Wood Graining

From Principles of Applied Arts

Example:Image:

1. Surface prep – At least one, preferably two coats of oil based primer, and two coats of base paint – BM Dulamel eggshell paint apple crisp (2175-10) You can use another coat of paint and add mineral spirits (10%) and 3-5% Japan drier to dry faster.when applying, use vertical strokes all the way, then horizontal strokes then use tipping technique (Purdy Ox hair brush) vertically then horizontally and back. (you can roll then tip, but ALWAYS TIP!)

2. Sand paint (220 grit Trimite paper)

3. De-grease surface with water/whiting 50/50 mixture.

4. Apply Guinness/pigment glaze (flat Guinness beer and brown pigment), then use flogging brush to flog the glaze upward working your way across the board) until dry.

5. Using the Veinette brush that is dipped in water (almost dripping) comb through the bristles to create more fingers, then holding the brush place the tips of it on the flogged beer and brush downwards getting the flogged beer wet, then with the badger softener brush the wet lines to one direction dragging the pigment to one side activationg the glaze and making the graining markes. let this dry.

6. With 2pts english turpentine, 1 pt refined linseed oil and 5% Japan drier glaze in in a container, place on the palette the artist oils of your choice (wood colors) and apply to the panel the glaze and oil paints with vertical then horizontal movements.

7. Then spread it out using side to side movements.

8. Then use a long hair spalter or badger to tip then soften eliminating any tool marks.

Optional adds: for knots take a short hair spalter in the duck hold, make a V in the center of the bristles and drag from the top of the panel to where you want the knot, then do the same thing with an inverted V and drag from the bottom to the knot spot. On either side of the X of the knot, make an N with a fingernail or whatever, then use the tip of the handle of your brush to make a squiggly circle in the center of the knot and 4 scores (sort of like an X shape). For a moray (moray is where the tree leaned), take a short hair spalter and tap-drag horizontal lines (small big small randomely) down the side grains soften out then down with the badger.

To make a “crotch” in the heart (crotches are where the tree branches out from the trunk), take burlap at the center of the heart and flower it out up and out like sunrays almost (varying heights) and then soften with badger brush.

For Fiddle backs, take a skunk brush or piece of leather and tap-drag horizontal lines down the side grains, then soften (they almost look like morays).

After this dries apply polyurethane topcoat.