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

:o Holy Underwear!!! :o

Brad, that looks rad!

I agree with Grog, your lights and darks are gorgeous!

I love how he looks like such a bad-ass, and the tiki in the background is just killer!

RAWK ON! :D

On 2008-01-26 23:08, Tiki Shark Art wrote:
Aloha!

Here's a decent scan.
Mahalo!

Brilliant!! The whole Tiki Godzilla thing is a way cool direction...My mind can see one now coming up out of the surf and grabbing up screaming, sun worshiping tourists on the beach, and munching them down :) You da bomb Tiki Shark!

Wow, I just love your B+W stuff so much...maybe even more than the paintings in some ways. You are the master of positive and negative space! I echo what GROG mentioned about not needing outlines around everything to define it, and the "busy but balanced" composition. This (and some of your others) really reminds me of some classic comic art - I might have to dig through my boxes again to try and pick your influences. Have you ever done any comics (published)? BTW, when are you gonna finish those playing cards ? :)

Sweeeet Brad! Love the composition of this, love your B&W stuff :D :D

All Hail Bradley Parker!
Master of color and Black and White!
You got the Midas Touch my friend!
Always good to mix it up between mediums...
I know Jack Kirby/John Byrne/Berni Wrightson/Barry Windsor Smith/CC Beck/John Buscema/John Romita and the gang are smiling and stoked at the work you're pumping out!

All I can say is wow.

On 2008-01-28 09:06, little lost tiki wrote:

I know Jack Kirby/John Byrne/Berni Wrightson/Barry Windsor Smith/CC Beck/John Buscema/John Romita and the gang are smiling and stoked at the work you're pumping out!

Ok, you saved me the trouble. Throw in some Wally Wood and we're done!

That is RADICAL !!! That could be the cover to a very interesting Tiki novel.

Aloha~

Wow, thanks everyone for the cool comments! I felt a bit rusty doing some B and W again, it's been awhile. But I had a ton of fun too. Think I'm gonna start sketching up another one. In the mean while ..

I totally screwed up the painting!

Well, not really. I'm just sorta working out the basic shading and the colors the Bela Otto's ALOHA shirt has to be to stand out properly from the background. So, warm color to stand out against the cool BG, and cool color to stand out against the warm BG. THEN, I gotta put all the complex aloha shirt designs on it! Should be fun!

Mahalo fer looking!

I dig those colours. Looks like someone started a fire in the jungle! Eagerly anticipating the shirt detailing....

Love the black and white piece, you can't beat some giant tiki monster action. The new painting is shaping up really nice, the work in progress are really useful, thanks for posting. Look forward to seeing the final work.

Amazing Man!!

Every piece I see of yours up here baffles me. I am truly impressed with your execution and use of materials. Keep it up... you do some seriously cool stuff!!!

Mahalo
Dirk
aka
Kimo
aka
Tiki Dirk

BIG ALOHA and a big thanks everyone.

Been a while since I was posting. Work, taxes, and guests staying in my art studio/guestroom got in da way.

Okay, the color on his shirt was too distrackinng! I had to flatten out the areas where the "designs" on his Aloha shirt will be going. I think I can get a better idea of putting them down now.

Have a great week end you cool cats!

Brad (tiki shark)

Aloha!
Hey, so I'm colaborating with Earl, a wood block printer in Oahu. Here's the progress on our first offical joint effort - "Waikiki Mystery" as a wood block print.

Earl just finished the carving. Now he's waiting for proper conditions to run some proofs - it's been darned rainy here on the islands - (Hilo got over 23 inches in 1 day!) and it effects the ink in this antique printing press technique. It'll be a limited run - you only get 100 or 150 or so till the wood block gives out. It's not a digitized file that you could print out forever. So, once it's gone, you'd have to hand carve another block to make more. I really dig the extrememly "low tech" nature and retro feel of this process. Later this month we should see how they come out.

Mahalo~

Tiki Shark

http://www.myspace.com/Lotus_Land

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2008-02-09 14:16 ]

Abso-Freaking-Tastic! I love that you went old-school printmaking with this! Is the press you speak of the one that the Honolulu Printmaker's Guild uses at the Academy of Arts? You gotta get some "in progress" shots of the printing. amazing work!

Henrik

Wow the block print looks awesome, how much will they be and where does the queue [sorry line] start...

