More tints and casts of new carving (pg 1)

With the shorter days and dropping temps, I have migrated my projects indoors. I also have some 2-d projects in the works and will post pics as progress is made.

I got to experiment more with different mold material and casting resins. It was a learning phase but here are some of the better ones that didn't get tossed into the quasi tiki graveyard. Also got to try different tint and dye additives. Yes, that's silver. I wanted to see what a mettalic tiki looked like.

This is a cast of my most recent carving in different colors. I tried to give more definition to the limbs. Then, I had to see what a blue moai looked like.

These are what's available at The Tiki Terrace and soon the Barefoot Hawaiian shop.

(End update 11/15)

You've seen the carvings. Now I've cloned them with the help of some modern chemicals and processes to produce an army of tikis.

more castings.

The last pull from tonight.

There are actually a lot more that were cast wrong and I've messed up a lot of molds and casts as I am still learning how to perfect my own process but I feel bad throwing the wasted ones away. They still look like tikis but are from a bad pull.

[ Edited by: ManoKoa 2005-10-12 20:53 ]

I didn't like the way the left one turned out so I made more. I like the one on the right the best but I real scared that I may put the mouth on and it won't fit right.

Side view. Hope this helps any future moai carvers to see the proportions.

Progress on the tiki family that I've been working on for a project.

End update

[ Edited by: ManoKoa 2005-08-30 20:44 ]

(Edit to update 8/14)

This is one I made for Kalani from the Barefoot Hawaiian, who helped me w/ art supplies. Real nice guy. (right) Signing on the back as Mano. If I end up joining the crew, that will be my "stage" name.

Family of mini tikis for a special project I'm working on.

Finally mustering up not only the courage but the supplies to go bigger. This mystery wood, rescued from my son's summer camp's firewood pile is soft like pine but has a reddish core. It stands a little over 10" tall.
Props to the local Woodcraft store for supplying my chisels and teaching me to strop.

After months of calling all the sawmills and lumberyards in the whole Chicagoland area, I finally found someone willing to part with a few logs for me to experiment on. I only had to drive over an hour to some bumblejunk town that had more tattoo's than teeth. After realizing that the borrowed chainsaw had to be returned in 2 days, I decided to make my first log be my first moai too. It turned out better than I thought.

Got myself a grinder w/ carving wheel to smooth it out a bit. The cracks on the bottom and some overzealous cuts have me a bit disappointed but I think I'm still gonna follow through with it and display it in the garden somewhere among the ferns.

End update

[ Edited by: ManoKoa 2005-08-14 17:46 ]

Edit to update with recent works:

^ Something I started a few months ago. (Stalled) ^ Manokoa's "reloy" version 1.0 for the keiki to wear for Exotica.

^ "Reloy" ManoKoa version 2.0. ^ Revived a stalled project for the Exotica 05 event.

^ Exotica tiki stained. I gave this one to Gwen from The Barefoot Hawaiian. ^ A trio I started from a section of 2x4, stalled til I fix whatever about it is bothering me.

^ The Keiki and I rockin the tats and tikis before Exotica.

[ Edited by: ManoKoa 2005-07-11 18:17 ]

Aloha Ka'kou - - -

I already posted in the Introduction thread but I wanted to come here directly with the other creators and share images of some of my carvings since I couldn't wait to interact with you all.

I carved my first tiki for my girlfriend 14 years ago out of pine. We are now married and since then I have carved close to 2 dozen, all for friends and family for different occasions, and none of which I have sold. I have never taken any pictures or taken any requests up until last year when I thought it would be a good idea to at least take pictures because I wanted to see how I was progressing as an artist.

These are a few that were made for friends last year. I like the one on the far left (oops) the best, so I ended up keeping it and that's the one I sport around my neck on occasion. It's the smallest one in the image and is 1 3/4". Apologies about the focus/resolution. I wasn't very particular since I was considering using the photo as source material for a painting.

