Tiki Central / Other Crafts

The Lurid low-brow Tiki-Art of Brad (tiki-shark) Parker

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TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Thu, Jul 7, 2011 3:07 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! zerostreet-Thanks! The fine tiki folks who commissioned that "Cat O' Nine Tails II" had limited space - (trans forming a 1950's air stream trailer into a mobile tiki bar!) so it was made to their requirements, and I"m glad they were extremely happy with how it came out. LLT _ Thanks Bud! Where would I be with out the encouragement from my mentor and friend? Thanks! So, I stepped out side the next morning and it was a glorious tropical day. Clear as a bell, not a wisp of nasty VOG. Amazing. Post card perfect Hawaiian day. And I discovered I had to repaint the sky about 5 shades lighter blue. Like I said, I'm so used painting sunsets, I'm a bit nervous about this bright blue sky, and how the light will all work. So far here's the tall tropical peaks and water falls.... More later...
S sirginn Member Sunset Cliffs , CA Joined: Oct 20, 2003 Posts: 296	S sirginn Posted posted on Fri, Jul 8, 2011 12:20 PM Looking good Brad!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Fri, Jul 8, 2011 3:30 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! sirgin~ THANKS! Your opinion means a lot on this one (of course!) Here's the blue sky, with a bit more work... ...On the distant shore. In the painting I have room to put in water falls and now, Moai looking out to sea.
T teaKEY Tiki Socialite The thumb ! Joined: Nov 09, 2004 Posts: 3687	T teaKEY Posted posted on Sat, Jul 9, 2011 12:46 PM Yeah, Sirginn is a big time art collector and knows the good stuff.
T teaKEY Tiki Socialite The thumb ! Joined: Nov 09, 2004 Posts: 3687	T teaKEY Posted posted on Sat, Jul 9, 2011 12:48 PM Yeah, Sirginn is a big time art collector and knows the good stuff.
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 4:39 PM Aloha tiki Tribe! teaKEY-so I hear! (I know he has the original of one of my most asked for pieces.) So, here is the sky. Hours and hours of semi-transparent layers of acrylic to get smooth soft and fluffy looking clouds. A closer look. It was a challenge since I have gone through most of my tiki paintings with sun set back grounds, painting a day sky was a new learning step. Now to paint palm trees and cover most of it up!
T teaKEY Tiki Socialite The thumb ! Joined: Nov 09, 2004 Posts: 3687	T teaKEY Posted posted on Thu, Jul 14, 2011 7:18 AM I see a Seahorse in them clouds. You made the right choices with that sky.
Z zerostreet Tiki Socialite http://www.zerostreet.com Joined: Feb 06, 2010 Posts: 2411	Z zerostreet Posted posted on Thu, Jul 14, 2011 7:49 AM Awesome work on those clouds Brad! I can already feel the ocean mist meeting the sky!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Thu, Jul 14, 2011 2:54 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! teaKEY - Thanks! Cloud watching is one of my favorite pass times, and it's nice to know I got some of that "cloud-shape-ness" into the piece. zerostreet - Mahalo! It took a while, but I got a nice smooth transitions. Now to see what happens when the wave froth in placed in front of it! The palm trees have been roughed in mostly. Here's a closer look. More to come!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Thu, Jul 21, 2011 6:34 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! Here's where it's at now... Mountains a step closer to being finished. Laters!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Fri, Jul 22, 2011 11:51 PM aloha! so far... trees a bit more done...
Z zerostreet Tiki Socialite http://www.zerostreet.com Joined: Feb 06, 2010 Posts: 2411	Z zerostreet Posted posted on Sat, Jul 23, 2011 6:34 AM The work on the foliage is awesome Brad! Loving this one!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Thu, Aug 11, 2011 10:21 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! Thanks zerostreet - Here is where it is now... Big happenings here on the Big Island. This week end is the 2nd Mai Tai contest at the Royal Kona. Judges this year include Beach bum Berry and Mac Fleetwood! dig it! And they put up a bunch of my full sized giclee on canvases in the lobby - really decked out the place with tiki art. They did the same last year, and I'm honored they wanted me back.
