The Lurid low-brow Tiki-Art of Brad (tiki-shark) Parker

Lookin good.....I always love the lighting in your paintings!!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
Meheadhunter - Thanks! Yeah, I remember someone telling me years ago that painting is really just painting the "light" reflecting off of surfaces. I had no idea what that meant, and thought it might be a tad crazy. Painting the light. Right!
But, sheesh, the more I paint, the more I discover that it's exactly just that. You are re-creating the illusion of the light hitting surfaces.
Shessh, now I sound crazy!
Oh well, Waiter, more RUM!

I got some more of the ship wreck in. Worked out a bit more of the coral forest. And did drop a few brush strokes on the big tiki and the captain...
More to come...

Yep...It does sound a bit crazy to paint the light...
But I think you have gone insane....you paint light right!!
Looking forward to seeing the finished piece!
Keep up the great work and I really admire the time you take to post here...
Thanks so much!!

Really like this one and the Pirates of the Caribbean vibe.

Looking great so far.

The bottom of the Tiki is just too 'clean' to me though. Maybe a little octopus in front with a few tentecles going up it or something to break the round line up.

Maybe some barnacles on him too? (would add something to top of head where it's a bit plain). (I know you're not done... :) )

[ Edited by: Badd Tiki 2010-06-04 09:30 ]

Meheadhunter - Thanks!
TikiSan - Thanks!
Badd Tiki - Oh yeah. You are right my tiki tribe brother. It's about texture, and details, and richness of enviroment. TheTiki will have lots of stuff breaking up it's lines. Like I said, I mostly paint from back to front, so I got weeks of slapping green and blue tones in the BG still, before I get to really painting in the foreground tiki and all the fun details and swank treasure stuff around him. It'll be a treat to paint in all that stuff, so I'm sort of saving him for last. But, I appreciate your comments- I thrive on your feed back. Thanks. I you see me missing something please let me know. This is a two way artist's forum. I lay it out there, and you can lay our your ideas back on me. I know Sometimes I watch other threads, I love the work, but I'm speechless, and I don;t think they need to hear another person say "hey cool tiki, but maybe a thing here might might be nifty." So I don't say it. But, I thingk I should , because I love hearing that. I may not do it, or the idea take a while to sink into my vibe on what I'm doing, but I thrive off of the input. So, thanks Badd Tiki - I dig you daddy-o.

Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker

brad@tikishark.com
http://www.tikishark.com
http://www.myspace.com/Lotus_Land
http://www.cocktailnation.net
http://www.sargentsfineart.com/artist/parker.php

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2010-06-06 03:24 ]

"Tales from the Tiki Lounge" Issue #2 (The Were-Wolf of Waikiki)
10" x 7"
Giclee on heavy paper.
I had so much fun making Issue #1, that I thought I gotta keep going. I guess I'll do a series of "Pulp Magazine/comic" covers. But remember kids...

If it doesn't have the "Cocktails Code Authority" stamp on it, it's just not TIKI!.

Big Aloha!
B~

Monday....

Here's some more work I got in on the swirling blue green depths of the ocean.

Aloha!
B~

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2010-06-07 14:45 ]

Aloha

Mahalo!

Aloha!

Here's the whole thing...It's a bit voggy today, and not a very sunny day to get a good photo. Colors might be a bit blue. But I worked on the coral some more last night..

A close up... or as we used to jot it down on the story boards back in Hollywood a "CU".

Mahalo!
B~

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
We're back from the other side of the Big Island.

The ocean looks meaner over there!

And the beaches are black sand. It's always a treat to visit with friends who live way down in Puna. You are so far from any major city, the stars at night are amazing.

However a highlight is the "saddle road" which cuts cross the top of the island. You can see Mauna Kea (almost), we drove through almost every type of weather, going way up between the volcanic peaks, past the secret military base (where green fire balls are seen at night - it's got something to do with old Hawaiian spirits, or testing with alien technology. Depends on who you ask. I think both!).

Best part, we got the GTO up to 120 mph.

VAROOM!
ALOHA!
B~

Awesome photos....
Looks like a really great time.
Love the black sand beach!!

Meheadhunter~ Thanks, it was fun. Always cool to travel round this big volcanic island.

Back in Kona we had a voggy sunset... lots of rain last night.

This morning brought a clear vog less day.
ALOHA!

Aloha tiki Tribe!

Here's a look at where I am on this underwater scene...

Squid? Nautilus? I'm still not sure.

the Ship's figure head getting a better shape..
More to come...

ALOHA!

GLUB! GLUB!
Looking Good BUB!

Nautilussssssssssssssssssssssss!

Looking great so far!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!
LLT, zerostreet - Thanks and Mahalo!

Here's what's was done last night...

Finally figures out the sea beastie should have his arms wrapped around the treasure. He's a bit too bright and green, but lots more work to do on him.

Here's a better fitting of the captain who went down with the ship. (All hail Marc Davis!)
The chest is not filled with rubies, that's just the dark under layer for the gold to be layered in on top.

Lots more to do, but maybe I can get to the fish soon!

Aloha,
B~

awesome sauce!!!!

TIKI AND PIRATES, SO NEAR TO MY HEART! :) GREAT JOB!

AMY

Aloha tiki Tribe!
Big Toe~ Extra spicy tiki sea-food sauce!
Queen Kamehameha _ Thanks! It's rare they end up together, and this commission was great to take on with a request for both!

Okay, here's how it finally came out, the sea-monster is a giant Nautilus, whit arms full of treasure chests.

