Carvings from Frog Island Tikis

You certainly have a unique style Cy, much different to the other carvers on this forum. 'Jack' is pretty cool but i'm really digging 'Nightlight'.

Thanks swizz, I'm not sure where my style comes from, a mixture of all sorts I reckon. I really enjoy carving the mahogany of Nightlight and also the darker color of it, to bad it does not grow here in Oregon.

I love the butt. Wendy

The beautiful Oregon weather this week made it possible to get a coat of paint on "Dewey", a 3 foot tall piece of cedar.

Wendy I'm hoping this guy's rear view isn't too bad either.

U be fast bruddah

Nice piece.
Blue's my fave.
You get super extra credit for that headdress.

Dewey rocks.

Dewey Cox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXdrDNGte1E

That is comedy skip, did not anticipate "Dewey" would get that much run. Thanks H10 and Hil, Will I worked hard to get portions of this guy blue, my last three attempts turned out more greenish in appearance. One last clear coat and a glamour shot in the creek.

[ Edited by: cy 2016-04-11 08:36 ]

Great Tiki
Nice backdrop too Bruddah

Another interesting piece CY. That blue is a great touch. I like it.

"That is comedy skip"

That tiki is no joke.

To kina Quote the movie The Dewey Cox Story.
"Carve hard CY"

Dewey Cox - Walk Hard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad6XX6GI1JM

Hey Cy, I'm lovin Nightlife, Jack and Dewey! Can't wait to see what that nightlight shade is going to look like finished. So on Dewey, is that blue a paint or a stain?

Thanks for the cool comments H10 and swizz, skip that portion of the clip about can't get a hangover, non addictive, cheap and makes sex better is cinema gold. I have not seen that movie but will check it out. Big T here is the shade finished. I folded and cut watercolor paper, then thinned some Elmers glue and brushed it over the entire thing, adding a textured paper over the top. Next I varnished a red on to the whole thing and smashed flat, bent and soldered some 6 gauge copper wire for the frame. I use Trans Tint dyes for the coloring on all my tikis as it mixes with oil or water based paints and it is transparent so you see the wood grain. The blue on "Dewey" was added to Minwax spar urethane and took four coats to get it to pop. Another three coats of clear sealed the deal.

thanks for the technical details cy. much appreciated!!

I do not know where I am going but as Laz sez "Practice makes Progress"
This is a couple of bass wood carvings that I am combining and calling it "Captain Fritz" after that German mummy looking dude they found adrift near the Philippines. He will be painted grey.

"Gretsch" will have tikis on the neck and body.

Willcarve hipped me to adding darker paints to the deeper sections, so a lot of my time this week was spent doing just that.

[ Edited by: cy 2016-04-17 17:25 ]

Great collection of new Tikis! I like the hanging guy in the frame

I also like those sticks to the right, any chance at some point you can put some close ups of those, thanks.

[ Edited by: hiltiki 2016-04-18 09:43 ]

[ Edited by: hiltiki 2016-04-18 09:43 ]

"Willcarve hipped me to adding darker paints to the deeper sections"

We have drained many beers contemplating this very subject. Does adding a "patina" add to a carving? or does it just make it looked all crapped up? Most carvers believe that burning is a traditional way of adding depth to a carving. I feel that painting a patina adds more than just burning - a patina adds depth to places that you would not expect and gives you a better way to control the look you want. Burning is nice but you often have to include paint to cover up areas that the flame can not reach.

Much about cool work going on the Frog Island Cy! I agree with the Aloha Station-master painting in deeper sections plus with the paint you can control feathering the effect much easier.....at least thats been my experience.

Muchas Gracias MDM, and thanks for the interest in the sticks Hiltiki. They are commissioned pieces brought back from Kauai of unknown species. I just tried to follow the way they bent and will be doing more in the future as they are fun and relatively quick for a carving.



I would like to hang out with you Aloha, Will and Keylo, too bad we are on different coasts. I have never had a hankering to burn one of my tikis as I would be sure to level my garage so I stick with the painting. After the piece is completely painted I go back in and brush a darker color into the crevices, then wipe the excess almost immediately, brush in right hand, rag in left and get the feathered look that blends everything. I use dark browns, blues, greens, grays... you only get black when you torch it. This pic shows you the difference between painted and unpainted.

That magic blackining treatment as I call it
makes em pop.
I mix black latex with the faux finish stuff
& that holds the length of time you have to wipe it off open longer.
First I seal the wood with poly or lacquer.
Then I brush it on thick & wipe it off of where I
don't want it.
I find the more pristine the finish,
like natural hard wood shiny with poly
the more it makes it just look dirty.
Palm or pine or palm fronds work better for me.
It works real good on the cement guys
I'm doing.