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Sun, Aug 14, 2011 11:03 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe... Mai Tai Festival was loads of fun! Here's me doing a touch up on a giclee at our booth... We sold all kinds of swag, towels and calendars, and even Stephen Grogan (author of "Captain Cooked"), came over from Vegas and signed his book at our booth. Why is his arm in a sliing? Just the day before he was checking on the location of one of the clues in the treasure hunt in "Captain Cooked" and took a spill tracking through a Lava Tube! (Ouch! Make that one Mai Tai and one Pain Killer please...) After the Mai Tai contest we hit Okolemaluna for the after hours party, and said congrats to Brice for winning the "Peoples Choice" Tiki Trophy for best Mai Tai! Hooray! ....also this week end I did a gig at the Wyland Ocean Front Gallery...painting in public is always interesting... Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker [email protected] http://www.tikishark.com http://www.wylandbigisland.com/ http://www.facebook.com/bradtikisharkparker http://www.cocktailnation.net [ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2011-08-14 23:09 ]
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Wed, Aug 17, 2011 3:36 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! Here's the latest. I got some fore ground in, and re-worked the tiki head. Still roughing out the right shape to the shark. Feeling better about the piece, I had a rough patch of artist block, but now seem to have worked through it. More later...
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Thu, Aug 18, 2011 2:59 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! Here's the next step... I have the basic bg color down on the Tiger Shark... next to paint on it's stripes. Yes, I'm saving the tiki for the last!
Z zerostreet Tiki Socialite http://www.zerostreet.com Joined: Feb 06, 2010 Posts: 2411	Z zerostreet Posted posted on Thu, Aug 18, 2011 4:53 PM Nice!!! I had no clue that shark would go that color. Love it.
T tigertail777 Member Oregon Joined: Nov 25, 2004 Posts: 679	T tigertail777 Posted posted on Thu, Aug 18, 2011 7:38 PM I like the tan brown tone a lot better on the shark. Awesome stuff. Do you always paint a under layer of black and white, or is this a new technique for you? I don't think I noticed it in the other paintings in progress?
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Fri, Aug 19, 2011 1:11 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! zerostreet -Yes, I wanted the "Tiger" shark to be a real tiger color, so it would stand out from the cool blue and green back ground. tigertail777 - Yeah, sort of. I'm trying to learn the technique of under painting and then laying on semi transparent layers of color to tint it. A bit tricky, and I usually end up just re-painting things till they look right. Some more of the shark painted in.... more to come...
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Fri, Aug 19, 2011 11:15 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! Click on this link.... http://leejosephpublicity.com/show/laluz25 This link will take you to a list of artists who are in the 25th anniversary show of "La Luz de Jesus" Gallery, in Hollywood. If you scroll down and hunt around, you'll find my name in there. I'm really excited to be in a show with so many of the biggest names in the pop surrealism / Low Brow Art movement of today. A huge thrill... and yeah, of course, I painted a TIKI to represent our particular exotica flavor of the current hipster cultural art scene. (Here's my entry into the show.) The show's opening night is October 7th, and the show hangs through November. Good time to go down to Hollywood Blvd & Sunset and check out the cutting edge of the west coast art world! ALOHA!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Sat, Aug 20, 2011 3:06 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! Here's abit more work on the Tiger Shark... almost got it looking like I want it... a bit more, the on to the TIKI!
LLT little lost tiki Tiki Socialite Orange,CA-right near the Circle! Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 7763	LLT little lost tiki Posted posted on Sun, Aug 21, 2011 12:08 PM HOLY SH**T! Brad-this one is goin AWF! So great you were able to mingle and spread the TikiShark vibe to even more peeps! this new one is gonna another masterwork.... i can feel it! can you feel it? Aloha Brother missed you at oasis...
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Mon, Aug 22, 2011 6:32 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! LLT~ Thanks Buddy! I hope so, I had to work through a bit of artist block on this one, so it really helps to hear it's starting to come together better. Still saving the Tiki for last.... like desert, the most fun for the end ya know....let's hope I can make him one of the best ever... Here we are so far. The Tiger Shark is coming along... almost done...working on making him look wet, then the splashing wave ...then the TIKI! More to come.
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Wed, Aug 24, 2011 1:54 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! Here's it so far... a closer look... more to come... [ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2011-08-24 13:58 ]
W WestADad Tiki Socialite Tornado Alley Joined: Mar 31, 2009 Posts: 747	W WestADad Posted posted on Wed, Aug 24, 2011 2:12 PM That is wicked cool Brad! Chris WestADad
RH Robb Hamel Member Ohio Joined: Mar 07, 2008 Posts: 1013	RH Robb Hamel Posted posted on Wed, Aug 24, 2011 2:47 PM I'm diggin' the hypersurrealism - mind-opening design, cool colors, and nice brushwork to boot. I sure like the direction you're headed, Brad.
