MadDog Mike's Platterful of Pupule - El Tiki/Ben Wilson Wall Finished

Thank you my friends, entertaining you entertains me :D

With a cowrie hairtie and a frangipani, Hippolyta it starting to look quite fetching :lol:

While she dries and gets refined, it's time for some glaze testing to see if underglaze will make suitable lipstick and eye shadow over Duncan Courtyard Molasses.

EDIT - the test tile in questions looks remarkably like Salvador Dali's mistress

Clay, the oldest and most divine art media;
"And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man" Genesis 2:7
Pirate Ship Tree House

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2013-06-10 19:08 ]

I especially like how you formed the flower. You are delicate with a gentle hand when working with a woman. Wendy

Mike, looking great! The plumeria looks amazing, glad it didn't shrink (and shrivel up) along w/ the head. :) Looking forward to seeing this progress!

This is looking awesome Mike! I love the flower.

Isn't she beautiful? :lol:

Yes, she is!

Awesome! And you win the Greatest Test Tile Ever Made award! The glaze on the shells is spot on.

Henrik

[ Edited by: VanTiki 2013-06-21 19:01 ]

Hey were are her toes??? Inside joke! She looks sweet. Wendy

She is beautiful Mike, I like.:)

EB & Hilda - thank you
Henrik - I'm not a patient man, the test tile got pitched and I just winged it :D Tried some wax resist for the cowrie spots and I like the way it turned out.
Wendy - when her "toes" dried out they shriveled like raisins; it wasn't pretty! :lol:

I used my croc head mold to make a nice thick skull (about 3/4 inch) out of some B Mix Paper Clay and just threw it out in the sun to dry - none of this slow drying to prevent cracks needed for paper clay. It is now the figurehead on the pirate ship bow.

I think that just about completes my Pirate Ship Tree House, at least for now. As the boys get a little older I will add things like an oversize pirate version of "You sunk my battleship!" with various wooden pirate ships and golf tees for pegs.

Clay, the oldest and most divine art media;
"And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man" Genesis 2:7
Pirate Ship Tree House

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2013-06-22 08:57 ]

Mike, I knew if anyone could combine beauty and shrunken heads, it would be you. #6 turned out great.

Love the new figurehead on the pirate ship. That still ranks as one of my favorite build projects on here. What lucky grandkids to have such a cool grandpa. :)

• Dale

Number Six IS a Beauty,Mike!
there's loads of charm
just glowing from her...
Diggin the Croc skull and the Shrunken headed kitty bowl
and WAY great job on that glaze....BAM!

you are an unstoppable creature...
:)

El número 6
Kicks ars
And she is wearing my favorite flower

Happy Bday (old man) :)

Sorry I'm 2 days late

Jon

Dale, Kinny, & Jon - thank you so much.

Here is the "Ndaokus" Trophy Skull Mug for the Cannibal Art Swap which ends next week.

The Asmat people of Papua New Guinea collected 2 types of skulls; the “Ndambirkus” or ancestral skull and the "Ndaokus" of trophy skull. The ancestral skulls were treated with respect and were carried or worn for protection, they were often used as a headrest or pillow so the protection would extend while sleeping. They had the lower jaw attached with twine. The trophy skulls were from vanquished enemies and were kept in the men's house, they had a hole in the side of the skull where the brain was removed and eaten. The lower jaw was removed from the skull and given to the women to wear as a necklace. It was considered the ultimate insult and humiliation to have your jawbone worn as a necklace!

This mug was inspired by PopTiki's Headhunter Chalice and is made from a slipcast skull with a ceramic "bamboo" pole extending up through the skull. There is a bat skull mounted on the back of the lid, the straw hole is inside the bamboo pole. Hanging from the back is a polymer clay talon with guinea fowl feathers and ceramic molar, incisor, and claw. The base is made from a slab of Eucalyptus wood coated with 2 part epoxy resin and a polymer clay rhinoceros beetle. The base had a large dowel on it which goes inside of the bamboo pole to secure the mug to the base. The mug lifts off the base like a chalice and the pole serves as a handle but you can't get too far from the base as the mug won't stand on it's own

Over the past year I have sent out MadDog birthday cards to several TC folks. A new card has been made and the old one is being retired, thought I would share it with you.

