Iron tiki

Hey there, I've been making tiki's out of steel. I was wondering if this qualifies as tiki carving and am looking for a place to post my work. I've been a lurker for a couple of years and have serious tiki fever.

thanks,

metalhead

I'm not sure it really qualifies as carving, but it's pretty damn cool.

Got my vote ! :) Welcome to TC. Aloha, Freddie

Hey Metalhead, Sure, Come on in and stay awhile, Welcome to TC but you probably think you already know us since you've been here so long anyway, COOL!
A tiki made out of just about Anything is still a tiki, stones of any kind, bone, wood, metals of any kind, resin, you name it your tiki is still a tiki. While it is not a traditional tiki, it still qualifies in my book, but then I don't have one yet. Do you have more photos and more tiki's, Bring'em ON!

Thanks for the kind words. I'll post more photos soon. I was wondering if there is a good reference for traditional carvings? I have looked at the BoT and this site is awesome, but could anyone recommend any other books to check out?

On 2010-05-10 13:55, metalhead wrote:
... could anyone recommend any other books to check out?

Here's a start:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26061&forum=7

There ya go! Thanks Haka!

Here's some more pictures.

Cool stuff Metalhead,, I'd Really love to see some progress shots of one of these being built, what tools do you use and do you have to worry about the tiki cracking as in wood :o,,,sorry, I know that answer.

Love them! nice work and welcome.

Man you have some metal working skilz! Nice.

Those need to be in the Hard Rock in Vegas. AWESOME WORK!

SWEEEEET! Talk about hardcore tiki. What type of parts are those made from?

Being a gearhead I have one thing to say.........

"Bravo".

Hey metalhead,art is art no matter what you use to make it. These pieces are awesome! keep on creating.Hang Loose!

Fantastic stuff MH,Welcome to TC and lets see some more.Cheers Watango

That is just to cool !@ Keep'em coming!

You guys rock, the best thing about this forum is all the encouragement from such skilled artists - from all around the world. It just blows my mind! Everybody has something to bring to the table!!!

Benz - here's a couple of photos of my work bench after a day working on stuff. I am going to start photo cataloging my stuff so you can see progress shots. on the table you can see a tall pipe with railroad spikes on it that is soon to be a garden bell and over by the vice if you look really hard you can see a foot that is the start of a which doctor tiki man. And by the way I have actually cracked some of my projects.

tikilizard - most of my stock is salvaged from anywhere I can get it, the gear on the top of the larger tiki is a ring gear from a 72 ford maverick, the top of the small tiki is some gear chain I found at the local salvage yard. I'll use anything I can get my hands on. I really want to use these salvaged parts, but make the clean lines with them that make such a killer tiki. Still refining my process for sure!

thanks for fueling my tiki fire!!!!

[ Edited by: metalhead 2010-05-18 15:57 ]

[ Edited by: metalhead 2010-05-24 15:10 ]

Gearhead, Thank you for theinfo. Your a one of a kind here on TC so keep'um coming! I think all TC'ers and myself are really enjoying your skill and designs of your metal tiki's. Thanks for sharing!

Here's some pictures of todays work.

Cool works Metalhead! I like seeing the in-progress shots, keep 'em coming and welcome aboard!

Very impressive! Way to get creative with your obvious metalworking skills! You do great work!

Like tikilizard said you are the oddity around here.
Yes TC is great. Love your metal tiki.

I'm really grooving on your work. Nice stuff!

Hey Metalhead
absolut perfect your work rocks
The steel Tikis are wonderful
can't wait to see a STEEL MOAI :)

greets from France

Akuae

ALoHA, Here's some pictures of today's work.

Just going back over the post;

Vince thanks for the awesome compliment!

Tiki Mango - you can count on more photos.

Captain Jack and phins - thanks for stoppin by and the props, all the support makes me want to be out in the garage 24/7.

seek - as long as I'm not the weird guy in the corner... who am I kidding I am the weird guy in the corner.

AKUAE - all the way from France, Thanks for the props.

Hope you like the photos.... later

Thanks,, YES I Love the photos and I Saw the foot, Thanks, now that I see how you do it I can crunk up the welder and make a steel tiki of my own, IF I had welder and IF I didn't electrocute myself first..

Excellent stuff, Thanks for posting these!

Hi, just posting some new pix.

Can anybody give me some advice on laying out a tiki? Do you start with the whole package or do you start with the eyes or mouth and work from there? Dose the size of the material dictate the style? What about a body, does a true tiki have a body? One last thing, if you have been inspired by a particular artist or artists what is the etiquette on incorporating some of those styles into your work?

thanks,

metalhead

Good questions

"Can anybody give me some advice on laying out a tiki?"

I think everyone does it different. I do a body first.
Many draw them out. I haven't yet. I use many reference pictures for
support and ideas as i go.

"Dose the size of the material dictate the style? "

Yes for sure, Tikis tend to have larger heads then what would be right.
Lono= tall long head dress. KU= stuby

"What about a body, does a true tiki have a body? "
Everyone has there own idea of true. Most of the time id say a true tiki has
a body.

"One last thing, if you have been inspired by a particular artist or artists what is the etiquette on incorporating some of those styles into your work? "

There are styles that some people may be protective of or say its a copy, but generally
it cool. If its basic tiki of old no way go for it. If you think its a copy of one
persons style talk to them.