More to come...
Mahalo!
B~

Love the depth of your underwater pieces Brad!

ALOHA tiki Tribe!
hewey - thanks, this has been a real push to get more depth out of a under water scene than I've tried before. I'm glad you noticed!

Here's a look-see at where I am today.
some of the colors of the treasure are finally being put in to balance out all that blue green of the back ground. Long way still to go.... but getting there... one piece of eight at a time...

Big Aloha!
Brad~

Beautiful stuff as usual Brad! By the way, I've been digging cocktail nation on Itunes! Stumbled across it and was surprised and pleased to hear that you're the sponsor! Nice!

suburbanpagan - Thanks! I have a lot of fun with Koop. And he's teaching me to be a hispster.

Here's it so far now...

A detail of the strange coral tree and such.... more to come.
Aloha!

Hi Brad-

Its been a while since I've checked your thread and I must say I love the new underwater scene. The progress shots/commentary is - as usual - inspiring.

You know the vibe I get off of this one is very very THOR like. I mean that as a compliment as both of you are in my book masters of "painting light".

Can't wait to see the finished piece. Thanks for posting. G

Looking good Brad! I know the Tiki is still rough but I love the design!

wow. looking way good brad. your prints have their space on my walls now.

ALOHA Tiki Tribe!
TikiG - MAHALO!
zerostreet - He's rough... I might change him a bit... hope you don't freak if you see him change a bit. These things are always so organic for me. I never stick to the original sketch, and things evolve.
talo ka - thank you! Best thing an artist can hear! Big Mahalo!

More to come... like fishes!

B~

ALOHA Tiki Tribe!

Here's a bit brighter bg. Lots of layers of swirling green and blue .... hours of work. does it show?

Here's a CU of the kelp. Helps gives some more depth to the BG.
Still no fishes... but soon....

ALOHA!

Aloha tiki Tribe!

Here's the painting as it is now...
I know it's been a slow build. Lots of "other life" things intruded into my "art space" so things have progressed slower on this one.

Here's a close up on the strange under sea flora ... soon I hope we get to see some more strange under sea fauna.

Big Mahalo! and Happy 4th!
Brad~

Interesting fauna Brad. Looking great so far! Do you use an airbrush at all? Or is all that texture stippling?

zerostreet ` No air brush, all layers of semi transparant acrylic layed on with a ratty brush.

Yeah, it looks way too good to be airbrush. Airbrush never has a richness or a painterly quality.

teaKEY - U R 2 Kind! Oh, an airbrush would make things go soooooo much quicker. I tried learning back in High school, but always screwed up the frisket cutting. I leave the expert air brush now to Dennis Mathewson.

Slapping paint with my ratty old brushes... boys I need a trip to the art store again! ... here's where we are.

The Pirate Captain who's gone down with his ship, now has pulled out his pistol. Just in case any passing divers think they've won the lottery.

Aloha!
Brad

Nice! The depth you've achieved on the coral behind the pirate is amazing!

Brad are you happy with how your shots look once uploaded to TC? I don't know if it's me, but when I upload my steps there seems to be tons of compression, which is why I usually direct everyone to my site for a better look.

zerostreet - u r right my tiki brother. Things looks "not-super-dper when up loaded to the glorious tecno tropical tiki village of TC. That's why, if you look on my Marketplace thread, everyone who has bought a print via the net are amazed at how great they look in person.

TC's not perfect, bu it's the hub of the new cyber tiki movement. I'm glad we got it. Be afraid of what would happen if it was ever gone.
But, nothing shows art like a face to face!

Brado~

aloha!

mahalo!

I like that one Brad! Are you going to list it for sale at tikishark.com?

Mahalo!

Chris

Excellent Brad! That coral is all you!

That human-looking nautilus eye creep GROG out.

The painting is looking awesome. (other than the creepy eye)

HP Lovecraft all the way with that Nautilus eye,Brad!

where's dem fishies?

It's close to the middle of the painting and it's lit so your eye goes straight to it.
In painting terms, that's called a "bull's eye".

Well. at least your nautilus is creepy, and not scary.

where do I get one of those nautilus eating the guy!

chetiki - you can purcase thoses cool toys, and many more, from GROG.
I know I'm gonna buy one!Oh!

Did some research chetiki and I found THE very best sourse for all monsters toys ever made. go to:
http://www.monstersinmotion.com/

But, be warned!!!!! You will end up spending your children's collage funds on toys there!

Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker

brad@tikishark.com
http://www.tikishark.com
http://www.myspace.com/Lotus_Land
http://www.cocktailnation.net
http://www.sargentsfineart.com/artist/parker.php

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2010-07-23 18:27 ]

..of course if I had that nifty toy, I would totally have painted from it. All hail Ray Harryhausen!
Had a nice call from my art patron for whom this sunken pirate treasure ship painting is being brushed for, and we talked about all the things which shall be put in next, and the arcane meanings of things already in there - funny how art means different things to different people.

Here's a shot of the spot in the gift shop at the Royal Kona Resort that displays Brad "Tiki Shark" Parker swag. I was very happy to see it, and was very happy - and surprised- to hear that this first week of being in the shop - I was the number one seller, beating out the previous champ: SHAG aloha shirts.

Dig that cool piece of the lobby you can see through the window. the Mai Tai lounge: No walls, all open, and right on the water. Too cool!

Mahalo,
B~

KENNY SASAKI RAWKS!

Aloha Tiki Tribe!

Here's where the whole this is at thus far...

A better look at the pirate.

Now on to the treasure, the fish, the tiki...

MAHALO!
B~