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Tikis from Brighton UK - Page 3 update. ;-) |
Trader Tark
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 11, 2007
Posts: 44
From: Sunny Brighton UK
|  Posted: 2007-11-24 5:39 pm Permalink
Hello there TC. I've been looking at the forums now for a few months. an found them a great place for inspiration. I mainly look at the carving section as this is what i have become most interested in over the past summer.
If I can briefly introduce my self here, i hope you wont mind. Tark is an a nick name that derives from my full name Tarquin. I live on the south coast of England in a City called Brighton. Its a nice seaside town.
I guess my interest in Tiki lead from my intrest in Custom and hotrods of the '50s and '60. And a general fondness of vintage design and style. I've owned a '68 Plymouth fury for about 11 years now. lowered and customised in my interpretation of a '60s custom.
Any way.. Tikis ! I dont remember why i decided to have ago at my first one. It was about 3 years ago. I remember it being alot harder that i imagined. armed only with some flat chisels it never really came out the way i hoped. It still sits in the garden and has aged quite well. develped a huge crack with in a year though.
About 3 years passed before i did the next one ( this summer) This time i used a nice piece of Beech . Still just chisels , but this wood was so much better to work with. i was a bit happier with this as i felt i was getting better definition and depth. I remembr it was a lovely sunny day and i enjoyed chipping away all afternoon. I was a bit happier with this one.
All this time i had been thinking and drawing Tikis. Alot of good inspiration came from the excellent work i have seen by eveyone on this site. I develped a strange habit of drawing experimental tikis on cardboard tubes ( Yes toilet rolls.. lol) So 6 weeks ago i bought my first electric chainsaw. having never used one before i went right ahead and started cutting into one of the logs i have been collecting. Ok no planning or drawing , and really just to see what a chainsaw could do i came up with this one...
He's quite crude. but at last deep cuts and definition are quick to achieve. It was also great fun. He's sitting on my bar which i've been building and adding to over the years... ( but thats another story)
Ok, i hope you dont mind. But the one i'm most proud of is the 4th one i've done and at 7foot by far the biggest. I made friends with the owner of a local Saw mill and managed to buy some Douglas Fir . I had no idea how it would turn out. i had somthing in mind and i did draw/plan it on the log so as to not go compleatly wonky.But more or less learnt how to do it as it went along. I roled the old Plymouth out of the garage and this became my wood work shop for the weekend.
Scorched with blow torch.
Finally i rubbed in a dark wax i had left over form fitting my pine doors. Making the colour deep and bringing the big grain out.... ( Yeah thats mee there..lol)
There he is now in the bar ....
I am pleased with the result. Most of all it was great fun.... And owe many of you great thanks, for looking at all your works in progress has taught me alot.
Any coments , suggetions and critisisms are most welcome. I'm looking forward to do the next one. Unfortunatly the UK weather is not so inspireing at the moment... Yes cold and damp... But i'll move the car back out side soon and the chips will fly. (and the saw dust will get up my nose)
Thanks for reading..
Tark
[ This Message was edited by: Trader Tark 2008-01-17 03:19 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Trader Tark 2008-09-17 14:39 ]
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Tamapoutini
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 1529
From: Aotearoa (New Zealand)
| Posted: 2007-11-24 6:44 pm Permalink
Way to go Trader Tark! Great intro. Cool to see your journey of several years compressed into a few photos. You seem to be approaching Tiki carving in the right way - take big ol steps and try to make each better than the last..
Keep it up. Thanks for sharing.
Tama 
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tok-tok
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 17, 2007
Posts: 148
From: somewhere in Germany
| Posted: 2007-11-25 02:50 am Permalink
Hi Tark,
these are great. Nice to meet you HERE. I Like the big one made out of douglas fir the most. You put a nice finish on by burning it.
Hope, there is more to come. Now the question, most us us would ask: any work in progress-pics?
Greetings form Germany, tok-tok
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Kon-Hemsby
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Sep 17, 2003
Posts: 1225
From: Andover, England
| Posted: 2007-11-25 02:53 am Permalink
Hey Tark, welcome to TC. Good to have another UK tikiphile onboard.
Aloha
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54 house of bamboo
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 28, 2006
Posts: 291
From: Cambridge UK
| Posted: 2007-11-25 04:58 am Permalink
Looking good! Welcome...
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haikai
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2005
Posts: 233
From: Regensburg / Bavaria / Germany
| Posted: 2007-11-25 07:48 am Permalink
Aloha and wellcome on TC. Great pictures for your first post! Keep on carving!
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hiltiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 10, 2004
Posts: 2775
From: Reseda, calif.
| Posted: 2007-11-25 07:57 am Permalink
Trader Tark, welcome to TC. Your pieces look great. I love the tiki bar. Keep us posted.
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benella
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2006
Posts: 1423
From: Meudon, France
| Posted: 2007-11-25 10:58 am Permalink
Welcome to T.C.
Very good work, better and better piece after piece.
Benjamin.
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Tiki Tribe Paris
Tiki stuff
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AKUAE
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 11, 2007
Posts: 129
From: Alsace - France
| Posted: 2007-11-25 1:25 pm Permalink
Hi Trader Tark
great job, i love your finishing
this week it's also the first time for me with a electric chainsaw in my hands........i can't show you the pictures - a big massacre
show us more soon
greets from France
Akuae
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2004
From: So FL
| Posted: 2007-11-25 1:58 pm Permalink
Welcome to TC. Your a great addition. Be careful though. You may never get your car back in the garage. That happened to me - and my wife reminds me of it every time it rains!!
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VampiressRN
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Nov 23, 2006
Posts: 5089
From: Sin City Lincoln Hills (NorCal)
| Posted: 2007-11-25 2:56 pm Permalink
LOL....maybe carvers should add on a tiki carving room to their homes, equipped with a nice shop vac. 
Welcome to TC Tark...you are truly blessed with the carving talent. That 7-foot guy looks just awesome in your bar. Your bar looks great too...love the leopard and lighting...great work!!!
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 "Oh waiter, another cocktail please!!!"
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Savage Daddy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 10, 2006
Posts: 164
From: Sarasota, Fl.
| Posted: 2007-11-25 4:03 pm Permalink
Nice tikis! You have really developed your skills nicely. If your into hot rod art etc. you should check out www.kustomkulturegallery.com/ if you haven't already. Great artists & lots of tiki stuff too! 
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tok-tok
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 17, 2007
Posts: 148
From: somewhere in Germany
| Posted: 2007-11-25 4:52 pm Permalink
Did I mention: Brighton is great! I have been there twice, on the seaside. Any rumble in brighton tonight, man?
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Polynesiac
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 2025
From: San Pedro, CA
| Posted: 2007-11-26 1:45 pm Permalink
welcome to tc, tark. you've already shown considerable progress in your first couple carvings - and that 7 footer really stands out. I like the chisel lines you put around the nose and mouth, it gives the tiki a lot of texture and character.
I love brighton too - I spent some time there and learned to love the english coast line. Is the old busted up pier still standing?
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Polynesiac - putting the "F" back in "ART"
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seeksurf
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2007
Posts: 2144
From: Buckley, WA
| Posted: 2007-11-26 5:34 pm Permalink
Welcome, I think you are hooked like the rest of us.
Your Tiki's look great!
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