Step 4: I am using a filbert for this project painting steps. This is a flat shader at the ferrell but a round at the tip. It makes perfect flower petals, and for our project, perfect small feathers. The filbert is loaded exactly like the shader. Then you touch the round tip of the filbert to the wood and pull straight back for the length of the feather. Now it just a simple lift motion that ends the stroke.
Step 5: Place a small puddle of pale burnt orange, red, and maroon on your palette. Lightly load the filbert. Working from the base of the tail towards the head make staggered rows of small feathers using first pale burnt orange for the back half, then red for the next 1/4th and ending with maroon at the v-gouge breast feathers.
Each brush stroke will be semi-transparent. Acrylics when used over oil do not grab instantly so as you pull your brush only a medium amount of paint is left on the wood.
SECRET – Did you notice that I did not say between the oil stain steps and this first painting step to let your carving dry. That is because to work this technique easily, with fool proof results you want that oil base fresh and still moist.
Step 6: While your filbert is loaded with maroon paint the throat of your Whittle Bird. Again you will see that the acrylic takes on an artist’s oil paint look.
In the photo you can see that the acrylics are clearly adhering to the oil pretreatment and oil stain.
Mayan High Priest Wood Carving E-Book by Lora Irish of Art Designs Studio. Follow along with the highly-detailed, well-photographed, step-by-step instruction. This project contains information about the different styles of relief carving, a quick look at the different carving tools and supplies needed, clear tips on working with your pattern, creating layers, as well as complete carving, shaping, and finishing (painting and antiquing) instruction.This Mayan High Priest, Lord Bird Jaguar I, is worked in a low relief style of carving. The side walls of each area or element is round over with little or no shaping steps to the main body of the element. Elements within a design are any identifiable area of the pattern.
