[Woodcarver] Cottonwood Bark Finishing question

[Ivan Whillock]

Alex,

I've used oil paint over lacquer.  After observing the technique used in Italy, I've often used the process of sandwiching oil paint between two coats of lacquer-based finish.  

I'd usually brush on the first coat of Deft to make sure that all the recesses were covered.  When that is dry, which doesn't take long, you paint your carving with artist's oil paints.  You immediately wipe off the excess  paint, letting it merely stain the surface rather than hide it.  You can control the density and transparency of the color by the amount of oil paint you leave on the surface, either wiping most of it off with a cloth or evenly distributing a thicker layer  with a  brush.  When you're satisfied with the density/distribution of color, you immediately spray the whole carving with a coat of Deft.  Spraying is preferred with the second covering as brushing may disturb the still-wet oil paint.  The top layer of Deft dries the oil paint quickly, giving you a dry-to-the-touch carving in minutes.

The first layer of lacquer forms a barrier so that the paint is not absorbed into the wood so you can wipe off as much as you want.  The last coat of lacquer binds the paint to the first coat of lacquer.  If you must thin the oil paint, do so as little as necessary with terp or mineral spirits.  Again, the oil paint is used more as a stain than an opaque cover over the wood.  

While I've not tried the process on bark, it works well on wood and lets you create a quick oil-paint finish that lets the grain show through--or not if you prefer to use thicker or opaque colors--adding white, for example, makes a color more opaque..  Unlike some water-based techniques, this process does not raise the grain and lets you keep the color transparent so the the wood shows through.  As you know, oil  paint  doesn't lighten or darken as it dries, so the color that you apply is the color  you get when it is dry.

The finish on carvings on which I've used this process, starting in 1989, still look fine today, 

*The usual disclaimers apply: your results may vary.  Also, as always, test EVERYTHING on a scrap of the material you plan to use before you put it on a carving you spent hours to make.

Ivan Whillock Studio
122 NE 1st Avenue
Faribault, MN  55021
Visit my website at
http://www.whillock.com
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http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=ivancarve

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  From: Alex Bisso 
  Sent: Monday, November 29, 2010 9:21 PM
  To: woodcarver at carverscompanion.com 
  Subject: [Woodcarver] Cottonwood Bark Finishing question


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  I have a question abut finishing a cottonwood bark carving that I would like to get some input on.  The piece I am working on is fairly delicate and the bark is soft.  Although I am thinking of adding a little color wash in some places, I want to first apply a heavy spray of Deft.  I like the deft and think that when applied as an initial coat it tends to penetrate into the bark and do a good job of binding and strengthening it.  In my mind probably better than a gel or tungoil varnish.  (Is that a reasonable contention?).  I want a very light wash of color and have not been to please the way watered down acrylics work for this.  I know it is OK to apply a gel or tungoil varnish to the bark and then use it as a medium for artist oil paints to add some color - but is it OK to do this after an initial coat of Deft (somehow I think not).  In addition to in spray cans, the Deft comes as a liquid in a can and I am wondering if I can use that as a medium to add a little color with artist oil paints.  Has anyone tried that?  If those are bad ideas, what is a good way to strengthen soft bark and then apply a very light was of color in some places?

  Thanks in advance for any ideas shared.

  ALEX



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