Thor Tiki Mug Concept Sketches - Vote for your favorite

Aloha TC!

I just wanted to share a bunch of concept sketches that Thor did for some tiki mugs we may try to do in the future. Let me know which is your favorite. All of these original framed sketches are available for purchase if anyone is interested. I just added them all to our website.

Mele Ka"tiki"maka!

Red Devil

Orbital Bliss

Bat-tiki

Boy Tumbler

Robotiki

Shell Shocked

Table Top Tussle Mug

Siamese Twiki

Cultural Exposure

Mahalo TeaKey! I did forget one - the Tako

[ Edited by: Mo-Eye 2006-12-20 11:55 ]

shell shocked

do i win again? wow!! more free thor stuff!! great!!

Arrrsome!

https://tikicentral.com/uploads/4764/4588d0f8.jpg

I like this one cause 2 lovers can drink at the same time then have their first kiss after. Reminds me of the first Matahorn ride Mrs. Bammboo and I had had many moons ago.

And, I haven't seen nuttin like it yet! ( butt, I'm not a mug collector!)

Cultural Exposure all the way...

Sorry pdrake - no contest this time, just sharing some pics, but I would watch for another one in the next few weeks.

Rev! You know, there are those rare medical cases when 2 mugs are born joined at the hip!

I LOVE robotiki, shell shocked, and cultural exposure - very nice! I know thats 3, but I dont care :)

Ooooo, Thor mugs. :)

I've got to say my absolute favourite is Cultural Exposure for sure!

Second would be Robotiki and then Shell Shocked. But really, they're ALL awesome!

Btw, i can't wait for the three prints i ordered to come! I can't get enough of Thor! :D

Damn.........HiphiPaHuLa..
Red Devil, Siamese Twiki, Cultural Exposure are my favorite 3. AlL of them are over the top.

They're all great sketches but I like Cultural Exposure the best!

Orbital Bliss!

all are great and would find their way into my collection.
If I had to pick one as a fav it would be "Shell Shocked".

Well, some of these are only marginally tiki mugs, if at all. Just call them mugs.

I would vote for Table Top Tussle Mug just because it is a size and shape that we need more of as a servicable vessel and not just something to put on the shelf.

I like the red devil a lot but certainly not a tiki mug. But many tiki collectors like other things. I can think of other tiki mug company that sells a lot of non tiki mugs. If you got your name on the bottom of the mug, that makes the tiki connection.

The Bat-tiki is my favorite design. And no one voted that one.

THe Splitting tiki is the best idea. Never has been done and seeing new stuff is what I like to see. Is it the only mug with 2 openings? you could pour black rum down one side and light rum down the other. And they would mix in the middle. IT reminds he of a tiki copying and splitting off like cells.

Shell Shocked

Re: Cultural Exposure- The hand to hold a swizzle or straw is a really cool idea- Might be difficult to pull off in production, tho?

I like me some Orbital Bliss!

Cultural Exposure for the win...

Mahalo

Tako Tiki Mug is good too and you didn't add that one.

About the swizzle holding tiki, it should work. Pizz has one like that that is $$$ and sold out

Shell shocked and Batiki are my favorites.

Cultural Exposure

cultural exposure

I would have to go with Cultural Exposure as my favorite

What everyone else is saying - you will sell truckloads of cultural exposure...I liked the octopus too, why didn't you post it?

v TC Thread v

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[ Edited by: Paipo 2006-12-20 15:05 ]

I just added the Tako to the first post... I just plain forget him.

I would buy several of the Table Top Tussle Mug.

Tako-
Clever how you changed the name to avoid owing me royalties. We all know that it's really a squid and not an octopus. Sneaky bastard.

Where's my damn Grog finger.....

Squid! We had to go with tako so that we can do a pink version. That was too good to pass up.

Top choice: Shell Shocked. Several other compelling designs though. Makes me wish I had that kind of talent.

Japanese for squid is "ika" just in case you didn't know.
(Hey, I just discovered this forum doesn't support Japanese text display: not that there's probably much call for that.)

-SV

On 2006-12-20 20:25, Mo-Eye wrote:
Squid! We had to go with tako so that we can do a pink version. That was too good to pass up.

OK, I'll buy that. But what have you done with my friend Thor, Mr "Mo-eye"? Huh?

Cultural exposure! Awesome! So freaking good!

OK, I'll buy that. But what have you done with my friend Thor, Mr "Mo-eye"? Huh?

We've got him locked up in his room painting away!

I also have to go with Cultural Exposure. Great concept and execution! I'll buy one!

• Myke

Seriously,
I'm going with Shell Shocked.
Cultural Exposure in a very close 2nd.

