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Tikitronic Mug # 3 : Luaahi |
Tikitronic
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 06, 2003
Posts: 78
From: mora tora mora
|  Posted: 2007-05-31 9:54 pm Permalink
I have an experiment to share (trying out a new medium).
So - it was late January I needed to design a mug for this year's Tiki-Kon.
Seeing as
a) I was somewhat dissatisfied with my results from my first mug attempt (sculpting in mold-able resin - 2005):
and
b) was even more dissatisfied with my second attempt (carving a mug out of hard foam 2006):
and
c) I've been wanting to start learning 3d modeling for some time now, I decided to get on it and see if I could use the mug as a 3d starter project, and hopefully learn enough to sculpt this years mug. Which - in retrospect - was pushing my luck with regards to time-line.
But anyhoo - I won't show my first attempt.
My second attempt (late march) at least bore a resemblance to the design I had in my head.
But was still pretty rough, more cartoony than I wanted, and was abandoned at this point:
At that point, I stopped, took a deep breath, re-watched some tutorials, and started over.
The result* was this guy, who I'm calling Luaahi:
* with some assistance on getting the lettering on there properly - thank you Gideon!
The other organizers were satisfied with the design (and in fairness - probably a bit impatient to get the thing out of my head and into production:) - so I sent the file for digital output, and 2 weeks later received this in the mail:
 **
** photograph courtesy of Tikimama
I have to say - its a little surreal to sculpt something on a computer, and then being able to hold it in your hands.
Next step - Melintur is working on the mold making process, and then we start experimenting with glazes.
I'd love to hear thoughts/advice on the medium/constructive criticism on the design/etc.
Has anyone else out there tried designing a mug (or any other tiki stuff) this way?
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2007-05-31 10:47 pm Permalink
Luaahi is very cool!
Nicely done.
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La Esquina Del Tiki!
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 23, 2007
Posts: 42
From: Bloomington, MN
| Posted: 2007-06-01 02:59 am Permalink
Very cool Tikitronic. What software did you use? I use Pro/E at work but I'm almost positive I wouldn't be able to design something like your mug with it.
Chris
[ This Message was edited by: La Esquina Del Tiki! 2007-06-01 14:06 ]
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hewey
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 14, 2004
Posts: 4270
From: Sydney, Australia
| Posted: 2007-06-01 04:21 am Permalink
I like the design, and the whole computer design process is really different and interesting too. Im not big on the white, but with a nice glaze seeping into the design I think it will look really cool. Nice 
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www.kustomkultureaustralia.com
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Monkeyman
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 04, 2003
Posts: 2300
From: Vista, CA
| Posted: 2007-06-01 07:14 am Permalink
You never disappoint with your artwork TikiTronic
You are one of the real hidden heavyweights here.
thanks for explaining the evolution to us and I really like that most recent design (but I also own the other two)
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little lost tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 12, 2006
Posts: 7457
From: Orange,CA-right near the Circle!
| Posted: 2007-06-01 08:41 am Permalink
Tikitronic!
Great mugs! All three of 'em look great!
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tikitammy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 21, 2004
Posts: 140
From: Little Rock, AR
| Posted: 2007-06-01 08:53 am Permalink
Very impressive! I also would be interested in the software name. It's so cool to know that things like this are possible today.
Congratulations!
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Where am I going? And how did I get in this hand-basket?
Tiki Tammy
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Melintur
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 23, 2002
Posts: 306
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2007-06-01 11:57 am Permalink
We are planning to experiment with glaze techniques with some slip-molds of the 2005 mug.
We have cone 6 glazes of one white and two different browns for under/overglazes. We as well have a few colors for detail glazing work.
I hope to go into the lab soon for experimentation. I spoke with some local ceramicists who pointed me for the best glazes for layering/mixing and instructions that is is "much better to experiment and follow your own findings" than follow any other parameters, I do so like the fail/success/screw around model.
Oh, and the White of the master sculpt above is immaterial - We haven't set yet on a glaze color, but we are headed toward a traditional brown with (hopefully) some accents.
