Let’s talk about woodcarvingAdministrator2020-02-03T16:00:40-05:00
Discussions on this forum are membership-run. I (Mary May) will monitor conversations and will try and contribute as needed. However, I can't guarantee that I will always have time to keep up with the discussions. Please feel free to contribute, as the only way this forum will be successful is if members get involved! I will also be the "judge and juror" with inappropriate, rude, or offensive behavior, so play nice!
Finishing Ash Wood Carving
Peter Pomposello@harry-mcneish
1 Post
Quote from Peter Pomposello on January 23, 2021, 9:20 am
It’s a start. Should I continue to lower the background to give it more depth? Will a stain help it pop? It’s ash wood
It’s a start. Should I continue to lower the background to give it more depth? Will a stain help it pop? It’s ash wood
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MaryMay@marymay
428 Posts
Quote from MaryMay on February 2, 2021, 3:30 pm
Hi Peter,
It really depends on what you are trying to show. The v-cut effect is very good in showing the details, so I'm not sure if you really need to do much more. You could always lower the background down more, but it isn't really necessary. This type of carving is sort of like "drawing" with a v-chisel and shows good detail. Sometimes we try and show too much and it gets distracting. Maybe leave these as they area and try another deeper and see what effect you like better. It's all experimentation!
Hi Peter,
It really depends on what you are trying to show. The v-cut effect is very good in showing the details, so I'm not sure if you really need to do much more. You could always lower the background down more, but it isn't really necessary. This type of carving is sort of like "drawing" with a v-chisel and shows good detail. Sometimes we try and show too much and it gets distracting. Maybe leave these as they area and try another deeper and see what effect you like better. It's all experimentation!
MaryMay@marymay
428 Posts
Quote from MaryMay on February 2, 2021, 3:31 pm
Oh, about the stain - I am not sure how ash soaks in at end grain, but I would suggest sealing it with shellac first, and then applying stain and wiping it of the surface and let the stain stay in the v-cuts. It will make the carved part stand out nicely.
Oh, about the stain - I am not sure how ash soaks in at end grain, but I would suggest sealing it with shellac first, and then applying stain and wiping it of the surface and let the stain stay in the v-cuts. It will make the carved part stand out nicely.
Julia Drengacz@julia
1 Post
Quote from Julia Drengacz on January 22, 2022, 8:46 pm
How exactly does shellac work? When you put on the shellac do you put it on the carved area too? Then when you put on stain, stain wipes off the shellac area but soaks into the carves area even though there is shellac in the carves area?
How exactly does shellac work? When you put on the shellac do you put it on the carved area too? Then when you put on stain, stain wipes off the shellac area but soaks into the carves area even though there is shellac in the carves area?
MaryMay@marymay
428 Posts
Quote from MaryMay on January 27, 2022, 10:39 pm
Hi Julia,
I put the shellac on every part of the carving - both the uncarved area and the carved area. This seals in the grain so you have more control of the color. Think about it as putting a shield over the wood. Then you can do whatever you want with color or stain. Brush it across the entire surface of the carving. Let the stain settle into the deeper areas of the carving and then with a cloth, wipe off the surface stain, leaving the deeper areas with the dark stain still in it. I would suggest spraying can shellac over the surface to seal this in, but it's not necessary.
Hi Julia,
I put the shellac on every part of the carving - both the uncarved area and the carved area. This seals in the grain so you have more control of the color. Think about it as putting a shield over the wood. Then you can do whatever you want with color or stain. Brush it across the entire surface of the carving. Let the stain settle into the deeper areas of the carving and then with a cloth, wipe off the surface stain, leaving the deeper areas with the dark stain still in it. I would suggest spraying can shellac over the surface to seal this in, but it's not necessary.