I will be packing the SS Minnow for the cruise to Caliente in a week and a half, here is the crew.

Hope to see some of you there!

That's a great lookin' crew cy! See ya in at TiKi Caliente.

Great stuff.
Wish I was in that picture.

Thanks Skoo, looking forward to seeing you soon, Willy it is beautiful this time of year in Oregon, the rhodys are in full bloom on Frog Island, come visit!

I had a great time at this year's Caliente, thanks to Wildsville Man and all that make it happen! I sold enough to break even so that makes me happy and got to have SkooTiki as my neighbor, which was an added bonus. Our work compliments each other and Scott is a super nice dude, with a laid back and easy attitude towards vending that is refreshing. Special thanks to Hang10 for the unusual and tasty beers and other libations that kept me smiley all weekend!

Jon also added some frog albums, swizzles, and a Golden Tiki menu plus a mini bottle of my favorite rum Zaya to the mix, thanks!!

Cheers Bruddah
Great to see ya

I would like my carvings to be quicker and more immediate looking but that is just irrational thinking on my part.
"Gretsch" is almost done. He is made from jelutong and will be painted orange and black and clear with a green felt covered palm tree. I will also add a green light.

My son in law asked me if I was going to include a whammy bar. I briefly thought about it, but when he asked I had to include. I will carve something on it.

This seven foot piece of birch is named "Birch" because I thought that would be really clever.

I will have him finished by the upcoming Tiki Kon event here in Portland in July.

The main body portion will be blue with clear highlights and a coconut colored monkey on top.

I've been disconnected from the web
for a couple wks & look what I missed.
"Gretsch" looks like white chocolate.
Yummy.

Thanks will carve, he does not look so white chocolate any longer.
A combo of orange, walnut, and clear paint and I cut up an old teal sweatshirt and glued it to a plywood palm tree back.

cy-you always amaze!
This latest is just so full of that whimsy
that shines in your eyes.
and Birch....what personality!
Always a pleasure seeing what is coming out of that artist brain of yours!

Great piece.

Wow
This is right up there with my favorite Frog Island pieces
Great job Bruddah
Did I say Awesome....
:)

Thought I should post my favorite one
:)

LLT, you have always been an inspiration to me, thanks for the kind words and will see you soon in San Diego! Thanks hil, and H10 that is a good pull, have not seen Airick in a long time! He sold a few year's ago to a very drunk individual who was not into tiki but was checking things out at Tiki Oasis. He borrowed money from his equally inebriated pal, then all of them loaded into a cab for the ride home.

:)

Here go a few progress shots.
"Captain Fritz" has been a case where I feel like I'm drifting with no place to go, but turns out that is what this piece is about.

"Birch" has taken most of my recent time.

Man,
These things keep getting better & better.
How you jam so much stuff in to one carve?

Thanks for noticing Will. lately I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it.

Love your last carving.

Thanks for commenting hiltiki, it is inspiring! After carving deeper into that one I realized it is still pretty damp in the middle so will have to let it dry and crack a bit longer before painting. It is the first piece of birch that I have done, so did not know how much water this wood actually retains. Hopefully it will be ready for Tiki Oasis come August. Here is a bit of progress on "Captain Fritz."

Cy just insane stuff...seems like your always charting new territory with your themes and of course with that cool Cy vibe.

[ Edited by: Keylo 2016-07-02 16:38 ]

Gracias Keylo, I like to explore and am lucky to have the luxury of not having to make a living selling tikis. (I'd be living in a van by the river if I did.) Here is a quickie I did from a 12 foot cedar pole.

I will bring him to this Saturdays Tiki Kon here in Portland.

The weekend after that is another local art show that I have done the last 6 years. I have sold a total of 3 pieces in those years, but I always have a blast talking with people of all cultures and ages that know nothing about tiki.

In a Van by the River...

Omg, almost spit my soda out on my computer at work
:)

Like the new diet dudes

Man oh man oh man just got caught up on your recent work,

Birch is looking stellar, and I dig all of the story Captain Fritz is telling.

Look forward to catching up in SD, and hope you have a great Tiki Kon!

Man, new stuff looks fantastic Chris! Living off carving tikis is a tough endeavor. It can be done but for me it takes the joy out of it. I love taking my time and getting a piece right where I like it. Keep em comin Chris!!

Ooooh, I like your last tall and slender piece.