Here's the one again along with my most recent developments. I use xacto and scalpel blades on oak. The smallest one here is 1".

I'm excited to share with this community and am truly inspired to no end by everyones contributions here.

[ Edited by: ManoKoa on 2005-01-26 10:30 ]
[ Edited by: Manokoa 2005-11-15 07:15 ]

[ Edited by: Manokoa 2005-11-15 14:00 ]

[ Edited by: Manokoa 2005-11-15 14:57 ]

Those are cool!
Welcome to "Creating Tiki" and I suggest you get carving cause I reckon you may have a few orders coming your way!

Welcome Manokoa. Those are some awesome carvings you have done. What tools are you using? As Cheekytiki said, you should get busy carving as I think TC'rs will like your stuff.
We would like to see More pictures...Thanks

Scalpel blade 15.

I know, it's a surgical instrument, but having parents in the medical field, this was the first carving tool available to me as a child and I get a lot of detail out of this particular blade. Grind the back corner down and it will fit nicely into an X-acto holder.

I use this X-acto blade 10 for bigger cuts.

Mahalo for the love and apologies for the lack of material to display. I will have more pictures as my projects continue. Since my job is going kinda slow right now, I'm able to sit at my cube and carve away. It won't be long until I get a foredom at my desk and carve stone.

A Man after my own heart: Adapt tools to use them your way. I do the same thing to the scalpel blades, using the hook more often. The middle knife in this picture is a "Vertas Carver" handle made of brass that is very comfortable and fits the scalpels in with no mods

Welcome, ManoKoa. That is some fine work. You understand that since you have posted these pictures, you are now forever doomed to having to post more. And more. And more. And more. And more. And more. And more. And more........ And more............. And more........hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really though, those are some fine pieces!

Beautiful work, ManoKoa!

I tried carving with x-acto type blades and failed miserably...yours are awesome! Nice work and thanks for sharing, I look forward to what you have coming next...

I have to try one of these little cravings. It would be my first one and that is about all I could do buried under a few feet of snow living in a tiny apartment.

Beautiful work indeed. You are doomed to repeat it though, just make sure that you post it here when it's done or even if it's not done. Let us see. Thanks and welcome

Mahalo

Thanks for the warm reception and compliments. I'm here at work and it's really getting in the way of my tiki carving. Scalpels are kinda flimsy and it takes a while to get used to doing surface cuts with them, but they're also so sharp that they will shave off as little wood as you can control or see.

Scalpel has a hook blade too but I think I will see how I do with a regular sized hook blade like in Ben's picture before I decide to try it. It does look scary, but since I am due for a blood sacrifice to the tiki gods, it's just as well.

I haven't had the idea until recently of using jewelers tools so that's where my next paycheck is going towards.

teaKey - I highly encourage trying a small carving. You can carry it with a couple of shielded blades wherever you go. I have a 40 min train commute to and from work and all the time this week has been spent carving away, listening to mp3s. The wood shavings left in your path are negligible.

[ Edited by: ManoKoa on 2005-01-27 10:48 ]

Great carvings ManoKoa! You are very talented.
Your little tikis really appeal to me.

Mahalo for sharing!

Those are beautiful.........
I gotta try one, just how small do they make chainsaws?

So uh, when are they goin up for sale in the marketplace? They're great, and I think you'd do quite well selling them on TC if you've got the time to carve them. Aloha!

On 2005-01-27 17:30, Mr. Dale wrote:
Those are beautiful.........
I gotta try one, just how small do they make chainsaws?

:D
Small enough, but feuling and filing the chain are such a PITA, that it's not even worth the bother.

Since i'm doomed to post follow up images:
:wink:

The one on the left is my wife's. The one in the middle is for our best friend, who is also our children's godmother. She requested "a tiny one that she will be able to wear to work". So, tiny it is. The other one is for my a friend who I have known for 5 years and we connect in many different ways. His birthday is always a forgotten birthday as it falls right inbetween Christmas and NYE. I know it's past his birthday but I'm gonna say Happy belated birthday when I give it to him this weekend.

