunch.

Back at 1 pm I started to remove more wood. The deeper I carve the better it looked.

At 3 pm I stopped to rest and to put these photos on. I love carving. I may put a different tiki on the back. This tiki was dried in the sun and so it's much harder than expected. Omar let me carve a few whacks at Oasis 09 and that wood was like butter, this one is more like a hard wood. I'll never put one in the sun before carving again. The sun also helped make lots of cracks but that's part of the charm.

After I didn't hurt the tiki he was very happy!

Since this is my first carving I'd love feedback and helpful hints. Thanks for looking, Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2010-10-31 17:06 ]

Awesome Wendy!

Its rare to see one chronicle their true "first carve" You are doing fine! Deep is the key depending on the feature.

You are staying hydrated
Dan is "clean up crew"
You take breaks
You have advisers from all over this world
Bamboo Ben hasn't told you to burn it yet

This Tiki will kick butt!

Delightful thread. This made my day.

Thank you

Mahalo

Tis a brave man who wears the kilt in January.

[ Edited by: McTiki 2010-10-12 16:10 ]

Hey Wendy, THAT LOOKS AWESOME!! I'm not surprised though.... Look at all those beautiful mugs you have made.. Looking forward to more pictures.. Keep them coming :)
btw... your work area is too clean!!! sorry Dan... :wink:
Aloha

Wendy, I'm impressed with your desire and enthusiasm to carve, but I'm really impressed that you skinned the log yourself!
You don't need advice in this thread, as you're going to learn infinitely more by actually carving.

Carve on!

Nice Job Wendy! Girl Power!

Go Wendy, go Wendy, it's your birthday!

WOW...your Tiki talents are amazing. I agree...your enthusiasm is marvelous and your Tiki will turn out great. Good to know Dan can Hoover...is he available for hire?

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!

Great start Wendy. Looking forward to when it's finished. Careful with those chisels. They're sharp. One bit of advice I was given from Watango was that if you are carving on concrete, put some carpet down on the work area. If you drop the chisel, which you will at some stage, at least you wont damage the edge. He was right, i've dropped mine several times but fortunately I work out on the lawn.

Looking real good Wendy! Now stop, you're making the rest of us look bad! :lol:

I posted just for the fun of reading all those posts.

McTiki- did we meet you at VampiressRN's party years ago?
Beachbumz- thanks so much for the comment on my mugs. You should see Dan's jungle room not a vine out of place.
4WDtiki-Skinning was fun work too. You have my old initials I was W.Dawson before I married.
drasticwagon-are you a girl too?
rugbymatt-do you mean it's my birthday into the carving world?
Vamp-you know I keep him busy, sorry no loan.
Swizzle-rug good idea, I was thinking thick metal shoes too. Dan gave up the vacuum it kept cloggin, now he uses a broom.
hewey-Elvis is watching! (inside joke)

I carved for 30 minutes last night and for 1 hour today. Now it all stops while we visit with my sister and her children and grandchildren. So no carving until next week. Thank you everyone you inspire me to work hard. Wendy

Last night for 30 minutes.

This morning for an hour. Last night in the light from the setting sun I could see how much dust shot up with each hit. So I'm protecting my lungs. I had pneumonia for 2 1/2 months this year and I have never smoked. Winter's coming.

It's all roughed out and now my next step will be to remove more wood and to deep carve the eyes, face and mouth. Until then, Wendy

Lookin' fantastic Wendy! Painting, Sculpting, and now Carving - it's the Tiki Trifecta!

Wendy,

Remember the eyes have a chamfered edge on the inside when you get back to work on them. Feel free to stop by if you need to refresh your memory on the details too. Great job so far!

Wendy...yes, McTiki came to the first Tiki party I ever had. He was visiting from out of state.

Nice to see you finally using those tools girl and your First tiki looks really great. I Love how you marked it all out with chalk first and then outlined it with the v-tool. For future tikis it might help to draw a center line, either with a chalk line or a long straight edge, it helps keep all the elements lined up together and keeps you balanced all the way up and down.

Ben, thank you so much. I can see where I went off, I needed you sooner Ben. I'll use it next time and even on my mugs I should do that. Love ya, Wendy

Impressive Wendy! Thanks for the step by steps, I'm loving this!

Hi Wendy;

Its really neat watching you start from scratch. Where did you get the palm log?

Maronetiki

looking pretty cool.

I'm willing to clean up wood chips too :wink:

Hey Zero, Badd and Marone, thanks for the notes. The palm log came from Bullet. It was a gift. I have so much fun posting and reading comments that I'll keep it up. We are visiting with family right now so I'm taking a break. Badd, thanks but I love seeing Dan clean it up! Back to my other family, bye bye Tiki friends for now, Wendy

Looking good, Wendy! Nice way to enjoy retirement

Great start! Welcome in the world of chisel and mallet! Also chips and dust... :roll:

J.