Van Tiki ~ Earl has his own antique press. He's very passonate about his printing, and everything has to be just so. I'll get some photos when I'm over in Honolulu at months end.
Tiki Racer ~ I knew YOU'D be all interested in the prints - seeing as you are a printer yourself! (I still treasure the print I got from you!) Actually seeing your cool print started my whole interest in the "old style/non digital" process. Not sure on the price yet, Earl has a much better sense of the non computer "Art Print" market and I'll take his cue on setting a price for the open market. We've aggreed not to under cut each other's set price on the prints. So, there will be a posting in the Market Place when they are ready. I'm sure they'll be on E-bay too. (but, if you're dying to have one, short on pocket change, and you're a close personal friend of mine, message me and we can work it out.)

Aloha from the Big Island~

Right on Brad!
now that's the way to make a true artsit's print!
You can be the long lost son of Durer or Dore
washed up on the shores of the Big Isle and making prints the ol' school way!
I'll say it again!
Right on Brad!
:)

On 2008-02-09 12:33, Tiki Shark Art wrote:

That is good good stuff. WOW!

Thanks for the offer Brad, I'm keen not to miss out, so put me down for one. With the pound still pretty strong I'm sure it won't break the bank. pm me when they are looking ready.

Wow, I love the glowing shark and this new one you are working on is really rad as well. I'll be keeping an eye on this. Very very nice work.

Aloha~
LLT ~ Thanks Ken. I'm really having too much fun with this printing process. Just the idea that they are being printed on an antique iron 2000 lb printing press is cool.
Chongolio ~ Big Mahalo buddy! Howzit on your island? Seems like we're still getting the tail end of the rain storm a bit here.
Tiki Racer ~ Sure thing, I'll keep one put aside for you.
Flat Black ~ Thank you so much! I'm glad you're digging it!

The Artist's Proofs are done. And, they came out great! Earl told me he was so into the subject matter for this print, that he carved the wooden block for about four days with hardly any sleep. Check em out...

The artist's proofs are on a news print like paper. The actual run will be on a much thicker stock.

There's just a touch here and there to be cleaned up before the actual run. The edges of the image will be clean and hard edged on the final print. You can see my signature on the bottom left, and Earl's on the right.

From my talks with Earl, I guess the method of having two people (the artist and the craftsman) create, carve, and sign the finished print went out of vogue in the 1920's. He's pretty sure there are no other artist/carver teams any more. And darned sure that there are none doing "Tiki Art"! I think Tiki Art totally lends itself to this whole antique/retro process. It's a natural!

I actually dig all the little imperfections and the ragged edges on these proofs. You'll notice the unfinished piece just above the Tiki's eye - that will be finished in the final run. All that stuff seems to make each one so unique.

Now that I have a sense how fine of detail Earl can carve - (and he can carve some REALLY fine details) - I'm pushing to make each image in this "Tiki" print series more detailed, and better than the last.

I am having too much fun!

Big Aloha from the Big Island!

Wow Brad, those are really beautiful, and your insight into the artist carver concept is waaay cool! Everything you do turns to gold, man... but of course, its obvious gold runs through your veins!
Amazing work, man!

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you nailed it...Bring on the series,buddy!

Wow this turned out really well. I agree with the hand made feel with no two prints being the same, seems to be a natural fit for our subject matter. When will they be available?

I love that wood print design Brad. I don't find it very easy to do a design like that. It can be tough to judge how much black and how much blank space to put into a design like that. You did nail it here....

Aaaaaaah! Too cool! I'm a big fan of old-school printmaking and engraving too and this is a match made in heaven! What better way to produce tiki prints than carving the plates from wood? Finally some of your awesome B+W work will get out to the masses! You know I'm in.....

Aloha~

Well, thanks everyone. That's some big priase from some big talent! Wow, really, thanks! I think the prints will be available round the end of this month, or early next. I'm still messing around with the flesh tones for the painting.

Mahalo~

Really pleased to hear that it's working well for you mate :D :D The prints look awesome, I dont think you'll have any trouble selling them

Brad,

This new b/w piece is fantastic. I really enjoyed seeing the different steps it took to arrive at the final image.
The composition is dynamic and the subject exciting. The block print idea is very cool and it looks like it's well
on it's way to being another quality Brad Parker production. Your enthusiasm for the process is contagious.

Co-inky-dentally, near the time you posted the first drawing, I was perusing an issue of Cinema Retro magazine and
getting jazzed on 60's style spy art. I was in the process of sketching some comps when I saw what you were doing.
Great minds and all that, I guess, eh? :) One of these days I will post them.

