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VanTiki Mugs: ShelfTiki #1l! 12/5 |
Babalu
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Nov 19, 2006
Posts: 2498
From: Lemon Grove
|  Posted: 2007-06-25 11:03 am Permalink
Van The Man!
Killer piece for sure!
How big is this guy...14" or so? Are you throwing and altering these shapes, or is this a slab construction, or both? What type of clay are you using? Sorry for all the questions, I can't help it...
Sweetness!
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VanTiki
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 906
From: Hawaii
| Posted: 2007-06-25 2:19 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-06-25 11:03, Babalu wrote:
How big is this guy...14" or so? Are you throwing and altering these shapes, or is this a slab construction, or both? What type of clay |
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Mahalo Babalu!
I'll do my best to answer the questions:
He isn't too big - 14" would be nuts! Even my big Stone God #1 is just over 12" tall. Mt. MonkeyBusiness is around 9" tall - and he'll be shrinking a bit more during firing. As I mentioned earlier I've been worrying that my mugs are getting too big. Sure, they look cool - but I don't want people to avoid them due to shipping costs! Here is a shot with the Official Mug Of Scale:
I'm slab building all these mugs, as I don't own a wheel. I have been playing around with altered wheel-thrown forms such as the pickled heads
but for the most part I am hand-builder as I came into ceramics after learning to sculpt with oil-based clays.
As far as the clay I am using - I have stuck with Laguna's cone 5 Calico clay for a while now and I really like it. Nice off-white color when fired and it has a neat iron oxide stipple that comes thru the glazes. For the Tiles I use a white cone 6 body from Laguna. The pickled head was thrown with a cone 10 clay called "robsbot" or something crazy like that (I'm sure you clay folks will know it - I bought it from a club so I never saw the name in print - I only heard it spoken in mumbles  ). Everything (except the cone 10 head) gets fired in my home studio L&L Electric kiln. I just pulled Stone God #1 and #2 out of the kiln yesterday and they look great. Now I gotta glaze them!
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Babalu
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 19, 2006
Posts: 2498
From: Lemon Grove
| Posted: 2007-06-25 3:22 pm Permalink
Hey Van,
Thanks for the response. It's funny, for me it's just the opposite...I come from a hand building ceramics background, but have just started to play with the oil clay for a minute.
Still, wet clay is my first choice...there is just something about the leather hard feel of the clay that turns me on. This Calico Clay your using looks almost like oil clay in the pictures here...very smooth stuff...you must have to dry these out relatively slow. Lot's of work in these one of a kinds.
I don't know about the rest of TC, but I like the larger mugs...Brother, I think you should get a hold of a little grittier clay and go for a run on 6 foot mugs!
Peace.
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FreddieBallsomic
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 08, 2005
Posts: 626 | Posted: 2007-06-25 5:01 pm Permalink
Howzit, Van? All your designs are soo unique. They're Great! I REALLY am diggin that Pickled Head Mug. Whats the height on that, and r u gonna do a few of 'em?
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VanTiki
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 906
From: Hawaii
| Posted: 2007-06-25 6:01 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-06-25 15:22, Babalu wrote:
I don't know about the rest of TC, but I like the larger mugs...Brother, I think you should get a hold of a little grittier clay and go for a run on 6 foot mugs!
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You got it!
I have enjoyed watching the mugs get bigger and bigger - but the drying process has become rather long and delicate. Someday I'd love to get a slabroller for the studio then I could go crazy big!
FreddieBallsomic - glad you like the pickled head! I really enjoyed making that guy. Mr. Traveling Jones has expressed a desire for one as well. I am keeping the first two I made (I need to save something for my shelves!) and am planning on making a few more in bell glass display cases with crusty museum tags in time for Halloween. I can't remember how big the guy in the photo is - I think he is slightly shorter (but fatter) than Mr. Bali Hai.
Mahalo for the compliments!
Henrik "VanTiki"
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FreddieBallsomic
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 08, 2005
Posts: 626 | Posted: 2007-06-25 6:23 pm Permalink
If you can put one of the Halloween pickled heads aside for fBalls, it would be greatly appreciated. Maholla Back! Balls Out!
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teaKEY
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 3663
From: The thumb !
| Posted: 2007-06-26 06:46 am Permalink
I see that gorilla mug and think how bad he needs some chapstick. As for bigger mugs, I think as big as you can get after shrinking to fit on your selves is the right stuff. But you go bigger than tradition mugs anyways. I guess that hand-made mugs should usually be bigger cause that adds to the impressiveness and you might have to fit your hand to there, its hand built.