Good questions

"Can anybody give me some advice on laying out a tiki?"

I think everyone does it different. I do a body first.
Many draw them out. I haven't yet. I use many reference pictures for
support and ideas as i go.

"Dose the size of the material dictate the style? "

Yes for sure, Tikis tend to have larger heads then what would be right.
Lono= tall long head dress. KU= stuby

"What about a body, does a true tiki have a body? "
Everyone has there own idea of true. Most of the time id say a true tiki has
a body.

"One last thing, if you have been inspired by a particular artist or artists what is the etiquette on incorporating some of those styles into your work? "

There are styles that some people may be protective of or say its a copy, but generally
it cool. If its basic tiki of old no way go for it. If you think its a copy of one
persons style talk to them.

There is a difference between copying and inspiration ... All we are guided by what the ancients did. Now, copy an original design directly to an artist today is not a good thing. Emulate the work of others to do your own artwork it's already something else. And it's true that sometimes the limit, between copying and inspiration, is tenuous...
There is always something more or less accurate in returning the design of a tiki: body half sitting, almost ready to pounce in fact, open mouth and other details after the Marquesan style, Hawaiian or other...
There are many books on the art of Oceania that better than I will reply to these questions. There is even a topic on this subject, he must look with the name of JohnnyP it seems.

Hope this help!

Your work is surprising and very interesting...

J.

I especially like to see people using multiple materials. The Steel Tiki's are awesome! My favorite part about your workshop is the chalkboard .... That is so Frickin rad ...I'm going to set one up right away. It's part Einstein GENIUS...Part Wile. E. Coyote.......................................................................................................................................................back to the drawing Board.

seek and laojia thanks for the info right now heads seem to come more naturally to me, but would really like to work on the total package. I really need a 36 hour day, but that probably wouldn't do it either.

PHARAOH - I don't know about Einstein, I think I lean more to the Wile E., but you pretty much nailed me. Thanks for the props!

Later

If your working in your medium your probaly wont be acussed of biting anyone's. style.
I always start with a sketch and go off that. and if the piece wants to go a different way go with it. You might not like it but how else u going to learn.? If yuou dont try different things

Thanks for the good advice tikigodz. I want to use some styles of features I've seen on TC, but at the same time I don't want to bite someones style, if you know what I mean. We're all working hard to express ourselves and I absolutely respect that. I guess I'm just trying to feel for the line cuz I don't want to cross it.

Mahalo,

metalhead

Man I've been super busy, got a lot of irons in the fire. But i thought I would post some pictures of my latest work on the witch doctor, started carving a little and working on the layout for that also got the little guy a top for his head. Anyway it seems like we just had our first sunny 1/2 day after 3000 days of rain here in lovely Vantucky. Lovin it, bring on the summer!

Later

You have some killer talent there. Looking great!

Thanks seek! I may be in over my head! My family and I are attempting to start a little metal biz and have managed to get into 2 recycled art shows this summer, so I am buried deep in trying to build up a little stock. In addition to tiki's we have been making rain chains for gutters, fork and spoon figurines and garden bells. We have been spread about as thin as we can get, but it's all fun! It seem's I am a tiki man at heart so it's sometimes hard to stay focused on the other things when all I want is work on the tiki's!

[ Edited by: metalhead 2010-06-07 22:05 ]

Heres some updates the square man. more to come

later

Metalhead. your square guy looks very promising, careful, your imagination is showing! I have a sneaking suspicion you will do well at your recycled art shows,,Good luck.

Thanks Benz, the mind definitely works faster than the body. Your good words mean a lot for this rookie.

Here's some of todays work. This is the witch doctor, he got's teeth and one leg now. Coming right along.

Nice! Im really digging this metal-metamorphosis.

fricken sweeeeeeet....and original too. great job.

Well, one show over and one to go. Sold some stuff and had a pretty good time, Mrs. metalhead and metalhead jr both had made some thing which sold pretty well. I actually sold 2 tikis. I couldn't believe it! any way heres some pictures of the witch doctor (which sold before it was done) and a moai I whipped up. Pretty fun! I am still trying to refine my "carving" it apparently takes a very steady hand with the rotary tool. I'm going to have to lay off the coffee. Here's some updated photos.

Great looking MOAI, I'm Really liking this metal stuff and don't think I've seen Anyone else doing it quite like you do. I think it could turn out to be pretty popular so Stick with it and Keep pumping this stuff out.
Love it!

Hey everyone! We just finished our second recycled art show. Nobody jumped on our tikis, but we had a great show! Any advice? I saw on a page that Lake Surfer wrote that tikis are quite a niche. Everyone loved the work, don't get me wrong, but no buyers. The shows were quite an experience with lots of really good peeps. The other vendors were awesome and really helpful! Our works are definitely works of love and it's very hard to put a price on them, so maybe thats an issue If someone would pay my mortgage I would make metal tikis all day and just let them pile up in the corner or give them away for free. Anyway I did sell 2 pieces this summer! I'm pumped!!! Has any one had any experience with Etsy?

Anyway.....later!

T

No advice brother Just keep pluggin away and get your name out there!