Finishing & Decorating Wood Carvings

Decorating Wood Carvings




Finishing and Decorating Wood Carvings


One approach at the end of the carved project is  actually to just leave this in the natural state even to the extent of showing the rough chiseled marks and gouges that the carving has left. But there are a range of finishes which are very widely used that increase the appeal and desirability to yourself and others in enjoying the whittled or carved project more

Sanding

Just plain sanding down with gritted paper will give a lovely result. Using rough to take away the heavy makings and also to improve the sculptured line is the first stage . Then to change to the finer paper grits down to the water paper levels of say800/1000 grit gives a final satin finish


Oiling 

Using vegetable oils which are applied with a soft cloth can give the carving a richer appeal and darken the look to the work. Also it prevents possible cracking to it because of shrinkage due to loss of volatiles in the wood. You may want the carving to be deeper in color so this can be done by applying oil again after a few days. Be sure to wipe away excess oils between different applications so as to prevent stickiness or gumminess developing. 

Staining and Painting

Here there is a wide range of technique available to use on the woodcarving  for great results. there is a wide color range from using the traditional wood color shades to primary colors like anything from yellow to blue and red. Different colors could be used on different parts of the carving giving a polychrome effect

Paints and stains are applied by traditional brush or even a sponge brush. This is best done in the direction of the grain. You can use here wood stain, tinting stains and watercolor paint  or if you want opacity one can use full bodied paints like acrylics although you have to be aware that the latter will mask the wood grain appeal..

After the various colorings have been applied there is the option of clear varnishing or top coating the project the work  there are different finishes available including matt, satin and gloss finish . Be sure to apply these in thinned format  and applied again thinly so as to avoid runs and clogging up of the carved details with varnish . The best action is a slow build up of a good few layers for even results


Marbling and Scumbling 

Here this affect can be achieved by doing the above staining and removing some of the color with fine gritted paper in a patch like way to give a marbled or antiqued distressed  effect. This is better done it to a rough carving that has not been finely sanded. Or one can achieve this by adding color to a work by daubing with a felt swab that is semi dry with tint or stain. Once again different colors can be used together of the same woodcarving to give a polychrome effect



Burning

The wood carving is placed on a cement or brick surface and the burnt using a blow torch or the like to char or burn lightly the surface . Using gloved hands the wood is then rotated to burn the full area envisaged. The carving is then scoured with a copper pot scourer or a brass brush so as to remove some of the blackened area. This results in the wood showing up a layered effect of the different grains. This is best done on the evergreen woods such as pine or spruce which has marked annual rings of differing hardness’s and therefore burn at different rates in the flaming. You then get a wonderful swirling effect of the rings and grains showing. . One should be careful of the coarseness of the scouring medium or say steel scourer as these may give an excessively rough look 

                                   Leaves Burned into Wood Grain

Stippling 

Here a wonderful effect is achieved by using stippling punches where areas of the wood carving have a selected area surface lightly indented by striking the punch into the wood lightly all over that area to give an even stippled surface. You just keep on pounding the punch onto the wood all over at the same intensity to extend this pattern of dotted all over that area
Stippling punched can be made easily by custom grinding thick nails or short pieces of rod. You can just clamp these in a vice and file across the flatten end the crisscross pattern you want.



Examples of Finishes of carved Wooden Projects

Below is a range of examples of wood carved projects with unique finishes. Each finish has its own style and appeal to the craftsman or the end user.


NATURAL FINE SANDED FINISH

WOOD STAINING

FINE SANDED & NATURAL OILING     

CLEAR COLOR STAINING & OILING OR TOP VARNISH


CLEAR STAIN & OPAQUE PINTING



PAINTED BOWL




































Woodworking Projects & Whittling of Wood

This is a site for information about:
Whittling wood, sculpting or shaping of wood by carving through the basic use of minimal means such a whittling knife or wood chisel or other woodcarving tools. This wood art is aided with instructions, resources and picture examples and videos. There is extensive information about types of woods to be used such as bass wood .
Also there is :
* Information about starting your own Wood Working Business
* Information for the Layout & Setting up a Home Woodwork Shop via proper Small Home Shop Layout

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Whittling and Wood Carving

Introduction to Whittling Here we define the whittling of wood and the carving of wood using simple hand tools  such as a whittling knife ...

This is a site for information about:
WOOD WHITTLING PROJECTS
Whittling wood, sculpting or shaping of wood by carving through the basic use of minimal means such a whittling knife or wood chisel or other woodcarving tools. This wood art is aided with instructions, resources and picture examples and videos. There is extensive information about types of woods to be used such as bass wood .

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