Big Bang Creations - new Yipwan Drum Mug pg 86

It is all SOOOO BEAUTIFULLLLL!!
Amazing work. I must swim over there some day!

Henrik

very nice, babs. hope those pics helped a little.

Nice work, gents! I gotta come get my mug, Baba O'Riley!

Dang, there's that jacked up picture of me in my Power Rangers pjs again!

Bowie

Thank you all for bouncing in on the thread! Your input keeps me workin' and pushing.

Well, it's been a fun, but also kind of a lazy last week...Here are some of the highlights...

YAY! The Hip Hip Bowl of Paradise is DONE - finally!! Haha...it says 2008 on the bottom :) Kelly, I hope you enjoy this guy; all I ask for him is that you take him up to Kirby's, or to the Tonga Hut, and use him sometimes...If anyone can come up with a special cocktail for this here bowlie, its you kiddo. Merry Christmas Sister! Come get him!

Next, I have the second prototype of my version of the Mauna Loa Drum mug done.

This one too...

Again, thank you all for stopping in, and please stay tuned, I have some fun stuff that is going to be coming out of this studio soon....Keep slinging mud!

[ Edited by: Babalu 2009-11-21 20:47 ]

Oh...my...God! The Hip Hip Bowl...can you say, "MASTERPIECE?" Words fail me. Simply stunning, Babs.

2 years in the making :D Absolutely gorgeous!

Those drum mugs sure are pretty!

On 2009-11-21 17:07, Babalu wrote:
YAY! The Hip Hip Bowl of Paradise is DONE

:o WOW! :o Sistah Hipstah gottza meanass killah bowl! I bet da Rumpus Room is gonna rock da BOP with intoxication libation!!! :D

:drink: CONGRATS! :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink:

Babs,

One day you'll need to tell us what's up with the rabbits, birds, jellys and thangs. For now, I'm just gonna sit and look at these wonderful pics and wonder how many 100s of hours you worked on this masterpiece. Later, I'm gonna sit here and look at the these pics and try and figure out what the F&%$k is up with the rabbits, birds, and jellyfish!

-G

who Cares about them bunnies and jellies and drums!
It's ALL OUTTASIGHT!
love the 2 versions of the drum.
the un-motiffed one looks soooooooo real!
All Hail the CLAYBOY MANSION!
er,,,GARAGE!
:)

WE'RE NOT WORTHY!

Master Babalu showing why he is the MASTER.

I went away from my football game to say:
Just Incredible Babalu!

amazing work as usual babs! its nuts how detailed you get on your work!

Killer glaze job on that bowl!!

Glad it came out!

Woooow Babalu! Beautiful work. Experience, Experience, Experience, etc.
Love everything there. Wow again.

holy crow! thats good stuff!!!

[ Edited by: BigToe 2009-11-23 09:51 ]

That Bowl is amazing, I am sure Hip can come up with a killer concoction for this amazing bowl!!! Well done Babs, truly unique!!

Amy

The Hip Hip Bowl of Paradise and the proto Mauna Loa drum mug?

Absolutely STUNNING!!

Hope I can see the bowl at the Rumpus Room someday - and drink from it as well.

Thanks Babalu for sharing.

Wow! Wow! The Drum mug is great, but that Hip Hip Bowl of Paradise? Wow!

Over the last couple of weeks, for a few days each week, I've been making short stops over to Babalu's studio to hang out and sling some mud. I keep forgetting to bring my camera, and Babalu is far too busy working on oh-so-many projects right now to take picture of ALL the action that is going on there.
Today, I remembered my camera and have some Babalu in the studio action

First project was mixing this stuff with water to make some stuff to mold something:

Babalu says it's ready when it feels like this:

I forgot to get a picture of what he's molding, but here he is molding it:

All day Babalu is running around, pulling stuff out of molds, pouring stuff into molds, and doing stuff to wet mugs he has in bags. Here are some of his newest pieces in their earliest phases of conception:

Next up was a session at the table. It's real early in the process here. We still have no idea what it could be at this point:

That's a special clay increments dividing scale he's using:

Almost done now!

He'll probably be glazing it by Sunday...

Check back soon for more Clay Jams updates!
Buzzy Out!

On 2009-11-23 19:34, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:
First project was mixing this stuff with water to make some stuff to mold something:

Babalu says it's ready when it feels like this:

I forgot to get a picture of what he's molding, but here he is molding it:

Well said, Buzz.
:lol:

Lookin' very professional in that apron Rick :D

Oh wow The Hip Hip Bowl of Paradise it's so great, it was worth the wait!

