Tama - NZ Pounamu/greenstone - Last post for '08! - pg99

On 2007-05-29 01:35, Tamapoutini wrote:

It glows with an inner beauty. Only a master could get a rock to glow like that.

Hi guys n gals.

Well, my wee experiment into 'finish first - post later' seems to be working. I want to share but as a fulltime carver am feeling the need to play a little closer to my chest. The pressure to finish particular pieces doesnt exist if you lot dont know what Im up to... :lol:

Benella, QueenK: Here come the first two. Ok, one's not so cheap. To be tried in the marketplace shortly...

BenZ: No prog shots this time. The juices were flowing with this first guy following; drawn up & blocked out some time ago but halted at the point where I knew some 'letting go' was needed. I just wasnt ready before now. Strange things happen behind closed doors...

Gman: Thanks for the inspiration dude! :wink:

JohnnyP: Thanks for the compliment but I cant really take the credit for jades' translucency! :lol: That one belongs to 'Io'. I guess I help with my shaping & sanding. If a good quality translucent jade is carved with an even taper then you get that nice graduating glow at the thinner edges. Purdy eh?

So here is what Ive been working on - secretly. Without anyones knowledge...

'Hei-Toki Teko-teko' 2007














oh and a blurry one to finish; marvelous. Hadnt noticed that. :D

The teko-teko figure itself is just under an inch and a half tall.
So whaddaya reckon? Im pretty chuffed with how this came out & wont be sad if I have to keep it.

And this wacky ethnicity-less creature also found his way out of the Box. What can I say about him? er, he's unique! I blame TC... :lol:

Both these guys will be in the marketplace shortly - at a TC-only special morning price and only for a limited time... I really hope they can find homes with TC members.

Take care all!

Tama :)

Nutrition for the creative mind Tama! WOW!

Mahalo

McTiki

That Teko Teko is gorgeous. Then I scrolled down and saw how small it was - AWESOME! :D :D Nice work Tama, and post in the way that works best for you - just keep posting pics!

Tama - that has to be the nicest Tiki I have seen! and the teko teko, just awesome.

Inspiring stuff. Just cant wait to get my supplies . . . (not that my efforts will come close!)

Well Tama, When you don't show up for awhile and we're wondering what you are doing, coming back with beauties like these makes it all right. Like I said before, I understand about not showing a piece until it' finished, but that doesn't mean I Like it! :) :) ;-0
Your Teko-Teko is really excellent. It IS Very nice to see you doing something different from your normal Hei-Tiki. He has a cute butt too which brings up the fact that he is Totally 3 dimensional and Perfectly detailed I might add. You should Really be proud of this one and I really feel you would do well to do another dozen or tu.
...And Then theres your Other Misfit who would certainly shake up the local hei-tiki-cops. I'm Sure they would Love to roast you over him for sure. I find him Very well done and realize the 'going with the flow" process is very difficult to do and the letting go of old habits is a rough road to follow ,,in the beginning. I'm sure I speak for the whole lot when I say we don't mind at All, taking the blame for him. You have no idea how happy these 2 pieces make me, Very well done!

My favorite shot :D

That's some real nice tiki booty there, Tama! The best (possibly only) one I've seen on one of your pieces! Butt seriously... that is one incredibly elegent pendant. Oh, if only I hadn't just put myself on a strict tiki budget :( The second one is also very nice! I like the playfulness of it!

More masterpieces from the master!

What a heartbreaker. In that piece, you combined my two favorites - the toki and the teko. Very nicely done Tama. I would like to see more 3D stuff from you. Thanks for those pics and for posting. I agree with Ben and would really like to see progress pics as you work. I enjoy following the creation of pieces and seeing how different carvers work things out. I understand that you want to post if/when something makes it to completion - but that's like watching a taped video of a sporting event. It has already happened, and for me at least, some of the excitement is gone. But I understand bubba. You have a business to run and I will be very happy to see any and all pics you can throw our way. Great stuff my friend.

-G

Oh my god !

Very top class Tama.
I can't imagine that one of your super carvings could be cheap because your art is top fantastic and it won't be normal :wink: So you know what I have to do: earn more money !

Benj

I've been back to look at this one at least a dozen times. You must have the hands of a surgeon to put that much perfect detail into something that small. You can't be a coffee drinker or your hands wouldn't be that steady.

The Teko is phenomenal and so precise. Since I was a child I've always appreciated minutely detailed small objects. The piece is stunning. Really!!

