Benzart 's, Last, most recent thread

Ditto..? Moai roughout, warp factor 9...

Thanks GMAN, Bete, ben, And Johnny, AS and Tama too. I'm Not sure what I did except that I did way too much and can hardly move. I don't know what happened but I Started off with the 6' Basswood log and after looking at it for 30 minutes I decided I needed to find the chalk so I could DRAW on it(so much for benzart's Not drawing!) so I wouldn't mess it up. Once I decided how I was going all I needed were a few lines to keep me on track. Sorry I didn't take a lot of pic's while I was roughing him out, but when you are all covered in sawdust and wearing flipp floppz with a chainsaw, a camera is not really the best thing to play with.




Here is some other stuff I worked on today. I worked on 4 pieces today-2 lono's a moai and a Hei-tiki












As far as how I get the roughs done so quickly, First I don't think they are that quick, but if they are, it is from intiomate knowledge of the subject (notice on the Hei-Tiki, it seems like I am moving along at a Fast snails pacee) When you have roughed out a few, they are allowed to go fast, You cut off bigger chunks and your cuts count cuzz you have done them in your sleep, like Tama was saying about drawing them in his sleep. I don't draw them, I watch me carve them and at least while I'm dreaming it, I'm pretty good at carving them.
I love the way the Moai is coming out. It seems that I am getting some help here guyz, thanks for whoever it iz. I Love it when they do that, the Ancients, They made me do it. I would Never work on 4 pieces inb 1 day, they want sumthin outta this and I don't know what yet. I Hate that.
Anyway, Thats It for today and tomorrow too as I think I'm ruined for at least 3 daze.Thanks everyone.

as someone once said...HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

wow! really good stuff, ben. just don't get yourself so worn out! maybe the ancients will channel some healing powers to you too. how tall is big lono? also, what kinda stone is hei tiki? is that one of the mexican river rocks?

ben,

You must suffer a bit from A.D.T.D. (attention deficit tiki disorder). Take a swing at this one, carve a little on that one, start something new... Whatever it is.. keep it up!

Holy sh!t, I didn't check this thread for day or so cause the title hasn't changed and look what's happened...the Lono has a spine growing thorugh his head-dress, the moai's got Maori ears and there's even more stuff coming out of the woodwork - yet more Lonos and even the hei-tiki is looking alive! Send me some of those wood chips so I can smoke 'em and absorb some of your mojo Benz......

[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-11-17 21:43 ]

Benz, were the developing country sourced slaves on lunch break when you took the pics? Im surprised you even let em have lunch breaks... Must be a few of em, judging by how much the woodshed is pumping out.

Thanks Conga, I Like seeing you so Happyhappyhappy!
Kingsey, thanks to you too, the big Lono is 1" short of being 6 feet tall by 12" . He is a pretty big guy. The Hei-Tiki is from Black Aussi Jade given to me by our own Paipo(thanx Paips). The ancients don't caer much for healing as they are long gone physically and enjoy using Live hands once in awhile, or who knows?
Thanks AlohaS, yes that sounds like me. I'm trying to get up to that "80" mark of pieces roughed out waiting to be finished! (Thanks Tama the Thorough)
Paipo, yeah, I guess I ought to change the heading once in awhile, Sorry 'bout that!. Yes things change around here pretty quickly in spurts, depending on the mood and stuff. You are noticing all the little things in my stuff, I guess I gotta work quicker. Thanks for the kind words.
Hewey, Shhh, no one's supposed to know about those guyz. They are working me too hard and I need a new whip to crack, gotta et'em to work more instead of taking lunch breaks.
Thanks guyz!

I love checking into your thread - I'm ALWAYS floored by your carvings. that smaller lono you're close to completeing is amazing. I love how you incorporated the bend in the wood in the carving. what kind of wood is that? That basswood tiki is really nice too, with all the small stuff you've been doing I forgot you are also a master of the chainsaw too. Great looking "rough out"
thanks for the updates!

[ Edited by: Polynesiac 2006-11-18 08:13 ]

Very happy, very happy, very happy.

I start each day by checking the progress of your carvings benz and it gives so much faith for carving during the day. I think i'm not the only one in this case.

Mahalo.

Ben

WOW Ben! 4 Lonos, a Maori and a stone carving all at the same time! WOW! I like the group shot pictures you took, very cool.

Thanks Ploy, Appreciate the kind words. Both the small lonos were from a larger stick of straight wood, I just trimmed the curve into the big one, which left enough for the small one. The wood is curly maple.
Thanks Ben, for the kind words. Heres hoping I can update the carvings every day for you.
Bete, my all-time stand by. Thanks for always being here with great words.