Babalu is much younger than I thought!
Incredible work! And the beat goes on.

beautiful work my bro! very nice
maybe some day I can sculp some clay wit yas!
Cheers!

[ Edited by: NOTCH 2009-11-26 10:01 ]

Must have that Moana Loa mug ...so detailed so PNG .

Beautiful and skilled work Babs!

If I ever decide to touch clay, I'm coming to you for a lesson!

On 2009-11-22 04:58, TravelingJones wrote:

On 2009-11-21 17:07, Babalu wrote:
YAY! The Hip Hip Bowl of Paradise is DONE

:o WOW! :o Sistah Hipstah gottza meanass killah bowl! I bet da Rumpus Room is gonna rock da BOP with intoxication libation!!! :D

:drink: CONGRATS! :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink:

BOP! THANK YOU MASTER BABS!! I'm just blown away!! Sistah Hipstah did gottza meanass killah bowl! Rick it's just awesome and I can't wait to get my hands on it, so worth all the trials it put you through I hope Rick? I'm so pleased. Wow the last color firing did make those birds just POP as you said it would. Later tonight I think I shall dabble in my "Hipilicious" Laboratory and come up with a new party size Cocktail for it. I was hoping to maybe carpool down there to pick it up and shoot some pictures with you Rick. Is anyone heading to San Diego soon?

"BOP!" it's got a ring to it! ... Let's have that Cocktail! Much love to ya Braddha Babs!

WOW just spent a couple of hours from page 1-70 i think i still have some clay in my ears, Just awesome stuff guys.

Hey Babs,

Pouring and cleaning greenware sux!

Hey thanks you all...and sorry, it's been hard to get on TC for me lately...

HipHip - I'm very happy that you like your new bowlie! Yes, yes, The Bowl of Paradise, or BOP... We all need one of those "BOP til ya DROP" happenings :)

Tobor64 - Mad Doggie - LOL - Master JoneSey...you's cats are the best! Thanks for the props.

Gman - sure dude, one day I'll clue you into the rabbit madness that floats around in my brain...long story...

Kinny - "CLAYBOY MANSION" :lol:

Sir Grog - It is I whom is not worthy...I have seen those killer Java Bobs that you are going to be selling in the Winter Wonderland Show at the Tonga Hut this month...you ROCK! http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=34394&forum=17&65

Unga - Damn man, you took time out of the game to post!...that's the best darn complement I've had all week. Not sure who your team is, but may they win the Super Bowl!

Thomas - Lelesliz - MP - Master Toes - Amy - G - Mango - Clarita - Banana Bob - 61surf...Thank you , thank you...you guys make me want to go build something - YAY!

Buzz Master and Bowana - It's been great fun having you players over this week...you two are just plain tearing it up! Wait til you folks see what these two fellers have up their sleeves...

Master Notch - Damn right we should get together and carve it up! These are the good ole days brother, let's have some fun!

Lake - I would love to get you over here to the Shop too...That would be a BLAST!

Krooz - Huge thank you to you for going through all these pages! Hell, I don't even remember everything that is on this thread...

Ok, ok this has been one FUN week! I've had Buzzy, Sir B, and Squid over...lot's of stuff going down.

For some time now Squid and I have been having a blast together researching the art of the different regions in Papua New Guinea. This last week, we decided to do something with all of this fun we have been having together...a little collaborating project perhaps?...why sure!

We thought, if we can make some type of joint canvas together, we can come up with some great one off custom carved drum mugs...(BTW - one only need to know Squid to know his addiction to drums)...anyway, we decided that we needed to build, and mold up, some basic shapes to which we could both cast then hack into, or customize in our own different ways. My part in building these little clay canvas' was to design and build the main body part of the drum...The shape that has been on my mind lately comes from the drum pictured below. It is currently being exhibited at the San Diego Art Museum - This drum is a New Guinea (north west coast) and made in the late 19th century. I just felt the shape is so cool and really unusual. By the way, all the drum shapes that you see coming from PNG are meant to represent the human form.

Squid had some killer ideas kicking around for handles for the drum...so he built those up - - together, we were off to the races with molds etc. In the end, we each have a set of plaster molds to make these joint customs. Pictured below are what the castings look like right after we pull them from the molds...They are very basic, and perfect for custom carving and alteration.

Here are the first two custom carved PNG Drum mugs that we pumped out this weekend...my carved mug is on the left side, Squids carving is on the right side...That was a BLAST Squid! I can tell right now that this little project of ours is going to be tons of fun!

Thanks again for bouncing in...stay tuned :)

OMG! WANT!