ST

Tama , such a knock down glow from watching your work as it progresses......dare I say both great admiration and fear at how I may fail to approach such excellence !

I agree! this is a beautiful piece....great job!

Amy

Kia ora All.
Another slow week from me. This time it's old(ish) fences coming down and new ones going up. Still having to keep my eye on the hired help! :lol:

Big thanks for your comps: McTiki, Sneaky, Hula & QueenK!
Hewey: Thanks mate. You think the Teko-teko was small? Wait till you see whats coming up... :wink:
Kiwishaman: At the rate you're throwing a workspace together Im guessing we are going to see a new jadi/stoner anytime now...
BenZ: You're dead right. Another dozen wee Tekos' would sure help to impress the design. I freely admit it was a head-scratcher but took my time & slowly nutted through it. I am fully planning to go a lot thicker with my next slabbing session just to give myself more scope for 3-D. Im guessing I may end up working in a 3/4 deep type scale as a fully-fledged 3-D sculpt just isnt really practical for pendants - and I do love me pendants...
JenTiki: Shake it! :o :lol:
Gman: Im working on reintroducing prog pics*; its a tricky balance between sharing freely and maintaining the Mystery/Secrecy of the Alchemists Lab... :wink:
Benella: We ALL need more money! Hmmmmmm... A Money-Tiki?
JP: Nope; no coffee while Im working but Im a feind for strong tea (& nicotine)... Considering the abuse I put myself through oh so many years ago, I am amazed at my own steady hands! Seriously. :lol:

*Another Modern-Savage is born. Only managed a couple of prog shots at the beginning stages...


I thought he had a bit of a 'Tiki-Beat' thing going on at this stage! :lol: (Sorry Marcus!)

But the facial details changed/evolved as I went along & I was happy to let it go. Done...

'Goateed Warrior' 2007

This is another specifically designed for the TC-Whanau & will soon be available in the marketplace...

Whats this; prog shots?? The Wyoming Tang (has a 'first refuser' now, sorry.) saw a small amount of action yesterday but not looking like anything much at the moment; the Tangaroa design is another that is going to need reproducing/experimenting with several times before I feel comfortable it. I am trying to breathe a little more depth into this one but it will still be a matter of 'illusury'(?) 3-dimentions, concentrating on the front/principal view as most important. In other words, he is going to be squashed a little, but hopefully will step out of the 'slab' catagory. I do need this one to have some thinness however, in order to exploit that beautiful translucency. Tricky...

He is also joined in his journey by another little Tang; just 1" tall & being carved in Aussie Black jade. As this guy is so small, I am going to go even deeper/thicker (proportionately) again & see if I cant pull off another 'Teko'... :wink:

Happy carving all!

Tama :)

The goatee-ed warrior came out very cool - much improved over the original layout. Cant wait to see the new guys!

YES, The Goateed guy IS Cool and what beautiful stone. I Love the way he evolved to his final look. You are getting these guys down pretty darn well, soon you'll be able to do them in your sleep.
The Wyoming Jade piece is really looking good too. can't wait to see the final look of That stone. I KNOW the carving will be just plain Outrageous.
Now ,,as for the Black guy :) :) :) , he looks Verrry Promising and like a bit of a challenge Can't Wait..

Very nice new art!!The worrior and I aggre with johnyp

I'm drooling over this one too!! Congrats!

Hi all - Just a quick pictorial update on the Tangs...

Cheers Hewey! BenZ! Clarita!

Big Tang...

lil Tang...

Tangs for looking!
TTT :)

Hey brother, that lil tang is killer. I'm loving these shots. We're watching closely now..... :wink: Why do I want all of these?

Well Tangs for Showing! Both these fellas are looking Excellent. Does the Lil guy have a hand on his belly? Cool. I'm with GMAN in wondering why I want them ALL. I don't know, there must be something wrong with me so I guess you'll need to send me a bunch and let me study this ailment to see if I can get to the root of it. (In the name of Psycoscience?)

Hi guys. A little more prog on the Tangs but nothing worth showing just yet; looking like next week now...
In the name of 'progress' I've been keeping better records and am here to share. Ive been picking away at this new guy for a wee while & have him almost ready for sanding. Until I spend a day slabbing some new, thicker slabs Ill just have to press on with what I have but am starting to think more and more about 3-Dimensions. scary.

Face-off...

Back on again...

Not quite the end, but...

This guy is going to have mother-of-pearl inlays in his eyes & I have one last detail planned for him that I have never tried before...