I'm glad they're well recieved, but my carving has ben a very infrequent hobby and talent that I display. When carving a tiki, I always have a connection to the person in mind who I am carving for when I work. I've made them for friends birthdays, weddings, family, and other people I have connected with in special ways or on specific occasion with a word carved on the back. So, aside from the ones for my wife and I, and the one's I am working on, they have all been given away as a gift with all my Aloha.

I know it seems like I'm a tiki snob, but I am changing that attitude so I can share my Aloha with everyone and display what mana there is in the talent I have been blessed with. Discovering this forum has been a real eye opener for me and has given me the inspiration to increase my productivity on this end. The ideas that have come from seeing all the different styles, tools, and techniques have been flooding my mind since coming across this site. It shouldn't be too long before I join the other artists on this site by having pieces available to you.

Price is a big question here. Does it deserve another thread?

[ Edited by: ManoKoa on 2005-01-27 20:04 ]

These are great ManoKoa! I would love to have one as a keychain. The one I use now is busted in half cause it was made from resin and I drop my keys from time to time.

...Anyway, nice work!

I'm new here too! I've been going through as many posts as I can and am just blown away by the collections I've seen and, now, the carving talents! WOW.

Although I'm not a carver I am a painter. When I repainted the bedroom last summer I painted my pine dressers and the closet doors in a faux bamboo. Once my husband saw how the doors came out he said..you know what they need? A tiki painted on them. Well, he's a Shag fan so it just seemed that it needed to be a Shag tiki. They turned out so well that I think they're going to have to go with us when we move!

Welcome Dancin'Lizard. I'd be taking those too. Great job. Don't stop there as I'm sure you can find lots of stuff around the house to Tikify!

Here is an Electric cordless Chainsaw, the Bar isabout 4 " long,.. Just right for small arvingd, doing eyes, noses, ears, mouths and teeth. A little chip here and chip there. might be worth checkingoout. McTiki has one

It's been a long overdue update, but I posted some pics on page 1.

enjoy

Great work! I saw you two at Exotica, now I wish I had talked to you. Next time for sure. :)

Aloha Manokoa,

I thought that name was familiar, but just didn't connect. Those two "Reloys" were just the tip of the iceberg. Your work is killer, you've gotta log on & share with us more often. This will cure the "stalls" for sure. Thanks for bringing this great thread back up to the top.

Aaron

"The ideas that have come from seeing all the different styles, tools, and techniques have been flooding my mind since coming across this site-Manokoa"

I second that. Hey I saw you this weekend and I wanted to ask you how you painted your face like that.. Maybe its not paint but whatever it is, its cool and the design rocks.

I thought that you should have won best outfit, don't know who won thought.

Alway like the full bodies. Tight job on the cuts and can really appreciate the size.

On 2005-07-13 19:55, teaKEY wrote: Hey I saw you this weekend and I wanted to ask you how you painted your face like that.. Maybe its not paint but whatever it is, its cool and the design rocks.

I thought that you should have won best outfit, don't know who won thought.

It's based off of the maori men's face tattoo as my daughters is based off of the womens. I used a sharpie (permanent marker). I only did the right side because I didn't have that much time.

I'm glad you liked it. I've started a lot of stuff based off of the Maori motifs and I'll be sure to post them here when they're done.

welcome manokoa. i love the carvings they are awesome.

Killer work- lots of aloha in your pieces!

That trio I started found its way to the trash. It was not only annoying me but it started mocking me with a hateful tone that was not welcome at my house.

My new job allows me to carve a whole lot so expect to see more mini stuff coming up. I also have a few logs and some rigid foam that have tikis waiting to emerge. Damn, I am a bizzy buggah. I hope you all accept that as my reason for not posting as much.