SF Swamp Fire Member Long Beach, CA Joined: Jul 31, 2003 Posts: 1203	SF Swamp Fire Posted posted on Wed, Aug 24, 2011 3:14 PM Lovin' this new piece Brad!
S sirginn Member Sunset Cliffs , CA Joined: Oct 20, 2003 Posts: 296	S sirginn Posted posted on Wed, Aug 24, 2011 7:59 PM Looking great Brad.
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Fri, Aug 26, 2011 8:44 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! Thanks so much everyone! After a day or so away (on Maui) I came back and could see what was bothering me a bout the shark - one late night of re-painting later we have this... More to come... but almost done...
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 4:03 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! Here's the painting almost at the end. I got the tiki and a few details here and there, and I'd like a doo-dad in the right fore ground.
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Thu, Sep 1, 2011 3:27 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! Here's "Tiger Shark Surfing" so far... looks about done. The tiki head is still just roughed in- I saved the most fun for last. I want to put some wood texture on the tiki, and some tropical flora in the fore ground. This painting is for an art show at an LA art gallery next July. So, I have from now till then to create 12 to 19 new pieces to fill some large blank wall space. So, back to work... ALOHA!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Fri, Sep 9, 2011 3:52 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! There, now some ginger in the foreground to balance it out and frame it a bit, and it's done! Thanks for watching. B~
Z zerostreet Tiki Socialite http://www.zerostreet.com Joined: Feb 06, 2010 Posts: 2411	Z zerostreet Posted posted on Fri, Sep 9, 2011 6:29 PM Love it! Awesome work!
M MauiTiki Member A rock in the middle of the Ocean Joined: Jan 20, 2003 Posts: 716	M MauiTiki Posted posted on Fri, Sep 9, 2011 9:21 PM Amazing, Came out great!
LLT little lost tiki Tiki Socialite Orange,CA-right near the Circle! Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 7763	LLT little lost tiki Posted posted on Sat, Sep 10, 2011 3:22 AM STUNNING,Brad! the textures in this one and the lighting and the color you're finally nailing them all PERFECTLY! Applause! Applause! now just 11 more to go! :)
S sirginn Member Sunset Cliffs , CA Joined: Oct 20, 2003 Posts: 296	S sirginn Posted posted on Sat, Sep 10, 2011 9:52 AM It looks great Brad, my favorite of yours in a long time. The gingers are a nice touch and really "pop", I think it was a nice change from the plumerias in the ink study. Looking forward to see what you come up with next.
LLT little lost tiki Tiki Socialite Orange,CA-right near the Circle! Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 7763	LLT little lost tiki Posted posted on Sat, Sep 10, 2011 11:23 AM i know it's a lot to ask especially after you've put so much time and effort into this and probably just want to recover BUT...... I've been dying to see some detail shots... especially the background! So...when you get some time... could you make this artist friend of yours a happy man? pleeeeez? :)
G GROG Grand Member (1 year) Tujunga Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 7553	G GROG Posted posted on Sat, Sep 10, 2011 11:37 AM Here ya go LLT. GROG miss Tiki-Kate [ Edited by: GROG 2011-09-10 11:42 ]
LLT little lost tiki Tiki Socialite Orange,CA-right near the Circle! Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 7763	LLT little lost tiki Posted posted on Sat, Sep 10, 2011 12:28 PM i didn't realize Brad painted with pixels! fascinating.....
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Sun, Sep 11, 2011 9:25 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! Thanks everyone... oops sorry LLT here's some more closer up shots and stuff... "Tiger Shark Surfing" 24" x 30" Acrylic on Canvas Detail: the mountains of madness! Detail: Surfing tiki! Detail: Happy looking Tiger Shark "Ya know, while I was painting this there was a beach closing on the big island due to sightings of a 15' tiger shark cruising the coastal beaches! ... and me and my buddy found an open beach that week end and went in, just to be crazy and say we did! Detail: extreme pop surreal water drops... Thanks every one, and especially a BIG big mahalo to the art patron who has purchased this piece already, (only seeing it on line,... and will wait for delivery until AFTER next July, when it will be part of my show at "La Luz de Jesus Gallery") ALOHA !