Taken at the Mermaid Bar of Mojave Oasis

Dude, u are the bomb...

Jon

That is just over the top insane. Leave it to you, MDM. :) Love all the little touches.

W

[ Edited by poptiki on 2022-10-12 02:57:06 ]

Really great work on that piece Mike.

Over the top Mike.

Wow! Mike!
This is going to be the mug and the others you have made in the past that
tiki nuts collect.
You are makin stuff no other makes.
Totally your own design, and for the most part designs that have never
been done! and that's hard to do when its all been done.
Makes me want to pop of a light and get in that swap, just to have a shot at your mug.
Keep makin Mike.
Great Job!

Love all the multi media stuff going on in the trophy skull piece Mike, it really looks great! Your time lapse Birthday card is a gem.

Wow, you went all out on that piece MDM. Great stuff!

You are a creative genius and smart too! What a work of art. It should be on display in a museum. This is a great swap Mike. We all try harder because of you. Wendy

Ditto what Wendy (and everyone else) said. Amazeballs.

Love the Bday card, too!

Jon, Tiger, PopTiki, Swizz, Will, Skip, Cy, Badd, Wendy & TikiAno ~ thank you all so much for your kind words, you really know how to make a guy feel loved :blush: I had a great time making that skull, I may have to make one for me now :lol:

I finally got a display box made for my Headhunter Harbor mugs. Probably could have used 3/4 inch pine instead of 1 1/2 inch fir lumber, it's a bit more substantial than it needs to be. Since I live in earthquake country I need to add a safety wire across the front of the mugs.

Cool. That's a great display. Where is it, backyard or at the pirate ship? Do they stay out all the time or only out for a party. Nosey huh? Wendy

Not nosey, it's just that inquiring minds NEED to know :lol:
Wendy, they are on my back deck. Being impervious to weather and having a very low probability of being stolen, that look like a good place to permanently display them. A quick wash and they will be ready to use.

Mike, the rack looks great- think the thicker stock will come in handy when the shrunken heads learn to work together and try to escape.

Sorry, shouldn't drink during the day. Dang it.

He said.....rack

Awesome
Made me thirsty

Love the rack!!!! You do great work my friend.

Usually don't say this to guys, but nice rack.

Now I can't resist. As GROG said, nice rack! Wendy

Thank you guys for your kind comments, so good to see so many of you at OASIS!!!!

I left early from Oasis and have been home for a few hours, trying to get everything put away before work tomorrow morning. Had a chance to visit with so many people, don't want to try listing them for fear of missing someone. But did want to give a special shout-out to the Swap crew who made it - Jon & Janelle, Cy, Wendy, TikiPops, TikiAno, Kinny. So good to meet up with. Jon thank you for the extra cannibal which I was honored to win. TikiAno thank you for the black clay, can't wait to try that out.

Left to right ~ TikiAno, me, Cy, Hang10Tiki, and TikiPops.
Camera shy ~ Little Lost Tiki who could not get away from his vending booth, and Wendy who had to attend the 3pm TikiRush (like the 1889 Oklahoma land rush) when the vending doors opened for the first time :lol: I made my exchange with Little Lost Tiki. I was very happy with the "Closer to the Bone" painted carving I got, Kinny said he was happy with his Trophy Skull Mug :D

Always great to visit with Dan & Wendy, thank you for dinner. Got to catch up with Buzzy and Christina, thank you for the Buzzy pinup poster (I think :roll: ) Got to spend some quality time with Nui Umi'umi, Tiki Vato and their wives, thank you for your hospitality and the MaiTai. You are a true gentleman and a gracious host David.

I did a little to support the Oasis and San Diego economies. I'm not a collector so I ate and drank most of my purchases.

