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New work posted! Inexplicable business card holders! Tiki Bob keychains! More Islander! Pg. 15! |
tobunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 12, 2008
Posts: 896 |  Posted: 2008-04-15 10:31 pm Permalink
Aloha everybody!
After some prodding by Tikishark, I got my act together, registered on the site, and am finally confidant enough to bare my tiki art to the denizens of Tiki Central.
Brad had suggested I explore the world of tiki when we attended to the Tikis and Terrors show at Bahooka a while back. The idea simmered in the back of my mind for a while, but although I had an appreciation for tiki culture, I didn't feel I had a real passion for it (hoo boy, did that ever change... but, I'm getting ahead of myself) and anything I would attempt would be kinda like faking it.
I don't remember how it occurred to me, but I started thinking about incorporating stuff about which I was passionate into the tiki world. Well, I thought, I like Godzilla and all his monster buddies... how about Godzilla as a tiki?
So from there, I created my very first tiki painting TIKIZILLA (acrylic on canvas 20" x 24"), in July of 2007.
Wow, I thought to myself. That was fun! Then I thought, this piece needs a companion ( I like to work in series, so I think that thought with alarming frequency). I decided to paint Godzilla's pteranodon pal, Rodan, as a tiki:
RODAN TIKI (acrylic on canvas 20" x 24").
While technically not a tiki, Tobunga, the monster in the horrible 50's B-movie From Hell It Came seems tikiish to me... he's a big scary wooden thing lurking about on a south seas island, so I did this painting.
TOBUNGA RISES! (acrylic on canvas 11" x 14").
Actually Tobunga is a badly made rubber suit, stiffly operated by some poor bastard inside. Kinda like one of those trees from HR Puffinstuff, but evil. My Tiki Central handle is an homage to this endearingly awful creation.
Now I'm really getting into this tiki groove, and so I returned to the tiki monster theme with A TIKI FROM A BLACK LAGOON (acrylic on canvas 20" x 24").
Along with the other art I do, I'm now starting to think tiki... and I LIKE it!I did a couple of pieces using dramatic lighting and framing, so I did two tikis at sunset, where they were mostly in shadow, or silhouette... TIKI SUNSET 1 and TIKI SUNSET 2, both acrylic on canvas 11" x 14".
So now my mind is in total tiki overdrive, and I'm furiously drawing idea after idea. Here's a painting based on the Hitchhiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland (something else I really love!)
HITCHHIKING TIKIS (acrylic on canvas 20" x 24").
I just had 14 pieces (including these) in the Mainlander's 1st Anniversary Luau and Art Show. What a thrill to have my
new-found passion on display with other incredibly talented tiki artists!
I'll be posting some more work as soon as I get some photos. If you would like to see more of what I do, please visit my website: http://www.ericoctober.com
At the moment, there's not much tiki art on display there (in fact, there's more of my tiki work here), but on the next update to the site, I should have lots more of the tiki art I've done up... but I'll probably post it here first, anyway!
At a quick count, I have about 20 different tiki ideas percolating in my head right now, so I better get drawing...
[ This Message was edited by: tobunga 2010-05-04 00:14 ]
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Tiki Shark Art
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Aug 31, 2006
Posts: 2764
From: The volcanic Big Island of Hawaii
| Posted: 2008-04-16 02:01 am Permalink
Aloha Tobunga!
I really dig the Rodan tiki. Moody, and rather beautiful. I always felt that Godzilla had a Polynesian feel to him. You know, atomic bomb testing on remote south sea's atoll's causing radiation and mutation, and it's natural it'd all flow into the Tiki World. Very cool, very retro 50's, and I'm sort a pissed I didn't think of it!
ALSO... The Tiki from the Black Lagoon is SWEEEEEEET!
Can't wait to see more!
Mahalo for sharing!
_________________
Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker
"Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock."
- Honolulu Magazine "The Best Of" 2012 Issue
www.tikishark.com
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Chip and Andy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 13, 2004
Posts: 2079
From: Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai.
| Posted: 2008-04-16 04:17 am Permalink
Aloha and welcome to TC!
You will never find a more honest bunch of art critics than here. And I will let you decide if that is a good or bad thing,
Rodan is way cool, but I WANT the Black Lagoon Tiki! If you make prints, or lithos, or more of any kind, let me know because I seriously WANT!
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ivanchan
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Posts: 114
From: www.ivanchan.com
| Posted: 2008-04-16 07:41 am Permalink
Thanks the Gods and Tikishark for encouraging you, because from your great art, I can see you been holdin' out!!!
These are so much fun and such fresh interpretations of what's possible for tiki.
Awesome work, dude! Can't wait to se see more!!
I.
_________________
Ivan Chan Studio: Invite Beauty
http://ivanchan.com
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frostiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 14, 2006
Posts: 434
From: Mobile, AL
| Posted: 2008-04-16 07:53 am Permalink
Tobunga,
Welcome to TC, it's great to see another artist on here. You've got some great pieces and we can't wait to see more from you. I especially love the hitchhikers and I know Mrs. Frostiki will as well (she is a Disney/haunted mansion fanatic). I'm glad Brad talked you into joining our little rum filled corner of the world.
Keep up the good work.
_________________
find us at Facebook andwww.frostiki.com
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Kahu
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 03, 2007
Posts: 267 | Posted: 2008-04-16 08:13 am Permalink
Welcome! Glad to see you have joined and posted your work. For me, I love the Tikizilla print! I like the point of view and the lighting. I would vote that one for a print personally, but that is just because I want it for myself. LOL Look forward to seeing more from you.
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little lost tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 12, 2006
Posts: 7460
From: Orange,CA-right near the Circle!
| Posted: 2008-04-16 08:21 am Permalink
TIKIZILLA!
