Another tiki version of a classic 80s monster. I’m rather pleased with how this one turned out. I’d really love to actually make it with cut out boards some time. I’m not quite sure how I would do the glowing eyes though.
A continuation of my tiki monsters series.
When someone suggested this character I wasn’t really sure how I was going to do it, but I enjoy the way that some of the tiki elements worked so naturally.
Another circa 1980s critter tikified. This time it is Stripe from the movie Gremlins. His little mohawk seemed like it would be funny to turn into a tiki type of element.
There are definitely more 80s monsters in the works!
There are aspects of this one that I enjoy, but I think I fell a bit short of making him truly tiki. I think it’s the ears.
Slimer, as a tiki. Doesn’t it seem almost TOO fitting?
This just started out as a really quick sketch (20 minutes?) the other night when I was looking at Slimer and thinking that he would translate all too easily to the style of tiki. Originally I didn’t plan on doing anything further with it, but thought I’d use the sketch to practice using Illustrator (which I’ve never used before this).
The textures and extra shading effects were added later in Photoshop.
Look how “hip” and “with it” I am with my very own art blog. Just bear with me for a bit. I feel like an old man; intimidated and terrified by this new (to me) technology.
Lets kick this thing off with a novella about my most recent creation.
About a week ago I finished a cardstock Tiki scene. The cursed thing monopolized my life for the majority of January. Just uploading the finished piece doesn’t do justice to the hours of work and frustration, so here’s a bunch of process pictures. Now you can suffer as I suffered.
The First Step
First of all. I did the sketch. I had to compensate for all of the layering, so that’s why this thing looks like a bunch of layered scribbles. After that I scanned it into the computer, decided what I wanted the breakdown of layers to be, and inked in the different layers.
Tiki Layer Inked
See. All inked up. I told you so.
This may seem repetitive, but I know myself. If I didn’t separate these into layers I’d get confused and end up cutting along lines that I really didn’t want to cut. And then I’d get fed up with the project entirely and give up.
Also, I’m borderline OCD.
After this step I trace out the lines on tracing paper, tape it to the desired color of cardstock using double sided tape, and get to cuttin’.
Cutout
After cutting out the shapes I went over them in marker to give a textured “Woodgrain” effect. Also it seems like the only colors of cardstock I can find in town are either cartoony or pastel, so I added some slightly “grittier” color. They need to make pack of cardstock color-themed for the depressed.
Special Effects
I salvaged the electronics from an old push lamp, and some LEDs torn out of old computers at the local geek shop. The red in the volcano is an old red plastic folder with orange tissue paper glued to the back of it for texture.
Custom Frame
Because I wanted to create a lot of depth I had to custom make a frame. The frame was built out of used molding from my old bedroom. After doing some serious wood puttying to hide my inadequacies as a carpenter, I painted the frame black. Then I sanded it down, and then I painted again. And again. Ad Nauseum. By the way, when Krylon paint says, “One Coat Covers,” what they really mean is, “One Coat Covers… with a slightly opaque oily substance.”
Not Yet
How foolish of me to think that I was done at this point. Obviously it still needed decoration on the frame to give it depth, and that orange highlight in the smoke had to go. The layers are about a half of an inch to an inch apart, so I had to build a framework on the backs of the pieces so that I could glue them to the sides and bottom of the frame.
Fin
Finally tally: one scar on my palm from stabbing myself with an exacto knife, one stapled left index finger, and two smashed fingers from hammering gone wrong.
THE END