Interview with Kern Mattei of the Mai Kai - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Mon, Sep 3, 2007 12:08 PM Will, that left version looks much better, in my opinion. It's a little scarier because it looks more like a dried Maori ancestor head. If you want to compare, look at that rack of heads on page 178 of the BOT: The exposed row of teeth in those heads is what was portrayed in these ancestor carvings. The eyes are a little more difficult, because they are so big and bulging, which makes the all-white too overbearing. I would run a thick line of black around their edge, even if it is not suggested by the sculpturing, to make the eyes more focused. And then the aging, that would probably ask for too much additional work. Maybe just rubbing some dirt or dust over it would already help. I know that it seems like a continuous contradiction that I ask for authenticity in something that is basically in-authentic. I can only point to the fact that a lot of people liked what they saw in the Book of Tiki,and that it inspired a lot of things. I carefully chose what I thought represented Polynesian Pop well, and it sure wasn't overpainted Tikis that looked like bikers in drag. No museum aspirations here, just basic common design sense.

Will, that left version looks much better, in my opinion. It's a little scarier because it looks more like a dried Maori ancestor head. If you want to compare, look at that rack of heads on page 178 of the BOT: The exposed row of teeth in those heads is what was portrayed in these ancestor carvings.
The eyes are a little more difficult, because they are so big and bulging, which makes the all-white too overbearing. I would run a thick line of black around their edge, even if it is not suggested by the sculpturing, to make the eyes more focused.
And then the aging, that would probably ask for too much additional work. Maybe just rubbing some dirt or dust over it would already help.

I know that it seems like a continuous contradiction that I ask for authenticity in something that is basically in-authentic. I can only point to the fact that a lot of people liked what they saw in the Book of Tiki,and that it inspired a lot of things. I carefully chose what I thought represented Polynesian Pop well, and it sure wasn't overpainted Tikis that looked like bikers in drag. No museum aspirations here, just basic common design sense.

Post #329867 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Sep 3, 2007 12:08 PM