LLT little lost tiki Tiki Socialite Orange,CA-right near the Circle! Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 7763	LLT little lost tiki Posted posted on Sun, Sep 11, 2011 9:29 PM MAHALO BRAD! Incredible! Mountains of madness indeed! the droplets and the wood grain are spot-ON! laluz worthy!!! :)
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Sun, Sep 11, 2011 9:34 PM ALOHA TIKI TRIBE! Now, since I'm getting ready for an art show at the swanky "La Luz de Jesus Gallery" next July, I gotta paint at about twice my normal speed to create enough work to fill all that blank wall space in their gallery. (yes, I'm terrified and excited all at once) So, on to the next piece... 24" x 30" acrylic on canvas working title is "Hula Baby" I got this idea after I was hunting through the used book and dvd store in Kona.... I scored and found a great box set of the 1933-1938 Popeye cartoons from the Max Fleischer animation studio! One of the episodes had Betty Boop doing a Hula! I was hooked! Cross tween Betty Boop and my goth squid girl... Strange tropical flying beasties... Much more to come...
LLT little lost tiki Tiki Socialite Orange,CA-right near the Circle! Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 7763	LLT little lost tiki Posted posted on Mon, Sep 12, 2011 12:57 AM this one's gonna be BEYOND AWESOME! even the sepia underpainting is genius! Can't even imagine how it's gonna look one you breathe some life into it! Being raised on Max F this one strikes a major chord! YAY MAX! YAY Brad!
T tigertail777 Member Oregon Joined: Nov 25, 2004 Posts: 679	T tigertail777 Posted posted on Mon, Sep 12, 2011 4:44 AM Oh this is going to be incredible! Did you know the cartoon you based this off of: "Betty Boop's Bamboo Isle (1932)" was one of the main cartoons that caused the Hayes office to force the Fleischers to make Betty less "sexy" and start censoring theirs and other studios cartoons? Mainly because when she is doing the hula you can very briefly see her breasts a few times. The Fleischers were none too happy with the pressure for censorship, which is probably why only a year later they had her reprise the exact same role when she meets Popeye: just to cheese off the censors at the Hayes office. Here is that portion of the animation from Bamboo Isle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWUxx2GUgyU Here is the full Bamboo Isle cartoon with a unique live action intro by the Royal Samoans. The usual mind blowingly bizarre and surreal Fleischer stuff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxiY-NeXzCI And when she meets Popeye and does the Hula again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_bU7ZjKd90 Not much by today's standards, but for the 1930's, pretty heady stuff. Of course the general public back then didn't have the mentality that just because it is animated it should be for kids like many do now. Can't wait to see the progression on this one-- it is going to ROCK! Great choice of subject matter!
T TikiFool Member Connecticut, U.S.A. Joined: Apr 09, 2007 Posts: 29	T TikiFool Posted posted on Mon, Sep 12, 2011 8:14 AM Your conception for Hula Baby is exquisite, Mr. Parker.
Z zerostreet Tiki Socialite http://www.zerostreet.com Joined: Feb 06, 2010 Posts: 2411	Z zerostreet Posted posted on Mon, Sep 12, 2011 8:31 AM Great detail on the Surfer! Thanks for posting that! And I'm loving everything about Hula Baby!
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Mon, Sep 12, 2011 4:21 PM tigertail777- Very interesting! Love hearing about the history of our sub culture obsession. Thanks! Here's Miss Boop from the cartoon in question. I was quite taken with the fact she is topless (except for only a flower lei). [ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2011-09-12 16:49 ]
TSA Tiki Shark Art Member Joined: Aug 31, 2006 Posts: 3978	TSA Tiki Shark Art Posted posted on Wed, Sep 14, 2011 6:54 PM Aloha Tiki Tribe! OK, now it's getting to the messy stage. It all looks rough and unfinished. I cringe posting the paintings in this awful state. But I know it's fun to see other artist's do this... sometimes it's the best part : see how problems are worked out, so I gotta play along. And it's gotta Long ways to go, but I got things pretty much where they are going to be. You may notice I changed the doo-dads in the fore ground. These doo-dads seem to a important feature of pop surrealism that one sees in many paintings in this genre. Ryden has mysterious numerology and strange plants and animals in his bee-uteefull works. Williams has everything from hot rods and devils to corn-dogs and nude girls all over his masterful works. Schorr has huge canvases of nothing but seemingly hundreds of "doo-dads" and creatures. Anyways, this is what's going in this on... I thnk....so far.... More later!