Badd Tiki's Tiki Ceramics

I figured I'd start a new thread, my old thread had a bit of non-tiki stuff creeping in.

So this one will be tiki only. And most likely ceramics only as that's what I'm doing with my free time these days.

Funny I got the ceramics bugs from looking at all the cool mugs and wanting to make some then got somewhat sidetracked into throwing and just all kinds of ideas for other stuff.

But a few weeks ago I got a strong urge to make a mug.

This was my first 'sculpture' piece. I started with a big wad of clay and started carving away. Then I cut him in half, hollowed him out and put him back together. Unfortunately as careful as I was drying slowy he started to split apart at the base.

So I pulled him apart again, rehydrated for a few days, cut the base out (I think the two base chunks of clay had too much pull apart when drying), put him on a slab base, then used sodium silicate in my slip to 'glue' him together (aka 'magic water').

He's been wrapped in plastic and drying for over a week now, and the studio is closed for the holidays so I'm hoping to have him ready to fire at the beginning of Jan.

He's a red stoneware, I'll glaze in clear which should give him a decent granite grey finish with some iron spotting. (probably rub a little stain in for contrast too).

He's 8 inches tall wet, probably 7.5 after firing. I'm thinking he might hold about 16 oz.

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2012-12-22 11:33 ]

GROG like.

Ditto, Grog.

Very cool, love the exaggerated features.

He has a real personality. Good job, Wendy

Thanks everyone, can't wait to start on another

Awesome facial bones

Unfortunately the Moai is going south fast, and I'm not talking south pacific. The crack came back... Not sure what to do with him now, slip cast at some point might be a way to go...

Anyway, my South Seas Art Swap piece is drying and ready for bisque:

Your Moai looks ready to mold. You should go for it. Just remember MOLD SOAP! Wendy

I love that Moai. It was bugging me because it reminded me of someone. Then I realized I was thinking of Rondo Hatton.

Nice take on the Moai.

haha funny Tabu :D

Well, my swap piece for the sea creatures swap came out of the kiln with some heavy dooty cracks. It's still one piece and pretty strong, just visually diminished.

Nice! Shame about the cracks. I'm no potter though, so have no idea how to avoid them. If I were I'd be called Kiln, not Canvas (lol).

thanks,

well there are a few possible reasons.

#1 guess: the large flat surface area on the shelf caused a lot of tension as the piece shrank (10% or so).

#2 : 2 slabs stuck together, both different shapes (one flat with raised square, one bowl shaped) stuck together at the edges. Wanting to shrink at different rates/pulling apart, etc..

Of course there was always concern about something happening (as with every single piece that you fire)but I didn't think it would be that bad. it's really my first piece like that.

Future fixes???
Maybe resting it on a bunch of clay marbles or rollers?
Maybe building a small wall between them (more like a box than 2 pancakes squished together)the walls could flex/bend a bit.

Chalk it up to learning experience and be grateful that Tiki Central is such a cool and forgiving place :)

Been awhile since i've done tiki specific stuff, but got this out of the kiln today. Just a little jar, about 5 inches tall. Thrown and carved.

And something that MIGHT fit in...

A skeleton candle lantern

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-06-17 15:50 ]

Wow! Both those pieces are really cool!

I don't care if the skeleton candle holder is Tiki, it's wicked cool! How about a picture of it lit up in the dark?

It is a real shame that your swap piece cracked ... It was a cool design ... The last images are great ... I know how hard carving clay can be and the pierced one is amazing ....

Badd ask
Lookin sweet

What ever became of your moai?

Thanks everyone.

@MDM, yeah I'll try and get a lit up shot, need to grab a candle first :)

@Hale, it's still sitting on a shelf. Afraid to bisque, it'll probably crack bad. Haven't done slip casting so I'm not sure, I assume it needs bisqued. If so I may just bisque it, try to patch with something (maybe paper clay?) and eventually get a mold made at least. I'd like to be able to use him.