I also have a full progression for you soon. I am recreating an ealier piece for a friend of mine and have taken lots of shots along the way. Ill wait until its all done and post in one hit; it is a relatively simple piece but I thought the keen amongst you might like to disect the process..?

We got the front fence finished today and I must say it turned out even better than invisaged. Half way through putting up the boundary fences and soon our large rocky puddle will be safe! :lol:

Take care all.
Tama :)

Tama,

This new fellow is very neat - the spirals and the ridge to the butt are really great. Watching you make these additions to your work is very exciting. I hope you continue to push the 3D envelope in these slabs of jade. At some point I will have to own one of your tekos with deep spirals like these from his face to his knees. Thanks for sharing the pics with us.

-G

Tama, I Love how you are taking your time to Work this guy out. I find it's the best way, just slowly work out where everything goes. If I had the vision and hand eye coordination of Marcus, and I could just start at the toes and work it up to the top of the head then I could do these guys a lot faster, but alas he is a rare gifted fellow and we mere mortals have to struggle to create these beautiful pieces.
Your man has a Great butt and I Love the detail there already. The head and face seem to be Perfectly perportioned, so however you are doing it, keep it rolling.
The Fence and muddy lot look Great! (Oh, You forgot to post Those Pic's?) :) :) :)

Yeah!!!! Nice swirly booty!

Sorry, I don't feel as qualified as others here to comment on all the technicalities of your carving. I just know I like what I see, and I'm a sucker for a good sexy tiki butt! :D

Cheers G! I was considering scrolling him up 'from face to knee' as you put it, but held back. Actually I was thinking spirals on the shoulders & thighs.

Jen: You can take partial credit for the extra time spent on those buttocks! I know a few of the ladies around here have a keen eye for these sorts of details :lol: No qualifications necessary to appreciate a nice raro/bottom...

Ben: The Empire...

New front fence - ok, it just looks like an ordinary fence I suppose, but until you've had a go at designing/building one yourself...

No back fence anymore -in fact the new front fence was recycled from old back fence materials. You probably cant see from the tiny pic but the picnic table is covered in frost. Those mountains in the distance (out of shot) have had a good dump of smow sitting on them for the past couple of weeks but all disappeared in the last few days of sunny weather. The air is still mightly cold tho...

My dirt, all mine...hahahaha You might just be able to see a few posts & pegs in the distance where the boundary fences will run & where the new workshop will be sited. Not too muddy today; pity the rocks dont dry up and disappear the way the water does...

Back to the grind.

Have a good day all!
T3 :)

[ Edited by: Tamapoutini 2007-06-14 14:50 ]

I'm sensing a theme emerging in this current crop of little men...is there something you're not telling us? You know what they say about tikis...especially well-endowed tikis!

On 2007-06-14 14:47, Tamapoutini wrote:

Not too muddy today; pity the rocks dont dry up and disappear the way the water does...

No doubt you've examined most of them by now? Any finds yet? Good to know next time I'm out we won't have to go far for a walk!

Could I interest you in a Stone eating Goat? I also sell Prime real estate here in Florida,,Cheap?
Looks like an Excellent fence to me. To make Mine look that Ordinary, I'd have to Upgrade it several notches.

Hi everyone. Long time, no post. Busy busy and not all that much carving recently. Still busy baracading ourselves against the world and trying to scratch out bit of dirt into something a little less pigsty-looking. Not easy at this time of year so it looks like we may just have to ride out a wet winter & then the even wetter spring(!!) before we can go any further with it.

Paipo: Not so much as a serpentine pebble. bah! Yes, lots of willies recently. Im comfortable. :wink:

BenZ: A stone eating goat would be fantastic! I hope he's hungry. New Zealand is formed from some of the worlds youngest rocks you know?; millions of years fresher than what you've got over there.. He'll love them! :lol:

I will be back with a couple of finished projects next week; one is a full progression from start to finish - but not quite finished yet... :lol: A couple of new things drawn up and tempting me but I know there are also a couple of Tangs that need to be finished, doh! I hearby resolve to finish a whole waka-load of pieces that are sitting around and hassling me about the amount of work already put into them! Actually I decided this many months ago but forgot as the pieces that needed finishing became buried under newly-started projects. Aue! And so it goes.

Knock knock...

Tama :)

On 2007-06-14 04:32, Tamapoutini wrote:

This guy is going to have mother-of-pearl inlays in his eyes & I have one last detail planned for him that I have never tried before...

What is it? The suspense is killing me!
"Riding it out" is right. We're going nowhere this weekend. Good weather for finishing some tikis...? :wink:
I'll have to get out for a rummage through the box when things aren't so polar.