The painting is looking great! I love the tiki floor/ceiling boards.
I can't wait to see what you do with Bela and his shirt.

Keep the great stuff coming, my friend.
You make me want to be a better man . . . er . . . I mean . . . work harder. Yeah, work harder, that's what I meant. :P

Aloha....

Hewey~ Thanks so much buddy.
Artosaurus~ Way cool! I'm gonna watch your thread for the new art! I was really thinking of your stuff when I was doing that B & W illo. I got another one in the works, and I'll post all the sketches on it too soon as it's done.

And now some sad news...

Ben Chapman was the Hawaiian guy who wore the Creature from the Black Lagoon Suit in the original film.

Ben Chapman passed away at 12:15 am Hawaii time on Thursday, February 21 at the Tripler Medical Center in Honolulu. His health began to deteriorate February 12. He collapsed and was admitted to the hospital on February 20. His life support was turned off Wednesday around noon and his pacemaker was turned off shortly before he died. He died peacefully with his wife, Merrilee, and son, Ben Chapman III, by his side. He was 79 years old at his death.

His body will be cremated and a memorial service will be held at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Honolulu. The service will be scheduled in about a month so that relatives on the mainland can make plans to attend. Anyone who wishes to send flowers or cards may send them to:

The Ben Chapman Family
300 Wainani Way, #1612
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815

I had contacted Ben a few years ago, and got my autographed photo (above). He was a really great guy. Full of Aloha. He helped talk my mom through her hip surgery, and we've been exchanging Christmas cards since then.

Weirdly enough, I had just gotten my "Creature Tiki" pendant (by Paipo) and have been wearing it non stop the last week. Little did I know, while I had it on, Ben was swimming up to that big Black Lagoon in the sky. (sob!)

Aloha Nui Ben.

Gee, Brad. That sucks! I'm glad you have your Paipo creature to keep him alive in your memories.

Aloha Jen,

Yes, Ben was the last "Universal Monster" alive. So his passing is like the end of an era of American Pop Culture. But, you are so right, we have all these swanky art pieces to remember and celebrate that time and it's particular flavor! And in a lot of ways that 50's feeling aesthetic is still a dynamic and evolving art form in the present Tiki culture.

Dig it you swinging kittens and cats, this week end, let's raise a Mai Tai to Ben and his glorious retro-modern era!

Well, that's a bummer, but I am stoked you're enjoying your pendant so much. Kinda cool and strange how the timing often occurs with these things. It never crossed my mind, but it woulda been neat to send one of those to Ben! Ahh, well....
As I posted previously (I think in this here thread), my Dad took me to see "Creature" in 3D in the 70s and it was one of the films from my childhood that has really left a lasting impression on me. I've been enjoying revisiting some of these experiences through my art in recent times.

There's a great interview with Ben here. I found this pretty interesting:

After I left Universal Studios as a contractee, I did television shows like "Hawaiian Eye","Adventures in Paradise","Follow the Sun", amd a couple of "Jungle Jim" movies. I returned also to my favorite - Polynesian Entertainment.

..I was raised on an island called Tahiti, my mom and dad were born there, I was born here, I went back there when I was just a little child. So I was at the age of 12 before I came back to this country..

..what did help though, being from Tahiti, I was an entertainer and I used to sing and dance in Polynesian, you know, like you see in luaus, guys with the fire knives and the Tahitian dancing with exciting music - this is what I did before that - I used to work in night clubs, and I happened to do a musical short for Universal called 'Hawaiian Nights' with Pinky Lee Mamie Van Doren and Lisa Gaye (Debra Paget's sister). When they showed this musical short - it was 15 minutes I think - they said 'Who's that young chieftain?' and they said 'Oh, we'll look it up' and they said 'It's Ben Chapman - Find out if he'd be interested in the contract.'

So, not only one of the greatest movie monsters of the 20th century, but he has a cool Tiki/Polynesian connection as well! As befitting his status: "The scattering of the ashes willl follow off Waikiki Beach from Hawaiian outrigger canoes."
RIP Ben :(

What a great thread. I could spend hours on just this one. Some of the best tiki I've seen. Keep up the great work.

Aloha~
Paipo ~ Thanks so much for posting the Ben Chapman interview. Great stuff.
cosmictiki ~ Big Mahalo, I'm really glad you're enjoying the thread. It's a joy to share art and ideas with the Tiki folk here!

And speaking of art and the like, I got the finished run of the wood cut prints from Earl.

