This section is based on an article written by Wooldale members Graham Thompson (above) published in Wood Carving magazine issue 198 and notes on painting a Brown Trout by Stuart Wilson.

In addition there are many articles on painting woodcarvings to be found on the web such as the ones by Beavercraft and Carving Junkies - (Click to visit website)​​​​​​​

​

To paint or not to paint that is the question!

Many carvings, especially those made from a beautiful species of timber such as Elm, Oak or Ash etc. do not need painting just a good clear or tinted finish such as an oil, wax or a wood stain is sufficient to bring out the beauty of the wood but some woods such as the woodcarvers favourite Lime is fairly bland in appearance and the carving could be enhanced by painting.

 

Process

The starting point for applying any finish is by sanding to the degree of smoothness required. Many carvings benefit by leaving the tool marks visible so just a light sanding to remove any roughness/ “hairy bits” is sufficient. A quick wash with warm water and a drop of washing up liquid will not only clean of any dirty marks but will also give an indication of how the finished piece will look if just treated with a clear finish. It will also raise the grain so any rough bits can be sanded off.

 

Pre Treatment – before any paint is added it should be determined what type of finish is required. If the it is intended for the grain of the wood to show through then a coating of Shellac or Acrylic Sanding Sealer needs to be applied to seal the wood and prevent the paints/stains from bleeding into areas it is not wanted and to prevent blotching – this is especially true of end grain as this can absorb large quantities of paint /stain. If the whole of the carving is to be painted with solid colours then it should be pretreated with an opaque coating such as Gesso – any leftover household emulsion paint will also serve the same purpose.

 

Type of paint – the best type of paint is ordinary artists Acrylic paint available from art or hobby shops. This is not only cheap but quick-drying and brushes are easy to clean with cold water. Acrylic paints allow for layering and blending. Start with lighter colours as the base and gradually build up darker colours and details. Use a dry brush technique for blending by lightly brushing over wet paint to create smooth transitions.

Paint mixing – experiment on a spare piece of timber!

 

How much to paint? - Does the whole carving need painting or do just a few bits highlighting?

- such as just eyes or hair or specific features.

- are you going for realism such as in Animal, Bird or Fish carvings.

- are you trying to emulate another medium such as bronze.

 

Application Techniques these are largely down to what type of effect you are tying to achieve.

Common methods other than applying with a conventional paint brush include - Stipple, Nearly dry brush, Dabbing with a cloth pad to give a mottled effect, Trimming an old brush to give various effects.

It is best to experiment with what sort of effect you wish to achieve on a spare piece of the same timber used for the carving.

To obtain the best and most lifelike finish it is best to apply paint in very thin glazes by diluting the paint with water or an extender/ flow enhancer.                          

​

 

Example of how to paint a Brown Trout - Stuart Wilson

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

Once the carving of the body was complete the next problem was how to replicate the scales which are not as obvious as with other fish like Carp for instance. I tried carving but it didn’t really work so I hit on the idea of burning the scales with a Pyrography kit that I bought online. When it arrived I was quite surprised at how many different bits came with it and there were two that with a little manipulation made a pretty good scale impression.

An overlapping pattern is needed for an authentic scale effect starting at the tail and working to the head, something like half a diamond shape. Concentration is key as you move around the body as a moment's lapse can spoil the entire effect. It’s a long and tedious job but I think it's worth the effort. On completion I gave it a light sand to even up the finished scales ready for painting.

I painted the fish by hand with acrylic paints. In order to obtain a lifelike finish it is important to apply very thin glazes by diluting the acrylic paint with either water or an extender. Several layers of differing shades and hues were applied in order to give an impression of depth remembering to avoid hard edges so blending is essential after each application. A soft hair brush is best and an inexpensive makeup brush is ideal - but it’s best to buy your own as your wife is likely to be a bit miffed if she gets streaks of Burned Sienna or Prussian Blue down her face! (The Range sell inexpensive brushes for all paint applications)