Zerostreet's Tiki Art!

LONO AND THE KING
10.5 x 16
Acrylic on wood

Even though I swore to myself I wouldn't stop working on Tiki related paintings till Hukilau, my muse got the better of me (as usual).

I recently discovered a new podcast that is done in the style of old time radio called THE THRILLING ADVENTURE HOUR. It's a very funny podcast which consists of several serialized shows, all of which are good, but one in particular has delighted me, and that is Sparks Nevada Marshall on Mars. I listened to all available episodes and now am relegated to waiting a month for each 20 minute episode. So, I was overcome with the urge to paint Sparks and his Martian companion Croach The Tracker.

Anyway I mention it because I know there are a few here who are into pulp art and may really enjoy this podcast and may also want to see my painting of Sparks Nevada. You can find info on the show here:

http://thrillingadventurehour.com/

And see my painting (almost done) here:

http://www.zerostreet.net/the-thrilling-adventure-hour-sparks-nevada/

R.

Robert,

Mahalo for the pointer to "The Thrilling Adventure Hour" podcasts... I'm an avid fan of old time radio shows and their more contemporary recreations. When American Movie Classics ended their Remember WENN series, I was inconsolable. Really nice work on "Sparks Nevada" in progress.

I finally got around to framing the mini art print you sent, "Moonlight on Ku." Photos at the Blowfish Bar are posted here.

-Tom

On 2012-02-04 06:05, TikiTomD wrote:
Robert,

Mahalo for the pointer to "The Thrilling Adventure Hour" podcasts... I'm an avid fan of old time radio shows and their more contemporary recreations. When American Movie Classics ended their Remember WENN series, I was inconsolable. Really nice work on "Sparks Nevada" in progress.

I finally got around to framing the mini art print you sent, "Moonlight on Ku." Photos at the Blowfish Bar are posted here.

-Tom

Thanks Tom! I don't have a huge knowledge of old time radio outside of Abbott & Costello, The Shadow and You Bet Your Life. Odd how these things make me feel nostalgic for a time I was around for! :D Same thing with Woody Allen's Radio Days.

I hope you give Sparks a few listen's. The show has been performed since 2005 I believe, but the podcasts only started being recorded about 2 years ago. So the first few episodes give you the feeling you're missing something...but the humor of the characters win out. In the Thrilling Adventure podcasts look for something called THIS AMERICAN WIFE which is a NPR parody/humorous interview with the characters designed to help you "catch up".

Also very good is Beyond Belief (from the same production) It's a Thin Man styled show. 2 married booze hounds solving paranormal mysteries....very funny!

Finished up my Sparks Nevada painting. I'm really happy with this piece. The folks over at The Thrilling Adventure Hour loved it and have asked for a hi res file of it for their website! The finished piece plus the faux pulp cover I did for it is over at http://www.zerostreet.com

I also created an author's page over at Goodreads. If any of you who purchased the book are members there, I'd love for you to add me and give a quick review (there or over at Amazon).

http://www.goodreads.com/zerostreet

Started a new cigar box painting and may even go ahead and start the Tarzan painting I'd been thinking about! Stay tuned!

R.

Started this new cigar box painting last night. I was going through my sketches, looking for my next painting, came across my Tarzan sketch that was posted here a few weeks ago. Definitely will be starting that soon, but I felt like tackling something else, looked through a few other sketches and then Sven's book and upon seeing the Mai Kai's mystery girl I knew that'd be it. Searched around for some other pics and found one I felt was right to base my painting on....so here are some pics and stay tuned!

She's going to be beautiful. I already love the lighting (though I know it may change directions several times before it's finished :) )

On 2012-02-07 18:58, MadDogMike wrote:
I already love the lighting (though I know it may change directions several times before it's finished :) )

That's true, MDM. Zero is sneaky. This time tomorrow and the bikini-clad Mystery Girl may be Larry from the Three Stooges playing bongos underwater. The weird thing is that he'd still make it work.

Coarse ribaldry aside, Robert, this one looks like it's going to be great.

Dan loves curly but he likes girls better. Either way this is going to be great! Wendy

Thanks Wendy!

Mike and Greg, what you two don't seem to understand is that all those changes you joke about are just further proof of my great lack of planning! :D

Robert, maybe I mentioned it before but Michael's crafts sells boxes in the shape of books that would be cool for a pulp fiction book cover. Since I can't paint, I printed this image and decoupaged it to the box

On 2012-02-08 13:08, MadDogMike wrote:
Robert, maybe I mentioned it before but Michael's crafts sells boxes in the shape of books that would be cool for a pulp fiction book cover. Since I can't paint, I printed this image and decoupaged it to the box

Yeah I believe you mentioned this before. You know just yesterday I was mentioning to a friend that my recent Sparks Nevada cover made me feel like doing some faux Tiki pulp covers....this would be a cool idea, the only issue I see is the text would have to be done by hand, and I ain't no Sam Gambino! Of course I could always do what you did with a photoshop'ed print of the painting!

Moving along...adding some Mai Kai features.

Ah, this looks like it is going to be fab.

Zero if you wanted to do the Tiki Pulp, you could find a font you like and fit it to size in a dummy in photoshop. Then Print out the lettering and get some carbon paper and trace it onto the painting. Then just fill in with paint. I did a similar method for the front of my puffa rice parody cereal box; I created one set of letters based on the original, lifting out the real letters when possible, and faking the others not present. Then I traced it onto the painting. It's pretty easy and there are lots of free fonts out there with a pulp style feel.

Thanks hiltiki and Tigertail! Good idea for doing the cover text, thanks!