I looked 'em all over, and love every one of em! While each one is very much it's own unique piece of art, the quality is beautiful through the whole run.

I signed, dated and numbered them. Now they get sent back to earl who'll also sign them. Then, my share will come back to me and I'll get some up for sale in the Tiki Marketplace.

Big Aloha from the Big Island~

These wood cut prints turned out awesome.....such a cool medium...Can't wait till they are ready for sale!!

Aloha~

Prints are on the way to Earl.

Here's Ku Honu.

I'm almost to the inking stage of another illo for the next wood cut. I'll post all the sketches and the final ink drawing in a few days.

Mahalo!

I like his one bigger tooth in the middle of his lower set.

Happy aloha Friday!

Whew! What a work week! Time for some tiki art!

Tea Key - thanks, he's a crab with an under bite.

Here's the progress on the second wood cut illustration:

It started as a rough. The Idea was a midnight meeting of two young tiki tribe members. Is it a romance? Is he a voyeur? Is she a voo doo queen waiting waiting to drink his soul? Lots of mystery.

Seeking a stronger composition, I switched him to the right. I've been told one of the best compositions is a "Z" shape. As (in the western world) we read left to right, and top to bottom.

Changed the tiki to the far left, so he's the first thing you "read".

I wasn't happy with the girl facing the guy. So to make it more mysterious I had her turned around. Here, she's almost like a ghostly apparition standing before a volcanic vent.

She's looking very "Madam Pele - the volcano goddess" here.

Went back in and got some proper reference "scrap" of a hot rod and the guy. And changed the Tiki. Put it on the board for inking.

Then, I still wasn't sure about the girl being naked. Sort of took away part of the mystery. So I toyed with the idea of putting some clothes back on her.

Finally, I decided it was her pose. Too Pele! So I put her in a bikini and gave her a less "I am the Goddess of the volcano approach at your peril puny human" pose.

Started inking. Hmmmm, lots of positive and negative things to work out. Want it detailed but not so busy you can't tell what the hecks happening. I can tend to go crazy with my inking. Of course, the girl went back to looking like a volcano Goddess. A volcano Goddess in a swanky bikini!

Here's further along. I still gotta tone down some of the plants in front. I think I'll make them darker - just outlines.
Should finish this week end!

Mahalo from the volcano~

Maybe that should say TOTALLY (B)Rad!
How many do you reckon you'll do in this series?

Hey Brad, thats looking awesome. The goddess look is spot on. I'd follow her anywhere... Thanks for sharing all the sketches.

Aloha~

Paipo~ Ha, thanks! U R 2 much!
Tikiracer~ Thanks! I went in a did a small adjustment on her. take a look.

I darkened up some of the foreground, so the focus will be on the light coming from the Lava vent.

More later....

Another awesome looking print mate. The silhouette of the mystery babe with the glowing eyes is both sexy and scary at the same time - youve hit just the right note!

Aloha!

Thanks Hewey. I was trying for more sexy at first, then the whole scary vibe sort creeped back in. But, it has a lot of punch. Which I dig. No worries though, I have a cool sketch for a sexy print further down the line. So, a few folks have been asking about how many are gonna be in the print series. Well, the minimum will be 13 (my lucky number). I have a feeling I don't think I'm gonna get really really REALLY good at black and white illustration again till after number ten. So, probably a whole lot more than that. (Of course, it also depends on how long Earl can carve the wooden blocks and print them on his antique press!)

Anyway, Here's the second one finished.

"Tiki Midnight"
Paper size 11" x 14"
Inked area 9" x 11"
Ink on 100 lb bristol vellum

Mahalo for gawking yer peepers at da' art!

BOY-YOING-YOING!
My eyes just popped out at how great this one ended up!
i like her dark face and those eyes!
Always love trippin on the vegetation and fire/smoke tendrils...
these are so great,Brad!
Hats off to you!
You gotta do a Hawaiian print woven like that!
KUDOZ! :lol:

Wicked to see the process is action Brad. Power to you working the idea from all the angles. Totally luv it.

Utterly brilliant. I love your paintings, but these ones really strike a special chord with me. It takes me back to my teenage comic fanboy days when I would gaze in wonder at the works of Wrightson, Bolland, Eisner etc. (to name just a few). I have always preferred drawing to painting in many ways - there's just something about black ink on paper (no colour!) that is direct and honest and allows the artist's style to stand on its own.
I'm also totally digging the noir feel blended with the tiki vibe. 13 prints eh? 13 chapters to the story...I can't wait to see what happens next!