Aloha BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boy when you cut loose my friend the sweet flow of a master carver comes out in all you do! Thanks for sharing all your insight with all of us and some luck people will be getting some SWEEEEEEEEEEET carvings for christmas,Thanks my friend and aloha for now your friend ,Mooney

Thanks Mooney, Been Missing you 'round here lately, nice to hear from ya'. I will update the moai later today and I will be out of town for a few daze and won't be back till Monday.

Man oh man, lots of action at the BenZart Ranch! Yowza! What can I say that hasn't been said here a thousand times....WOW! I am loving watching each of these come to life. That mahogany Lono is the cat's a$$ and the Moai is killer. Thanks for all the progress shots - and yes, I agree, the camera is much more dangerous than a chainsaw. Careful now......

Have a great Thanksgiving,

-Gman

Thanks GPistol, I guess I better watch the camera.
Here are the last updates for a few daze.

I like the little chesil marks. They look really good in the close up of the lips. Sort of a cross between the two that you like doing.

!!!!!!!

Whoooah Ben! That Moai is looking fantastic!!!

It took me a moment to figure it out: he has naturalistic eyes, well eye. And it works!!! You have made it look so damn easy too - How on earth is that done??? Dont tell me; familiarity, right?

And as for you not being able to draw; I thought that octopus was going to slide right of his chest! Nothing wrong with your drawing mate.

We're not worthy, we're not worthy...

Great stuff Ben!

TamaTheTerriblyImpressed!!! :)

ben it is fantastic to see wood the moai and lono ar awesome what talint

Thanx teaKEY, I Might leave chisel marks on this guy, though it is not what I normally do.
GMAN!!!,??? Thanks for the call. You have first dibbs on this guy, Thanks.
Tama, Thanks, it IS SO Eazy! not! I'll try to remember to take lots of progress shots of the other eye so you can see how eazy it iz.
As for drawing the ocotopus, It took a whole pencil and 4 erasers to get it hlaf rightand it is still only half right.
You are ALL Worthy, thanks for the kind words.

Holy Cow!! That guy is looking great! I can't wait to see how that octopus is going to turn out. Don't be skimpy with the progress pics.

So cool Ben, that octopus is going to be so cool on it. Happy Thanksgiving!

holy cow (Wisconsin-talk) I really dig that Moai...the mouth drives me crazy. Are you working
on anything else? Just take it easy so you don't hurt yourself.

Dang, Ben! You just don't quit! I really like it that you post your work while in progress. You've got a great look to your pieces. BEN-STYLE!!

On 2006-11-21 11:50, Benzart wrote:

You make it look so simple. I study your pictures and ponder how the heck you do it.

What is the significance of the Octopus? Besides it looking as cool as hell.

JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-11-21 19:48 ]

Gman paints the octopus in gyotaku.....Gman loves this Tiki. Gman NEEDS this tiki. Gman die without this tiki.

[ Edited by: GMAN 2006-11-21 19:49 ]

Thanks Finky, I'll try to take more progress shots
Thanks Bete, What izzit about an Octopus that is so neat?
Conga, thanks and Finally something besides the slimey Octopus. Yes I'm working on Lotsa stuff; a bunch of Lono guys, a hei-tiki, a Great BIG Lono,, but I'm not workin on anything for a few daze since I will be outta here and outta town,Thanz Conga
TikiDav, thanks, yeah I like to show shots of different stages of the piece. As for the Octopus, I put hin there just to Tease the GMAN and It worked, he called dibbs on it. Actually the Rapanui carvers did put octopusses on the heads of some carvings of the Kava Kava Man I think, but I know NOT what the significance would be. Maybe they got tired of the birdman ornamentation and thought the 8 legged creature was the Ultimate in cool???
GMan Thanks. Actually Gman doesn't paint the octopus in the normal way, He rubs the octopus all over in ink and then smears the octopus on rice paper to transfer the octopus image onto the Rice paper. It is a massy process and the funny thing is he does Not use the Octopuses Own ink. If he Could do that now That would Really be cool to the nth degree

Groooann, moooann.... Im back to dribble over that Maoi again Ben. It'll keep me going until you get back. So the Gman has his hoggy-hands on this already? Argh, Im so jealous, but good moves Gman!

*When the time comes Bens, its definately gotta be one of your Moai, thats a decision made! A full sized one if possible, I'll bring the Waka over to collect...

I just love 'your' proportioning; the large head and smaller body; the thumbs; the LIPS!; those eyes... I want to cry. He's beautiful!

*When the time comes, talk to me; I'll stop crying...

TamaTheTraumatised :(

Oh man, another masterpiece takes shape! Now, I know I'm down on "the list" for a Lono sometime in 2012 or so, but I think I may have to go for a moai too. I really loved the little one you posted a while back with the hat and the birdmen on his back too. It's cool to see how you've developed your own interpretation/style of these guys, and I can see the similarities with your Maori fellas now I've looked at a few of 'em.