Great first one Wendy, looking very good so far, congrats!

Hi Brenda, there's just not enough hours in the day for all I want to do.

laogia, thank you. Today I took a hunk out of our patio. I was told sooner or later I would drop a chisel. Now I need to repair the patio. I was lucky it's wasn't my foot.

Clarita, thank you too. It's a lot of fun.

Last night.

Dan's really good at this, even in the dark.

Today I concentrated on removing more wood to deepen the face. I didn't work on the inside of the mouth but I did deepen most of the rest.

Men's work is never done.

Cheers, Wendy

Looking good Wendy. :)

OK...you too Dan!!!

I was getting ready to bump this thread 'cuz I thought you forgot about it :lol: Keep up the good work!

It's nose day and a bit of carving on the forehead design edges.

Dan's a man of his word, every time I'm done he sweeps up those chips. Wendy

Always room for more carvers around here. Nice to see you and your work here on the dark side
of TC.

Thank you Congatiki. It really starts to be fun at this point. I fine tuned the nose again and then I started to deepen the mouth and under the chin. Wendy

Note the Cindy Crawford mole.

Dan did a formal clean up today.

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2010-10-25 17:54 ]

Kicking it up a notch with that "formal clean up"....looking great you two!!!

Perhaps you could get Dan a broom so he can stand and sweep!

Looking good there Wendy :)

RIGHT ON WENDY!
You are fearless in your exploration of different means of expressing your talent!
This carving is looking sooo happy!

great job Wendy looking good!

Starting to come Alive Wendy, but are you slowing down, Slacking just a bit??
I agree Dan needs a whole handled broom.

Beeeeeen! It's been really cold and rainy here. I've been working super hard Romo clay for a bowl project, it's very much like carving wood. I'm also pouring mugs. There are not enough hours for all the projects. I guess it's hard to tell but I did a lot of chiseling on the two sides then the nose and the mouth. Really no slacking here! But I will just have to work harder, I want you to be proud of me.

Vamp and leleliz, Dan loves his short staffed broom. His other long staffed broom is all polished up for Sunday night so he doesn't want to have to wash and polish it again!

Thanks Bahooka Buck and Kenny, I just love reading these comments. Kenny I wish we lived closer so we could see your exhibit. Many hugs to all my friends, Wendy

The day was cold and windy. I again deepened the mouth. Dan didn't have to sweep the wind took care of the chips which are now all over the back yard.

The original.

My sort of a copy. The nose is not even close. Good thing this is just for fun.
Wendy

Sure it's "Just for fun" but it's still awesome and I'm sure it'll look great, nose or not.

I like it!!! :D

Tiki likes it! Keep carving and quit being such a critic!

Dan....you missed a chip!

Mahalo!

McTiki Dan's back at it in his yodeler's outfit.

I took off a lot of wood everywhere and eliminated the forehead design. We decided that having it raised looked like a second nose. So I'll carve it like the original - flat. Wendy

The Black socks are pure gold!

Your design shift is working out nicely.

Thank you Bora Boris, MadDogMike and McTiki.

I think I am done carving. Dan is going to sand it and we will stain it the color of the original. When it's done I'll post again. Now it's time for me to get back to all of my ceramic projects. Dan helps with those too.

I post my finished projects on the Gallery page as Wendy Cevola. I hope it won't be too long before I can put this tiki on that thread.

Here's what I did today.

Happy Halloween Everyone.

Cheers, Wendy and Dan

Excellent!
and a nice hat there,Dan!
Here's to many more carvings from you in the future,my dear!
will be thinking of you with a smile this upcoming Saturday....
:)

CONGRATS Wendy, Great job Sticking with it and finishing this guy up, Awesome job and it looks like dan gets a Super tiki.
How did it feel to figure out all the chisels and tools? I'm Proud of you..
:o

Hi Ben, thank you so much. The tools are just like the ones I use for clay only super sized. I did have to get used to the stringy fibers of the palm wood.
Dan will let me know next year when it's warm again if he wants the other side carved. It's a great feeling when you hit the mallet and the chisel moves and it's just right. All art is addictive. Now it's back to the clay. Hugs, Wendy

I just wanted to show that Dan also mops really well after we pour our molds! Wendy

Looks like good weather to still do things comfortable. Its so cold here that the garage is not a fun place to be.

Hi TeaKey, I just got around to looking here and found your note. It's still too cold here to finish my wood carving.

Question. This is palm wood. Can I sand and varnish the face? What kind of varnish?

This summer I want to finish him and maybe do another one on the other side.

Thanks, Wendy

Aloha Wendy, when will u start the next one?
Cool step by step