Awesome carvings Mano. Love them. Th detail is nice and crisp, and the designs are very funky. Cool

Welcome to TC! From the looks of it you will fit right in :)

Very tight work there! Your cuts are so precise and clean.
I really like the larger one... your chisel skills are as good as your knife skills.

Keep up the great work!

Mahalo for the props.

I'm using palm chisels for now cuz I still feel real awkward w/ a mallet on the bigger pieces.

Powertools are da-kiiine though. I just wish I were able to switch chisels on the wecheer quicker.

Manokoa,

Your work continues to inspire. I really like the larger one in front of the computer monitor - I guess you used the Wecheer on that? I agree - it would be nice to have a "quick change" type collet for the recip chisel. I wonder if they make those?

What kind of wood is the Moai? It looks a lot like the ficus I've been carving with all the spaulting in the grain.

Cheers,

A-A

The moai is a pine. I have another section that I see a marquesan in.

As for the one by the computer, I've used an exacto, flexcut palm chisels along w/ the wecheer. I end up making a lot of cuts, probably more than I should but it's only because I am so critical of my work.

Your work is incredible.
Wes

Updated with Moai and progress on mini family.

Mano - your tikis are awesome. I love the "mini" tikis, they have tons of personality. I really like the "mystery wood" tiki too, the grain on that wood adds tons of character. Thanks for posting

Your tikis are great. I really like the simplicity of the Moais. Look forard to seeing more.

Update for castings on page 1.

Looks like a little tiki army - like Star Wars Attack of th clones! Cool

Mano, your tikis continue to be Awesome. I can see a lot of progress, when in fact you needed very little. I would Love to have one of your pieces when they become available. Foredom has now produced a Recip carver like the Wecheer and I am sure it Has to be better preforming and for the Same $. Just saw it in the Treeline catalog. They do Not show it yet online.
Keep up the good work.

Ben -
I still owe you an original, but if you want, I'll get one of the casts to you.

For the time being, the castings will only be available through The Tiki Terrace which is due to open in the Chicago West burbs within the next few weeks, which means I have to create several battalions of these clones. On top of that, I am never satisfied so I keep carving more models that I want to cast.

On top of that, I am never satisfied so I keep carving more models that I want to cast.

spoken like a true carver! well done!

That battalion of tikis is awe inspiring, I dig your posts, are these tikis going to be available for purchase at the terrace?

On 2005-10-13 08:55, Polynesiac wrote:

On top of that, I am never satisfied so I keep carving more models that I want to cast.

spoken like a true carver! well done!

That battalion of tikis is awe inspiring, I dig your posts, are these tikis going to be available for purchase at the terrace?

Mrs. Mano always tells me that I am the worse critic of my own work. I guess it's what motivates me to keep changing and growing.

The first of the tiki task forces will be deployed for purchase at The Tiki Terrace and at the shop at The Barefoot Hawaiian because it was from my contact with them that this project was inspired.

ManoKoa
Kiora! Hey I live in New Zealnd for about 6 months, the tatts look great!
beautiful carvings!!

ManoKoa-
Annie (wife,best friend) tells me the same. I am never satisfied with any of my work. I think it can always be better. I believe it is my driving force behind me improving also. Plus I drive myself insane sometimes.
Your work is incredible! I will get their someday. (positive reassurance).
I sent you a PM.
Wes

ALOHA

Added update to post on page 1. Weather is not permitting so much outdoor carving time so I took my few logs indoor for the holidays, hopefully they dry up evenly but I also have projects involving media other than wood that are heavily inspired by New Zealand art. I'll put up pics of those as things progress.

Mahalo for looking and giving honest critique on anything.

Love the castings. The colors are right on. The blue Moai is very cool, I think you should try more color variations. Keep em coming.

All of them are very nice. I would like to ask you advice on casting and mold making. But I'm too busy to stop and try anything new yet. Really like the little guys. Sweet styling. and tight lines.