Tiki mug carving process

When I make a tiki mug I start with a sketch of what I want to do. (The hardest part of the process!)

The sketch then gets transformed to an actual size sketch, taking shrinkage into consideration.

I throw a cylinder, not pictured, on the wheel leaving it solid, in the size I need, sans design. (The design adds .125 to .24 more width to the mug sculpture.)

The actual size sketch is then laid over a slab of clay that was previously rolled out to fit the design. Then I cut the pieces out of the slab to then applique to the cylinder scoring it and using slip to attach.

I cheated and just rolled the heavy cylinder over the design (carefully) to attach it. (It came out better than expected. Usually I just pick up the pieces and attach them one by one.)

So I get a beginning design like this. Latter I'll post pictures and  a step by step carving for mold making.

Thanks for checking out my blog! :)

Tiki show - Dayton ohio

 

4 days and a few hours to go until the Tiki show at Clash!

Friday March 1st at 6:00PM. Clash Consignments in the Oregon District in Dayton

Paintings, Mugs, Sculptures and rockabilly surf music for 4 solid hours or more.

 

Tiki Lantern Build -March tiki show at Clash

I started with a dumpy little sketch of a tiki, based on some New Guinea carvings.

I roll out a large slab of clay and wrap it around my form for my basic shape. (there are 2 coffee cans stacked and taped together then wrapped in newspaper inside the giant tampon shape)

I painfully slide it off the form...for like, 15 minutes. Then I cut out my basic lantern parts, like, the back so you can put a candle in...and cut out basic eye and mouth holes. (watch it collapse when I fire it...)

Then add shapes and "tattoo" elements...Still in process though!

And finished sculpt.

Zombie Hut - Brooklyn, NY

 

 

 

Photo by Alyssa P. on Yelp.

I want to go to there...

March Tiki show at Clash Consignments - Dayton

 

Sheet of matchbook covers I'm producing for the tiki show, March 2013, at Clash Consignments here in Dayton. (the FRAGILE stickers where to use up the extra space on the sticker sheet. I can use those for shipping!)

I thought matchbooks are a cool throw back to the original "Tiki movement" when people smoked like in the Mad Men show. (Speaking of Mad Men, there are a few scenes where the characters are sipping cocktails in tiki mugs!) I figure, I burn a lot of candles...and I'm sure people still smoke. They'd be a nifty little keepsake, trinket-y doodad! :)

I was going to have the matchbooks printed and buy them in bulk. (which would have been cheaper)
But I really didn't think I needed a thousand for 140 bucks...so I bought 200 plain white one on Amazon.com for less than 20 bucks. I'll print a sticker sheet off my laser printer and attach it to the outside of the matchbook. That way I can have many different styles.

Just an FYI I'm going to be posting photos and info pretty soon for my tiki show in March, at Clash consignments, in Dayton.
www.facebook.com/ArtifactPottery