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VanTiki
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 906
From: Hawaii
| Posted: 2007-06-26 1:17 pm Permalink
TeaKEY - it is true, I do love a big-ol-anchor-like mega mug for adding an impressive look to a shelf. As far as getting my hand into the mugs - it is rather rough. My mitts are too big to fit in almost any of the mugs I make - and it can be a real challenge sometimes (like when closing up the ultra tall Stone God #1). I end up using a lot of sticks and dowels to provide support on the inside when I attach clay bits.
Here is a shot of this morning's Drying Shelf with the Official Mug-Of-Scale snuggling up with the big boys. Hope this give everyone a better idea of the size (big and small) of this group of mugs:
The Stone "Fire Idol" light-up mug on the far right is (for me) the most massive feeling - it is VERY wide at the base, and is currently alarmingly heavy! 
Mt. MonkeyBusiness is lurking under a plasic bag behind the tall sotne god on the back left. Also note that the two first stone gods on the far left have been bisque fired and are ready for glaze.
Mahalo for peeking!
Henrik "VanTiki"
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[ This Message was edited by: VanTiki 2007-06-26 13:18 ]
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VanTiki
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 906
From: Hawaii
| Posted: 2007-06-28 11:22 am Permalink
And once again it is Tiki Thursday at VanTiki Studio!
Last night I was supposed to make 2 small mugs that would be a wedding gift for a friend of mine that is tying the knot. I wanted to do a "His and Hers" theme, but the mugs ended up a bit bigger (they are the same scale as my old Pongo Log mugs) than planned! I decided that these (when finished) will be a bit too much for the couple, and I will do smaller versions for them this Saturday. I'd hate to give some elaborate mugs to a non-tiki couple and have them get hidden away in a cabinet somewhere (I don't want to relive the Tiki Dog Dish episode!). Sooooo.. Here is the rough sculpt - the finishing details will be added Saturday morning. You will no doubt see a whimsical Enchanted Tiki flavor in these fellows. Which is "His and which is "Hers"? Well.... I think it is variable - depends on many factors - time of day, amount of rum consumed, amount of dirty dishes in sink, etc..
Mahalo for peeking!
Henrik "VanTiki"
edit - Ok - I've decided sculpting two smaller mugs for them would make me a terrible person - I'll give these to my friend as planned (and take the gamble that they may not like 'em). I can always make more for me and TC later. Whew. I feel better now
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[ This Message was edited by: VanTiki 2007-06-28 16:15 ]
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VanTiki
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 906
From: Hawaii
| Posted: 2007-06-30 4:51 pm Permalink
Okey-Dokey! The "His & Hers" wedding mugs are done! Quite the whimsical ying-and-yang pair. Ms. VanTiki isn't too sold on the concept, but I keep telling her all will be well when I slap some crazy glaze colors on these guys. In the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki room!
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Hiphipahula
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: May 27, 2006
Posts: 2376
From: The Valley! Female, leo,fav color pink.
| Posted: 2007-06-30 6:05 pm Permalink
Mind blowing!! Fantastic, lucky couple!
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Babalu
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 19, 2006
Posts: 2498
From: Lemon Grove
| Posted: 2007-07-02 10:57 am Permalink
Cool Couple Van!....bro, going mondo has advantages....groupies!
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VanTiki
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 906
From: Hawaii
| Posted: 2007-07-02 11:34 am Permalink
Hiphipahula - thank you so much! Always a treat to hear your compliments! I think the Wedding Couple will like the mugs if they are not tiki people. The mugs still have a lot of whimsy and charm. At least that's what I keep telling myself
Babalu - that photo is classic! I'm a tad disturbed by the squatting fellow holding up the ladder and staring angrily out into space!
Got Pickled Head #2 back from the Hawaii Potter's Guild kiln last night. REALLY stoked with him. Totally looks like old stained leather. Truly one for the Cabinet Of Curiosities! Let me be quick to say that this guy is staying with me (several folks have shown interest). If you want a Pickled Head of your own fret not - I'll be making one or two for sale at a later date.
Mahalo for Peeking!
Henrik "VanTiki"
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Babalu
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 19, 2006
Posts: 2498
From: Lemon Grove
| Posted: 2007-07-02 12:01 pm Permalink
That's Paul Soldner there under the ladder there....a major player in the world of clay...he does a poster every year for NCECA...always naked. Nice guy. Ugly as hell.
Nice high fire on the pickled dude!
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TravelingJones
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: Mar 11, 2006
Posts: 868
From: Eastern Shores of Western Civilization
| Posted: 2007-07-02 12:01 pm Permalink
  Pfffttt...thump!
Quote:
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On 2007-07-02 11:34, VanTiki wrote:
Let me be quick to say that this guy is staying with me (several folks have shown interest). If you want a Pickled Head of your own fret not - I'll be making one or two for sale at a later date.
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Viva Kate!
...five-star hotels don't have tiki bars?
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