The moai is just fabulous.
I really love the lines of his face, did you do plastic surgery in the past? Because the precision is mazing.

Ben

Never ceases to amaze me how the Benzomatic produces such quality and raises the bar for us all. How did you aquire such a large peice of Mahogony?

The Octopus is spendid in design sir. Can't wait to see this one done.

Mahalo sir Ben. Enjoy your visit and holiday.

McTiki

[ Edited by: McTiki 2006-11-22 03:46 ]

Happy Happy Happy!!!!!

-Gman

[ Edited by: GMAN 2006-11-22 07:12 ]

I didn't even notice it only had one eye. If you cover the screen in half, The eye and the no eye, both look right. The eye in this moai, looks better than any eye that has ever been in a moai, carving, mug , or painting. No joke!

Gman says,"The Moai see it, the Moai want it!"

Looking sharp Benzer.

On 2006-11-21 20:05, Benzart wrote:
Thanks Bete, What izzit about an Octopus that is so neat?

The thing that's so cool about the octopus is that:

1. It is stylized with the tentacles crossing over each other.
2. It's placed well on the piece you are creating now.
3. It's unusual in that it's an uncommon thing to find on a tiki piece.
4. Octopi are freakin' cool.
5. It's a cool ocean realated subject that is kind of exotic and mysterious, like a tiki is exotic and mysterious.
6. You picked it to be put especially on this piece, so you obviously have a "vision" for it, and now everyone wants to see where it goes from here...

Alright! Vacation is over....let's see it!

-Gman

hmmmmm.....starting to look suspisiously related to the tiki you carved for me ben!! nice work as usual!!

Man, How did I get so far behind here? Oh, yeah, we were out of town for a few daze and just got back late last night.
Tama, see, you dribbled until you got sick, so watch where you are dribbling next time. You bring your Waka over and I'll help you row it back, such fun.
Don't cry now, I'm not done yet. By "Full sized one" you mean the full 30 footer? You'll have to TOW it back with your canoe and you'll Need all the help you can get.
Yeah, do you believe that GMAN?? Some nerve! Thanks tama the Traumatized.

Thank you too Paipo. Yeah I guess you can see the kinshiop in my Moai, they look like Brotherz. Thanks

Benella, Thanks too, I do plastic surgery every time I pick up the toolz, I don't know about precision, you haven't seen the close-ups yet.

McTiki, thanks. How did you find out about the "Benzomatic"? I got it a couple years ago for $19.95, and it Uesd to work great but now it wants to take breaks all the time. The Mahogany piece is only a few inches ofer 2 feet tall, it came from Francis or one of those storms that messed everyone up. Thanks for the props, the Octopus will be a Challenge.

GMAN, I Hope so, Glad you likee.

teaKEY, Thanks, he only has one eye because I didn't remember how he was supposed to look and how the eyes were situated, See, I Can't draw! Thanks for the comps.

GROG, Thanks, I've been laffing at that Moai stuff all weekend, Thankz.

Bete, Thanks for figuring all that out, but what if I decide Not to do the Octopus?? Thanks again!

GMAN, Still on Vacation.

Tipsy, yeah I think I said last time it would be easier to carve the pendant separately and just hang it around his neck? Thanks Dave!

Thanks everyone for all the kind words. It will probably take me a few dayz to shake off this 24 hours of driving, but I will get back to work as soon as possible and update this guy then. Meantime,,, CHILL GMAN! :)

I'm chillin', I'm chillin'.

All Right here are a few pictures of the next eye being carved and an ear being finished.

[ Edited by: Benzart 2006-11-27 11:01 ]

It's like watching Nip/Tuck...

Bye bye Winky!!

Buzzy

LoL!!...That patient is looking good! Did he tell you what he didn't like about himself? and if I may ask, What are you planing to do with the octopus carving it or burning it? Greetings!

I told you that's how he does it!!!......

Thanks Benz! I really appreciate all the detailed shots on how you carved that eye. It's neat to see you go from the chisel to the hook knife. Can't wait to see the octopus as well, I love most sea life, so I'm curious as to how you're gonna tie it in. :)

A super detailed step by step! Thanks. I didn't think to use a hook knife on a larger tiki.

JP

Wicked! Thanks Ben. Thats another wee nugget tucked away in the carving-brain. Even in such an unfinished state there is something so alive in your work - I cant help but empathise with Mr Moais' pain, yeeouch!

Grooan, Mooan. I simply love this guy...

When I grow up, I wanna carve like Benzart!

Tama :)

On 2006-11-27 10:48, Benzart wrote:

IT'S ALIVE!

Nice how-to on the eye gouging Benz - now I've just got to work out how to do that with the stone.