My Very Own Disney Pele Tiki.

Aloha! I simply had to have my own Pele from the Enchanted Tiki Room. I knew Disney Security was smarter than me, so it took me a long time to figure out how to pull this off. When Big Lots put out their knockoff, I was able to forget all about it for a little while, but the size and the volcano hat was getting on my nerves and then she started tipping over and cracking and I got really tired of trying to fix the lousy thing. It took a couple years of researching viable methods and materials, and took a hundred pictures at the Polynesian Resort. I've been working on it off and on for over a year, but it's finally looking like something I would dare show to all of you talented people that frequent this site. I don't usually do this sort of stuff, I'm an electrician! This has been really difficult, and it makes me appreciate the super talented Mr. Rolly Crump more than ever. It also makes me appreciate the patience of my dear wife who has been putting up with a big mess. And here we go…

Foam!

A little less foam!

Less foam, more foam, and starting to experiment with the goop.

Less foam, more foam, more goop, and experimenting with paint. Those birds are a pain! Don't attempt to do this sober, but don't drink very much either.

And this brings us to where I'm at. She needs ears and a lot more detail work, and at least another whole day of dry brush work. As you can see I did have to make certain adjustments due to limitations of materials, limitations of talent, and she's way bulky on the bottom so she can stand up on her own without being welded to rebar inside a concrete base.

I am eager to see what comments, suggestions, or questions any of you might have. Mahalo!
-Aloyzius

Very nice !!!

Whoa! Very impressive. :)

Wonderful. Thank you for the step by step photos. Wendy

Awesome!

So... who's next after Pele? ;)

Welcome to TC, great project!
What did you coat the foam with? I love working with Styrofoam (but it is a bit messy!) I have coated it with commercial foam coating, Monster Mud, Concrete, and most recently paper mache and urethane.

Wow what a great first post. Welcome to TC and you did a great job!!!

Thanks, guys. I will post some more pictures when she's finished. I have messed with foam a few times before making some masks and things, but nothing to this scale, and nothing requiring such texture. In the past I've experimented with paper mâché, tool dip, monster mud (what a mess), bondo (don't bother), polymer clay with a heat gun (ugh). I wanted this to be in my yard so I didn't mess around this time. I bought the same epoxy putty used by the pros. It's expensive but worth it. I used Smooth On Free Form Earth, which I loved, and Free Form Habitat which I hated. Earth was almost clay like. Habitat is like nasty half melted taffy that sticks to everything, except what you want it to. Both have about an hour working time, they say, but I felt it was shorter. So I mixed small batches and smoothed sections together adding texture each time. On something this size it takes forever, but so worth it.

And next? Well, I won't do any members of Pele's family any time soon. It is painstaking trying to copy someone else's work and do it so it looks right. I took a few liberties, but my next project will be totally different, and from my own imagination. Maybe not even a tiki. Maybe something simpler like a monkey in a fez with a catapult arm who can throw beer cans at neighbors and predict the weather.

I'm rooting for the monkey with the Fez with the sling shot arm. Take process pictures along the way if you can. Have fun.

That is amazing work - well done!

Fantastic! I'm wanting to build a Moai for my backyard. Maybe this is the way to go.....

Lori, I think there's way simpler ways to do a Moai. They are a basic shape without a lot of detail, so you can probably bang one out in a day or two. I took three one gallon plant buckets that were going in the trash and wired them together. I bought some wire mesh at a hardware store and trimmed it in places to get the basic shape. I tied some more mesh pieces on to make the protruding forehead and nose. Then I used a hypertufa mix to cover the whole thing. There are many recipes for hypertufa online. Mine was something like Portland cement, sand, and peat moss with an acrylic binder and just enough water to make it like a heavy dough. It's like making mud pies, and you just pack it on your frame. Eventually the little clumps of moss rot out leaving pits, looking like natural rock. This is far easier and cheaper than the method I used on Pele. Just last week, I thought I would put some fake granite spray paint on it, just for fun, but it looked pretty neat before. I will dig around and see if I can find pictures I took through the whole process. But here's how my Moai looks right now. I hope this helps. Have fun.

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Ha! I just noticed I never did get around to making the ears.

Awesome Pele!

wow!!!! very cool!!! I gotta make me one of those too!!!

Came out lookin great you should put some kinds a fiber glass or bondo over it so it could last ...... Not forever but way longer

Came out lookin great you should put some kinds a fiber glass or bondo over it so it could last ...... Not forever but way longer