On 2007-06-22 02:08, Tamapoutini wrote:

BenZ: A stone eating goat would be fantastic! I hope he's hungry. New Zealand is formed from some of the worlds youngest rocks you know?; millions of years fresher than what you've got over there.. He'll love them! :lol:

I will be back with a couple of finished projects next week; one is a full progression from start to finish - but not quite finished yet... :lol: A couple of new things drawn up and tempting me but I know there are also a couple of Tangs that need to be finished, doh! I hearby resolve to finish a whole waka-load of pieces that are sitting around and hassling me about the amount of work already put into them! Actually I decided this many months ago but forgot as the pieces that needed finishing became buried under newly-started projects. Aue! And so it goes.??????????????

Knock knock...

Tama :)

Yes the goats Love fresh stone, I'll get my sales agent in touch as soon as he gets back from the Swamps, ( Want some water front Florida Property while you're at it?

Your projects in progress yelling at you sounds like my whole garage, GOTTA Get them done!

Wicked little fellas. I really like the recent stuff.
Excellent as usual.

Flynny

Kia ora Tiki-fans!

Paipo: The answer is coming*. Dont get too excited...

BenZ: We both know we'll get around to finishing them all some day :wink: they happen in their own good time & it doesnt do to go questioning too deeply or giving ourselves a hard time. Who was it that said "life is like a box of unfinshed tikis - you just never know what you might pull out and finish off"..?

Flynny: Cheers mate. Havent seen you around much lately?

Still busy busy around the property and finding it hard to get motivated against the cold even when I am sitting in the right place. Never fear, a few new pieces have been finished already this week:

The first is the completed Moko'ed & Spiral'ed Warrior. Plans changed from the proposed mother-of-pearl inlays & I ended going for a patterned paua. *The small detail that I wished to try was the arm-bindings, ala old Cook and Tahitian Isld wood idols. Just a small detail really and admittedly I wish I could have found a cleaner way to finish the knots at the rear - they're not that bad really but the purist in me would have liked them invisible - and they're 'knot', quite. :D Headed to the US to our very own gMoney, along with a couple of friends. Big Thanks gM!!

Perfect Inanga (in sunlight) :o

The next was the 3rd and last of the 'Hei-Heads' from however long ago. Begun at the same time, all three have been finished independantly and this is the last of this particular series/batch. He is my favourite of the group & I had intended keeping him for myself, but occasionally we gotta do what we gotta do. $orry, $old! sniff... :cry: :wink:
There is a colour-change in this stone, more apparent on the reverse side, making the mouth/tongue a much richer green than the upper section.

bye baby...

And finally tonight I have for you the long awaited(?) big ol' step-by-step... On second thoughts, perhaps it deserves it's own post... see you soon.

Tama :)

boing back again.

The following is a recreation of a piece created last year/earlier this year? Among the first of my Maori/Hawaiian fusion pieces. A friend of mine convinced me to make another and I took a pretty full step-by-step of piccies along the way. enjoy

Drawn up and shown with an image of the original. I changed a few things ever so slightly and there is always a slight 'movement' beyond my control; in fact a large part of my job is in trying to fight that movement. Overall I am happier with this than the original and can see for myself where my approach has changed in the months since its' creation.

And finally...





...Ctrl "C"... Ctrl "V"... tiki... Ctrl "C".. tik-wha?? whassat..?
oh right.
And once again with the original for comparison - not to scale.

Hope you enjoyed.

Tama :)

Haven't forgotten about those Tangs' either :wink: - will be attending to those later in the week.

Laters.

Tama :)

Fight the Movement! Yeah! Seems like the tools have a mind of their own sometimes...
I like this little fella a lot, although to me he doesn't feel Hawaiian at all - still very much a hei-tiki but of his own breed/tribe. Just the simple act of reversing the head/body proportion creates something new. He looks like the old pieces that were made from recycled adzes, but upside-down.
I can sympathise with the arm-knot dilemma too - if you find a solution, please share it with me. I have a piece in mind that will require similar adornment...(but it won't have arms!)

Arm-Knot problem?

I think the solution might be to not have any "knot" at all. Hide the end of the cord by pulling it under the other cord "wraps" and secure with a small drop of instant glue. I think the process (except for the glue) is described in Myhre's book "Bone Carving."

Awesome Tama.

He is a little beauty. And thanks for the step by step, I referred to earlier ones of yours and Paipo's when I started mine. Being able to refer to these progress shots helps us learners more than you believe.