Here's tonight's update:

Did you talk the missus into posing for you or are you just able to see her in you mind's eye and paint her?

I always enjoy the play-by-play. It's fun to watch it all taking shape. If she turns out to be a chimp I'm probably going to need counseling.

More counseling than already, I mean.

Mike is trying to get me in trouble and Greg has given me a great idea! (But I really shouldn't make her a chimp....)

Have a heart, Robert: I can't buy art and afford therapy at the same time.

Robert, framed images of “Summoning” are here.

The “Mai-Kai Mystery Girl” in progress recalls the best of times at Hukilau 2011, when I was attended by a bevy of the Molokai Bar’s beauties. I kept wondering why they all hovered right in front of my seat at the bar. That mystery was rudely punctured when they shared the secret with my wife: there was a small heater behind the bar right in front of my position, and the girls in their limited attire were cold at the frosty temperature maintained in the bar area...

-Tom

On 2012-02-12 06:16, TikiTomD wrote:
Robert, framed images of “Summoning” are here.

The “Mai-Kai Mystery Girl” in progress recalls the best of times at Hukilau 2011, when I was attended by a bevy of the Molokai Bar’s beauties. I kept wondering why they all hovered right in front of my seat at the bar. That mystery was rudely punctured when they shared the secret with my wife: there was a small heater behind the bar right in front of my position, and the girls in their limited attire were cold at the frosty temperature maintained in the bar area...

-Tom

Ha! Funny! You know the wise thing would have been for you to take that heater home with you! :D

A little bit of progress tonight....more to soon!

That's HOT! (I'm talking about the bowl of course)

I really like where this painting is headed. She has a great sultry look about her.

Great job!

I like it. Great depth too. Wendy

Yeah Mike, that bowl is hot! DON'T touch it!

Thanks everyone for the comments...going in to change her right eye (our left) a bit...looks off. In the meantime I worked on this, a mixed media piece that will be in Harold Golen's Tiki show during Hukilau.

Reworking the face of the Mystery Girl!

It's always a good time watching you work out the details. She's going to be beautiful.

On 2012-02-20 19:50, Professor G wrote:
It's always a good time watching you work out the details. She's going to be beautiful.

Thanks Greg! Let's hope so! :D By the way you should be receiving something from me soon!

Here's tonight's progress. A couple of more days I think!

And Hey! Just realized I passed 100,000 views! Maybe I should tell my Mother to stop hitting refresh now? :P

Tiki Tower
The Art of Robert Jimenez
http://www.tikitower.com

[ Edited by: zerostreet 2012-02-21 18:47 ]

Got it today, Zero, and, as always, it exceeded my expectations.

On 2012-02-21 19:49, Professor G wrote:
Got it today, Zero, and, as always, it exceeded my expectations.

Glad to hear!

Yet another redo on the Mystery Girl's face. Also trying to evoke a sense of the darkness that envelopes you when you walk in the Mai Kai...

Nice Zero! I really dig the play of light and shadow you have going on there! And of course it aint a mystery... the girl is hot. :wink:

On 2012-02-24 23:59, tigertail777 wrote:
Nice Zero! I really dig the play of light and shadow you have going on there! And of course it aint a mystery... the girl is hot. :wink:

Thanks Tigertail! Working hard on this one!

Here's tonight's progress.

I've been focused on the girl (who looks great) but I notice you've been working on the background too, lots of nice depth and lighting on the tiki.

She's very Tiki/Exotica, but she also has that smoky, pulp literature femme fatale mystique. It's coming out really nice, Robert.

On 2012-02-26 06:38, Professor G wrote:
She's very Tiki/Exotica, but she also has that smoky, pulp literature femme fatale mystique. It's coming out really nice, Robert.

Nice combo! Thanks Professor!

Still tweaking the face...

Done! Got to get it properly scanned...there's a bit too much green in this pic.

Now I think I'll tackle that Tarzan/Tiki idea I've been messing around with!

MAI KAI MYSTERY GIRL
7 x 9.5 inches
Acrylic on Cigar Box

Way cool

Very nice Robert, I had forgotten it was a cigar box.

Digging the Mystery Girl, hope to make the Mai Kai for a Mai Tai some day...

the background really catches the atmosphere and huge Space of the Mai-Kai!
Good job,man!
:)

Yep, it's as I suspected it would be: beautiful. Thanks for hanging in there on this one, Zero. She's lovely.

Nicely done. but - She should have been a monkey.

Thanks for the comments everyone....except maybe Tom! :D

By the way Tom, I'll be seeing you at the Swap Meet Saturday!

Now...onto Tarzan!

Robert,
Mystery Girl is gorgeous... Thanks again for walking us through your process... It is always so inspiring
Looks like you've been busy... I like it when you are busy! Great stuff, my friend.

Peace.

On 2012-02-29 18:38, TikiDaye wrote:
Robert,
Mystery Girl is gorgeous... Thanks again for walking us through your process... It is always so inspiring
Looks like you've been busy... I like it when you are busy! Great stuff, my friend.

Peace.

Thanks so much TikiDaye! I always enjoy seeing the process of artists' work myself. Other than sharing, the great thing for me is once I upload and look at the post the work looks so different to me that when I am hovering over it painting. That different perspective helps push the work in a better direction I believe.

Anyway thanks again! Hope you're enjoying the Tikilandia book!

In the very early stages of a Tarzan/Tiki painting. Still not quite sure what type of Tiki to paint. I'm leaning strongly towards a Maori Tiki. I know Tarzan resides in Africa....but he did travel to Baltimore so maybe he went by way of New Zealand! :D