Shell Shocked

Red Devil, I like the design and it is interesting. I would put it next to my tiki mugs.

Shell Shocked
Siamese Twiki
Cultural Exposure

in order, as listed...SsweeetT designZ! :D

Flip-flOp-fLipPp...

Cultural Exposure
Shell Shocked
Orbital Bliss
Tako

Tako definately. There aren't enough octopus & squid shaped mugs

Shell Shocked
Orbital Bliss
Tako

On 2006-12-22 10:29, Digitiki wrote:
Tako definately. There aren't enough octopus & squid shaped mugs

Digitiki, my man!

Red devil , it reminds me of the COOP devil in mug form.

• Shell Shocked
• Table Top Tussle Mug

Bat Tiki is awesome too. "BUTT" I still gotta' vote for Cultural Exposure.

So, ya' got Thor locked up paintin' in a room some wheres. Painting the "Trader Hicks" piece I bet. So, we don't get to see any in progress versions of that them thar paintin? Shoot!

Paint on Cousin Thor!

Aloha TC Ohana!

I heard about this thread and figured I should at least pop my head in and join the gang here. It's really fun to hear the feedback at such an early stage in an idea. I really enjoy pumping out ideas..even if most never actually become anything more than a thought on paper. Feedback , at least motivates me to focus for a moment on a specific rather than continue to ponder endlessly.

I noticed a few comments about the fact that many of these mugs are not "technically""Tiki mugs". This is something I think we can debate for centuries. I can only tell you my personally definition of a "Tiki Mug" after looking at mugs since I was a kid in the 60's and hearing adults use the term. Here is what I define as a "Tiki Mug". Some may agree, some may not, and in the end, it's not important at all. The real spirit of Tiki in our pop culture allows for broad acceptance for stylization and creative expression in Tiki adoration.

For me, there are "Tiki Mugs" that are literal and clearly a representation of the countless carvings from Polynesia of what were called the Tiki gods. We know them well..like Ku,Tangaroa, Moai, Kang, Pele....on and on. For the purist, these are the only real "Tiki mugs".

However....for what it is worth, the Tiki movement in our culture can be credited for taking all this "accuracy", throwing it into a huge wooden barrel, adding rum and fruit juice, pop art and unconditional creative expression...adding a twist of ignorance and a floater of pure imagination. Served up..it becomes the elixor of choice for all of us who embrace the Tiki culture.

Out of all this, I recall, as a kid, adults yielding what they called "Tiki mugs" here in LA that were far crys from actual Polynesian Tiki's" I remember being at a Polynesian restaurant as a child when my parents ordered a hot dessert coffee and my mom said it was coming in a "Tiki mug" we could take home. It was a skull mug in truth that we had on our shelf in the bar area for decades.

I have seen many, many Tiki mug collections in recent years. Other than traditional Tiki God styles, Every one included mug designs like highly stylized native faces as interpreted in Asia, Buddhas, pirate heads and recently, Munktiki's "bad Liver" mug. Is a gray glazed liver really a Tiki mug? Is a shrunken head more "Tiki" than a pop styled red Devil head?? Heck...who cares!! They are all FUN!! They all exhibit personality and adventure. They all look good on a Mug shelf too!!

So, when you look at anything I may concoct, here is my motivation. I make stuff that I would want to see on a dark, amber lit, rum drenched tropical bar shelf. Things I would want to hold in my hand and see in the hands of my friends. I talk to bartenders, often in Waikiki about celebrating more classic , tropical drinks with a "themed mug". Also, I think it's fun to invent new drinks.

I was thinking that every mug I sketched above would come with a recipe, created from a contest held in Waikiki by some of the top bartenders. They loved the idea! Drinks like a Red Devil, a Pink Tako, a Cultural Exposure..ect. Again, it's all about fun, good friends, creative sharing and Polynesian Pop promiscuity!!

Anyway... I am happy these have been enjoyed. We hope to release many this year. Also, I am working on the "Trader Hic's" painting, but juggling that with a commission from Disney to do four more paintings for the Polynesian resort in Walt Disney World's Lobby. Those are due In Feb. After that...LOTS of art this year and more Thor Stor's are planned to open by Sept. of 07 I was just told by my publishers.

Happy New year!! Special thanks to Gecko for letting Max and I see your AMAZING house full of Tiki extravaganza a few weeks ago!!! First round of Mai Tai's at La Mariana are on me next time!!

Warmest Aloha's ~THOR

I have to go with shell shocked, just too cool.

Robot Tiki all the way. If you make it I will buy.

TAKO TAKO TAKO! The cephalopod is grossly underrepresented in tiki culture.