RODANTIKI!
TOBUNGA RISES!
TIKI FROM A BLACK LAGOON!
TIKI SUNSET 1 and TIKI SUNSET 2!
HITCHHIKING TIKIS!
WOW!
Welcome to TC Tobunga!
Glad Brad could prod ya into sharing some Masterpieces!
Seems like you caught the fever AND are running with it!
Nice twist /advancement on the Tiki theme....
A genre unadvanced is a genre that grows stale....
Thanks for livening things up
and stimulating the ohana's grey matter!
_________________
www.kenruzic.com will be up someday,REALLY!
I'm on FaceBook Too!Look me UP,folks!
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3388
From: HELL
| Posted: 2008-04-16 08:41 am Permalink
looks like a good start, however it reminds me very much of tiki sharks work in terms of colors and style....i like the hitchhiking tikis you coopted from shag's painting of the haunted mansion and the hitch hiking ghouls.....always cracks me up!
_________________
"operation chaos is in effect!! RUSH the vote 2008!!"
[ This Message was edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2008-04-16 08:42 ]
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3388
From: HELL
| Posted: 2008-04-16 08:45 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-04-16 04:17, Chip and Andy wrote:
You will never find a more honest bunch of art critics than here. And I will let you decide if that is a good or bad thing,
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..actually, you will find about 1 or 2 honest critics here...the rest are glad handers and back slappers.....which may not be a bad thing while trying to find your artistic niche and voice....good for self confidence....
_________________
" I may not know karate..... but I do know crazy !!"
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Tiki Shark Art
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Aug 31, 2006
Posts: 2764
From: The volcanic Big Island of Hawaii
| Posted: 2008-04-16 10:32 am Permalink
[quote]
On 2008-04-16 08:41, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
looks like a good start, however it reminds me very much of tiki sharks work in terms of colors and style...
_________________
....Hmmmm, looks like my stuff? That must be why I like it so much! 
_________________
Brad (Tiki Shark) Parker
"Brad Parker creates lurid paintings that pull in influences from tiki, comics, and rock."
- Honolulu Magazine "The Best Of" 2012 Issue
www.tikishark.com
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sirginn
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Oct 20, 2003
Posts: 271
From: Sunset Cliffs , CA
| Posted: 2008-04-16 11:15 am Permalink
Dig the tikizilla and rodan peices.
Are they available, do you plan on prints?
I do see some similarities to Brad "tiki shark" as tipsy mentioned, but to me that is a good thing. In fact, I already own some of Brad's art stuff.
Please keep painting and updating.
-S
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3388
From: HELL
| Posted: 2008-04-16 1:56 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-04-16 11:15, sirginn wrote:
Dig the tikizilla and rodan peices.
Are they available, do you plan on prints?
I do see some similarities to Brad "tiki shark" as tipsy mentioned, but to me that is a good thing. In fact, I already own some of Brad's art stuff.
Please keep painting and updating.
-S
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.....it's actually flattering to brad....and that's good for the artist in the sense that they are taking another artist who inspires them and using that style as a jumping off point on the way to honing their skills and finding their own voice/vision as in the use of the subject matter (i.e.rodan)
_________________
" I may not know karate..... but I do know crazy !!"
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tobunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 12, 2008
Posts: 896 | Posted: 2008-04-17 3:22 pm Permalink
Hey everybody!
Thanks for the feedback! I guess I may have been unconsciously influenced by Tikishark's work... of all the tiki art I've seen, I'm most familiar with his! Any comparison to his work is praise indeed!
Hey Tipsy! I didn't know shag has a hitchhiking ghosts... the only reference I used was a postcard of the poster for the attraction... I guess variations on a theme would have similarities! I'll have to see if I can find out how his look!
I'm in the process of having all my work digitally photographed and scanned, so I'll be able to make giclees soon. I'll keep everybody posted!
Here's a few more pieces that were in the Mainlander's show:
TOBUNGA'S REVENGE! Acrylic on Canvas 11" x 14"
The spirit of a wrongly executed islander gets back at those who crossed him!
EBIRA ESTA EBRIA. Acrylic on Canvas 11" x 14"
The Japanese title of Godzilla VS. The Sea Monster is Gojira, Ebira, Mosura:Nankai No Dai Ketto, which translates to Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: Big Duel in the South Seas.
By rearranging the letters of Ebira's name, you get EBRIA, Spanish for intoxicated. I figured since the action was in the south seas, he would be drunk on libations from a tiki mug, the mug being an actual life-size tiki, with a palm tree for garnish!
(Godzilla is annoyed because Ebira is too drunk to fight.)
This is a drawing that was also on display.
THE TIKI THAT CARVED ITSELF. Pencil on paper 9" x 12".
The original sold, but since several people asked about it, I'm definitely making prints of this one.
Here's a quick drawing I did based on a photo of the artists from the Mainlander's show...
Thanks again for the feedback!
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Tipsy McStagger
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 21, 2004
Posts: 3388
From: HELL
| Posted: 2008-04-17 5:56 pm Permalink
shag's painting is three hitchhiking hipster monsters in front of the haunted mansion.....i forget the title, but he used alot of greens in that one too if i recall correctly.....the similiarities are eerie, which is why i thought of shag's painting immediately.....
actually...the painting is called "the coolest ghouls" and it's in the book "bottomless cocktail : tha art of shag.......check it out.
_________________
"operation chaos is in effect!! RUSH the vote 2008!!"
[ This Message was edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2008-04-17 17:59 ]
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tobunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 12, 2008
Posts: 896 | Posted: 2008-04-17 7:45 pm Permalink
Thanks for the info! Just googled it... Yes, they it's resplendent in Haunted Mansion Green!
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