Congrats.

KS

Bro, what a great piece! You make it look too easy!

The Birdman

Love the step-by-step.. Beauties as always, Tama.

WOW, Tama, What can I say but just Beautiful. You certainly know how to show us Who is in charge! Beautiful stone too, I can't believe the translucency of those pieces. Gman's not collecting mail for awhile so just send me the stuff and I'll make sure he gets it. (some day!ha) I Knew you would overload us with stuff all at once and give us visual Overload. I'm not complaining for sure as I Always love seeing your stuff. I need to come get lessons from You.

On 2007-06-26 02:51, Tamapoutini wrote:
Kia ora Tiki-fans!
Just a small detail really and admittedly I wish I could have found a cleaner way to finish the knots at the rear - they're not that bad really but the purist in me would have liked them invisible - and they're 'knot', quite.

Tama :)

Here is a 4mm thick "arm" I drilled a 2mm hole into and wrapped the band around sticking the loose ends through, one from each side, managing to tie one overhand knot "In the hole" cutting off the ends and searing them as close as I dared. Then maneuvered the bands to cover the holes. You can still see the ends but not quite as much it also acts to prevent the bands from slipping down the arm. It isn't a Double knot but it seems to be holding fine.
Here you can see it with the threads spread out showing the hole

And here is the band all placed back in order and looking as it should.

Thanks for the step by steps, they are a pleasure to watch a raw slab of stone turn into such a work of art. I still don't know how you have been able to get such a perfect finish and radius on all your pieces. Having tried jade a few times, I really have to respect your skill.

Tama!
Great going on this last bunch! You never stop! And every couple of carvings...BAM!!! You've stepped up a notch! :) And thanks for the play by play carving pics! Lovin the armbands,and it looks like Benz just calmed your Knot-anxiety!!!! Would you mind building an addition onto your new to be built workroom/studio?(just in case I have to flee the Bush/Cheney Regime in the Near Future...)
I'll pay rent with paintings!

amazing, Tama! absolutly killer. and the armbands are a great idea and very well done. you know i'm actually jealous of your rock collection out there. florida is just a big sand bar. we have to pay big bucks for that kind of stuff. Benz's goat must be the skinniest one around!

Tama, the warrior, hei head and Hawaii-hybrid(s) look really tight, you keep upping your game and the symmetry is astonishing when done in stone especially.
I'm green with jade envy--groan/wince!

:drink:
ST

Kia ora all.

Thanks Paip: I agree, when I look back at it now it doesnt appear all that Tama-pered with at all. At the time it felt pretty envelope-pushing tho' :lol: Starting to run a little dry on subtle proportion-changes...

Timid: Next time. You & BenZ put a good idea into my head though...

KShaman: I deliberately held off posting progs of that piece just for the likes of you and a few other 'greenies', thinking that a full go-to-whoa might make any 'study' a bit easier. Hope it helps.

Thanks for watching TBird, FBalls, BZart (used your glue idea on the hemp...), JP (radius = shaping? * the movement of reflection & shadow...), LLT (you're on! - one painting a week?), GTP (I'd rather be digging fencepost holes in sand than rock! :lol: ) and SneakyT (are you stoned? - groan/wince!)

.

--

--

.

Trying a reversal: Added this piece to the marketplace a short while ago and you can see more images there... :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

MAORI ARTIFACT: Hei-Tiki...

spooky. ancient... :o

.

--

--

.

Sad to say that I didnt get any more done on the Tangs this week but Im all on my lonesome next week & intend to make the most of the uninterrupted time. Should have plenty of TC time too Im thinking. See you then!

T :)

You're Definitely right about this guy being Spooky and Ancient looking. That original surface giives him a face good enough to rule Panama in So America. He really has something about him that you want to move away from. Nice job keeping the texture. If you Tried to get that look it would take forever. Glad to hear you could use the rope trick, why knot place the toggle not into the hollow of the bone? Not that I want to tell you how to make your stuff, I know it adds to that traditional flair so I'll shut up.
Now go move some rocks. :) :) :)

Tama,

Sorry I've been quiet here for a bit, but I have been lurking and I have seen your recent posts. That "artifact" is spooky! Is that the natural surface of the stone or did you manufacture that texture? Creepy! The figure with the butt-swirles is mighty fine as well. Like johnnyP, I am always facinated by the smoothness of your stone's surfaces and the precision of your carved curves. I always enjoy viewing your work. Thanx for posting.

-G