A couple of Tshirts, a dried blowfish lamp, a cutting of white ginger root I stole from the hotel garden, some Falernum, a couple of Art Swap exchanges, Buzzy's beefcate poster, and TikiAno's black clay. My brother and I are planning a Greek themed Christmas party for 60 people this year so I used the trip to San Diego to visit a middle eastern market and picked up ouzo, pistachio halva, flaky halva, kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), tahini sauce, and a stainless steel Gyro roaster :D

Great to see u Mike

Jon

Mike, Dan and I thank you for dinner too. Your post and photos are terrific. I'm so happy you won hang10tikis second marvelous carving. You worked hard for all of us during the swap and its great to see you rewarded. Slowly your digs are turning more tiki. Watch out Teresa! We loved seeing everyone and tomorrow we will unload and post some photos. Tonight after 9.5 hours in the car we rest. Love you Mike, Wendy

And I forgot to thank HB Tiki for the cool custom drink umbrella, thanks Roger :)

Hospitality is key in any society, even cannibals. So I decided the Headhunter Harbor needed a welcome sign :D

Here's some progress pics if you're interested. New "clay resist" burning technique in steps #4 & 5
Step #1 - Take a 16x36 inch piece of 3/4 pine, cut to shield shape, draw out lettering and some PNG-ish designs

Step #2 - Form bone letters and spear heads from paper clay.

Step #3 - Fire and glaze the letters and spear heads. Router designs in the wood.

Step #4 - "Clay resist" burning technique. Form letters out of clay onto the wooden shield, press them down to make good contact. while the clay is still well, burn the wood around the letters with a torch.

Step #5 - Remove and discard the clay letters, leaving an unburned area below them. Take a wood burner and define the letters.

Step #6 - Burn and brush the wood. Glue the fired and glazed bone letters to the shield. In my first Headhunter Harbor sign, I made the "U" from little individual vertebrae. This time I tried a jawbone with teeth.

Step #7 - Paint accents, make and attach spears, skull, beads, etc. I tried a new glaze for the spear heads; Malachite. Malachite is my favorite semi-precious stone but the effect is a bit subtle, I don't see that I will be using this glaze much.

love it, very clever.

Great job Mike...I'll be sure to get an invite if in the area!!!

We need to one day visit you to see all this fun stuff you make. Will there be more for the pirate ship? Wendy

Awesome mike

Mike, looks awesome- love combining fired clay and wood, great idea- and execution. What kind of glue did you use to attach the clay to the wood?

I ditto Wendy, what's new w/ the pirate ship?

(Btw, friends and neighbors are digging the crocodile on the front lawn, thanks once again!)

Who's teeth did you use?

ATP- I know where he gets them

But Mike, come on, there has to be an easier way...

Then again, you are MAD DOG...

Hospitable, yet ferocious. Nice work, MDM.

Hilda, Marlene, Wendy, Jon, David, Lance, & Greg ~ Thanks you very much, you are all friends and always welcome. I will keep the natives at bay and promise you won't be eaten!
Nothing new on the pirate ship tree house lately, pretty much finished building for now (current pics on the web page, link in my signature below) So it's just play and maintenance. As the boys get bigger I will have some age-appropriate additions like a giant-sized pirate version of the game Battleship.

Been busy with a "commercial" Tiki project that I can't post yet but did add a little embellishment to my "welcome sign" including this arrow stuck in the wooden shield.

I bought a Venus Flytrap at Home Depot the other day to plant in my tropical garden (I didn't know they are from the swamps of South Carolina!), we'll see how it does. I decided it must be the most "headhunter" of all plants so I decided to add a polymer clay version to my sign too


Looking at it now I realize I should have made the stem wrap around the spear. Maybe I'll need to add another one too?

Here's some step-by-step. I made the red inner "flower" part and baked it. Quarter to size comparison

I made a wire armature for the stem and the "teeth", epoxied it on and held it with clothes pins

After the first batch of epoxy dried, I removed the clamps and really gobbed on more epoxy. It was going to be covered so neatness did not matter, only strength.

Filled in the gaps around the wire and rolled out and cut the green underside part of the Fly Trap. Clipped the "tooth" wires

Then I pressed the green underside to the flower, covered the stem and teeth with more polymer clay and baked it in the oven.