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Sneakytiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 31, 2003
Posts: 1795
From: Boise, Idaho
| Posted: 2007-06-01 12:35 pm Permalink
Very cool! Echoes of Bumatay. Body texture is scary, kinda slug/slimy looking! Brilliant!
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To drown sorrow, where should one jump first and best? "Certainly not water. Water rusts you." -Frank Sinatra
[ This Message was edited by: Sneakytiki 2007-06-01 12:41 ]
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-06-01 12:57 pm Permalink
looks like zbrush.
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atomictonytiki
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: May 14, 2002
Posts: 1267
From: Bangkok
| Posted: 2007-06-01 4:56 pm Permalink
I wondered how long it would be before we saw the first computer created mug, was the final piece printed out in one of those 3D printers?
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TravelingJones
Grand Member (7 years) 
Joined: Mar 11, 2006
Posts: 868
From: Eastern Shores of Western Civilization
| Posted: 2007-06-01 6:11 pm Permalink
Techno-I.T.iki?
Veeery interesting, hhhmmm... Cool Concept!
Flip-flOp-fLipPp...
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Tikitronic
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 06, 2003
Posts: 78
From: mora tora mora
| Posted: 2007-06-01 11:22 pm Permalink
Thanks everyone!
To follow up - yes, the mug was sculpted in zBrush (which ironically took me rather longer than sculpting the clay mug - ha) - and then sent to a 3d print house.
And while its true that the mug wont be glazed white for production - I'm kind of tempted to produce some with a gloss white finish, and setting up a Futuristic Tiki/Korova Milk Bar in our new basement:)
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Melintur
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 23, 2002
Posts: 306
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2007-06-06 10:11 am Permalink
We hope to get the result of the glaze tests back from our ceramicist today. I'm very excited.
_________________
Craig 'Colonel Tiki' Hermann
Colonel Tiki's Drinks
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TIKI KON 2012: Ten Year Tour! AUG 3-5, 2012: Portland, OR
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Melintur
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 23, 2002
Posts: 306
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2007-07-11 11:30 pm Permalink
Here's what happens to the sculpt after I get it.
I make a negative mold of the sculpt with which to make multiple sculpt copies. These Will be used to make plaster slip molds. The plaster slip molds will go to our ceramicist for mug creation.
Here's the first batch of pictures:
After creating a mold box ¾" larger than the sculpt (in each direction) out of art board and hot glue. I'll pour each half of the mold separately. To masque out 3-d areas for where I don't want the polyurethane to go, I use modeling clay:
To help keep the two halves of the mold together, I make impressions for use as a key to align. Here you can see a closeup of one in the clay masque.
So, how to find out how much of the casting material you'll need? I use rice to approximate the volume.
Now it's full.
And now it's measured.
After the rice is removed the whole thing gets sprayed with Tap Plastics Mold Release.
The Materials: Polyurethane Casting Resin system from Tap Plastics.
I mix half the measure of each of the 2-part polyurethane and mix like 'taint no mixing been done.
The trick is to scrape the sides and the bottom of the container with something square. I use chopsticks. Next, I pour evenly and slowly into a corner of the box. I let the material slowly seep around and up the sculpt. As it's pouring I notice how like a chocolate bar it looks. Here see it filling in the keys - caramel spilling into chocolate caverns surrounded by creamy white nougat:
Delicious caramel will be the last breath of this tiki mug!
Almost there:
The complete pour.
Once a day has passed, it is safe to attempt the other half. It takes a couple more than a few days to fully cure. I take off the bottom of the mold and flip 'er over. All that clay we put in has to come out.
The same process is repeated (It usually happens that the rest of the containers are the perfect amount of material) on the back. Mold release, mix half of each, pouring into the corner:
Slowly to the top it pours.
This is the End product. 2 Halves which allows us to make copies of the scupt to use and not have to suffer a meltdown if it becomes damaged. We can just make another. And another. And another.
Next update coming when I get the pics prepared!
_________________
Craig 'Colonel Tiki' Hermann
Colonel Tiki's Drinks
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TIKI KON 2012: Ten Year Tour! AUG 3-5, 2012: Portland, OR
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