Learn how to blend your acrylic craft paints for your next wood carving project with this free project by Lora S. Irish, artist and author of Art Designs Studio.
Basics to Painting
Project Two – Simple Blending for Acrylics
Blending acrylic or craft paints on basswood is so much easier when the wood is saturated with water as the pretreatment step. The colors slide over the water film in the wood instead of grabbing too quickly on dry wood.
Supplies:
1 Whittle Fish body with diamond scales
6″ 30-gauge copper sheeting for fins
super glue to set the fins
Craft Paints:
Apple Barrel Craft Paints
20584 Lemon Chiffon
20760 King’s Gold
21342 caterpillar Green
20530 Wedgewood Green
21177 Summer Sunset Pale Rust
20590 Cardinal Crimson Red
20592 Tapestry Wine
Titanium White
Carbon Black
Antiquing Paints:
Hooker’s green oil paint
Linseed oil
Turpentine
Clean soft, dry cloths
latex gloves
tin foil
plastic bag
Step 1: Carving a Whittle Fish out of a 1 1/4″ x 1 1/4″ x 3″ basswood practice block. With a v-gouge or your bench knife cut a diamond scale pattern to the back. Detail the gills and create a nup-ended round gouge eye. Lightly sand using 220-grit sandpaper.
Step 2: Wood Pre-treatment
After any work session I often find that my carving may have dirt from my hands, pencil marks, and even pencil eraser over it. So I take my piece to the sink and using Dawn dish washing detergent give the carving a bath. For heavily dirtied pieces I will add a synthetic scrub brush to the process. Rinse well, then light pat dry with a clean dish towel.
Step 3: While the wood is still freshly damp I rub the wood carving in my hands. This smooths the fine fibers that have risen because of the scrubbing process, its a soft version of burnishing. Work the piece well until you have a smooth finish. I go directly to my painting table with the wet carving.