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-06-18 08:59 ]

GROG hope you can do something with him. Him neat-looking Moai.

Great stuff!

Love the skeleton candle holder! Mahalo for sharing your work!

Henrik "VanTiki"

Thanks everyone.

@VanTiki, you making me blush :) You were actually a huge inspiration to start working with clay... it's just taken me awhile to start doing some tiki stuff. Too many distractions.

Got another WIP jar though. This guys about 9 inches tall, 6 around. Just drying out... His head (the crown at least) lifts off so you can stash your skulls inside :)

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-06-25 21:37 ]

Badd, killer job all around. Completely blown away by the latest jar. Thanks for posting.

Beautiful, love that layered look on the back - very nice technique.

The last three pieces are great. Nice work.

Awesome

You need to make a mold of this guy. He's Badd-ass!

[ Edited by: GROG 2013-06-26 09:21 ]

On 2013-06-25 22:04, MadDogMike wrote:
love that layered look on the back - very nice technique.

GROG 2nd that.

HOT DAMN that is one FANTASTIC mug! Love it! You have some serious clay skills!

Henrik "VanTiki"

What Grog said

Both times...

Exactly what GROG said!

:D

Carved this jar a few days ago... threw a set of four tumblers to start carvin tommorrow

TikiZilla Terrorizes the Town

Stoneware, thrown and carved, about 9 inches tall.

(still has a few boogies that need cleaned up but I'll do that before bisque)

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-07-22 13:52 ]

Very cool, stylish work Badd Tiki!

You're going to have to change your name to Goodd Tiki.

Just what GROG said! Wendy

Very cool! I see a fine line, is that the removable top?

:D thnx, yup that line is the lid. Doesn't seem as clean as some of the others, but it'll probably settle in the high fire.

( I have a cigar store indian jar fresh up on my deviant art page too, won't post here -not tiki- but from a similar vein of Americana I think)

Deviant Art Page
http://j-knez.deviantart.com/

Etsy Shop - custom ceramics
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnezCeramics

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-07-22 14:56 ]

Those are some righteous Art skills, right there!

Those carved jars are crazy awesome!!

Something new to share...

A set of 4 thrown and carved mugs. Drying out right now for a bisque.

left to right

'Momma Moari' (Big Moari on front and 3 babies on back with a little bit of tapa), 'Moai Mug Moai Grog' (2 Moai facing each other and a couple in a scene on back), and 'King Ku Kup' (oh yikes, 3 K's). The forth isn't pictured but but it's more of a Kanoloa style head with palm trees in the back.

They are about 5 inches tall and 4 inches round (good fistful)

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-07-29 15:03 ]

Killer work... continues. Agree w/ what Grog said a while back...

Love the thrown pieces, your other carved mugs are awesome. And then some.

Muy awesome. GROG like.

Wow! Nice work!

Thanks :wink:

Well, Tiki Cannibal finally made it out of the fire... Just in time for the Clay Guild Show too! He was cooling off on the pedestal :D

Unfortunately he's a trouble maker. Got a crack in the bottom that went all the way through along the wall. Probably too much clay and not enough compression, gonna have to watch that in the future.
The lid also warped, I think that was due to the addition of the 'mohawk'. It definitely warped and is a bit crooked. I think that pulled the lid out of shape. Just enough to lock the lid on. It was freely moving but I couldn't get it off.

But, a bit of work with the dremel got it off. Luckily that work isn't very noticeable. The lid still has a bit of a trick to get it on and off but it does come off. He came out about 7 inches tall.

Didn't really want to part with him so I put a price tag of $250 on it. I don't think we have very many tikiphiles in the area anyway so I think he's safe :D

excuse the horrible lighting...

the orbide glaze is actually lighter green and has a bit of lighter blue and some light red blushing in it, really dark in this pic.

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2013-08-01 11:29 ]