Killer!

A Babalu/Squid collab?

If I say "you M'FCKERs!!"

• does that get my feelings across adequately?

Blown away AGAIN with this latest one. I love the modular concept of the basic mug, but the additional art is pure explosive, just like a great drum should be. Drum on my friends, DRUM ON!!

Thanks for posting the in-process pics. Can't wait to see the finished deal. G

the Drums!
the Drums!

Fuggin Out of Control!
Quick! Quick!
Glaze em!

Beautiful.....
you kids are Einsteins!

Bababaluba you ROCK 'da CROC! Love the loose style of drum head on the last few. Very realistic, like excess gathered hide on a drum.

"And on the seventh day the Clay Gods united in perfect PNG harmony"

[ Edited by: Kiki von Tiki 2009-12-03 14:56 ]

a PNG Piggy Drum mayhaps?

Hooeee! That croc drum is outstanding, Babs.

WOW!!! Fan-flippin-tastic, fellas! LOVE it!

Truly amazing work!

On 2009-12-02 11:54, TikiG wrote:

A Babalu/Squid collab?

Thanks for posting the in-process pics. Can't wait to see the finished deal. G

Here are some behind the scenes shots of this epic collaboration. It's kind of like in Star Trek when Scotty and Jim are in a full on crisis. Squid yells "Babalu, you're carving those details in to deep! You've almost made a breach!" Babalu screams back, "Dammit Squid, I know I can mold these features. I just know I can!" Squid yells again, "It will never break from the mold like that..." Babalu says:"It'll break dammit, I know it will!" And they just on and on like that all day for like five days straight...

Burning the candles at all ends, Babalu talks on the phone, listens to Squid, and make mugs at the same time:

Here's more progress on the mug from a different angle:

You can tell that the final piece was quite different from where it was at this point in development

After Squid left, things quieted down a bit. Babalu got back to work right away on a few new pieces. A few preview action shots will now follow of his projects for those of you who are interested in the creative processes of mug making and ceramics
babalu doesn't have time to post right now because he took on a very enterprising task. He wanted the lizard scales to actually show on the drum heads so he had to develop a method to make them look realistic. Here is how he finally overcame the hurdles of realism by using an atypical method of production:

After using that special process, he applies each scale on one at a time and uses scoring and slip to hold each one in place.

It's time consuming, but the results are worth the effort, as you can see in the preceeding picture

When I was over there yesterday, he had started another one off hand carved and detailed drum mug

He's pretty much freehanding this one:

Reference in the background for inspiration

Close up

He's hoping to have this one finished later today.

And for the sake of entertainment, here's some step by steps of my junk, for the fans of step by step pictures:

My clay approach is the same as my wood carving method: Start with too much material and take off all you don't want or need. I start with a slab, cut the outline, and mark out my high and low points.

In that picture above, I have drawn out my rough reference lines and have the right angle cuts made in it

I go marcus Thorn style and work from the feet up:

body done, now on to the head

More or less roughed out at this point. Next step is to cut it into small pieces and slap it on the background slab. I cut it into pieces to lessen the chances of air bubbles in it

Here's the slab rolled out awaiting the tiki

Here they are after I stuck them on:

I moved the holes to hang it to the bottom of the recess so that the hook you have in the wall will sit in the recess and the plaque will sit flush with the wall.

that's it for now. Tune in soon to see more from the Center of the Universe
Your "Guest Host"
Buzzy Out!

Thanks Buzzy for the extemporaneous pics of Squid and Babalu in action, but more than the pics, your written account of the moment like a Star Trek flashback. I get it somehow.

Oh yeah, I'm liken your "mud" project (clay joes) too!

Maybe someday I'll come down and hang with you guys (or better yet, you guys come up to my art/chop in January :wink:)

I didn't notice any pictures of Squid "working" :D

Thanks everyone! :)

And thank you Buzzy for posting action shots! That snake skin on that one shot looks like crap though :) It's been grand having you hang out brother Buzz!

Well, Sir B payed a visit today to work on a secret project that is going to blow you all away....stay tuned.

I finished the sculpting part on another custom Squidalu Drum mug...

...glazing soon

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGitty DANG DANG!

Each scale separately?
that's Sai Baba for ya!
Lovingly Hand-Crafted
Can't wait to see it glazed!

With Squids,Buzzy,and Bowie at the ClayBoy mansion
it will be just a very short time
til glazed Treasures start surfacing!

When I first started slingin' clay, my mantra was "I wanna be like Rick". Unfortunately, there is NO WAY IN HELL that I'll ever catch up :(