After viewing the excellant carvings on our fellow members web site, Dale & Tamara. I became inspired to try a Santa Bark carving, after all I have some cottonwood bark, and all I've been doing with it is woodspirits, besides its Xmas season.

I posted a pic on the picture trail site in Holiday album.

www.picturetrail.com/carvers-r-us

All comments good and bad are always welcomed, I learn from your viewpoints. To Dale & Tamara, your work is just fantastic and very artistic, thanks for the inspiration.

Coffeeman

Coffeeman he is cute I really like him a lot. Have to ask you a question though how do you get the paint to go on the bark without sinking into it. Not that I have tried painting bark, do you have to do anything to it before you paint it? I was also inspired after looking at Dale and Tamara's work I am also inspired by Teri's bark santa's as well I just love her book carvings have you seen them they are on her sight. Well I am going to try a bark santa tomorrow I will let you know how it turns out. It is nice that we inspire others to do something new and by seeing your carving it has inspired me to try one.
Thanks my friend
Colin

[carver6]

Don't see anything wrong with your Santa either. Very nice job!!

Colin......Thanks, pertaining to your painting question, I do no pre-prep work other than sanding, I have even stop using a sanding sealer on my non-bark carvings.

I use water base acrylique paints, but 'never' thinned down with water.

For my thinning agent I use 'Miniwax' product water based wood stain, the 'Clear Tint Base' that they use to mix there stains with. Its a milky looking product that dries clear and takes on your paint color immediatly.

I'm on the same quart now for over a year, I put some in a squeeze bottle, squeeze some into my paint cup, then mix in a couple drops of paint color, sometimes only a tip of the piant brush of color. Then I apply these thin coats of color, up to the desired effect of color that I want.

I believe the quart cost about $4-6 at Home Depot, but I really enjoy it better than the free tap water.

By the way, this is not my idea, it was taught to me by Marge & Harley Schmitgen, CCA carvers, taught me this insight during a seminar a year ago, thats how they paint all carvings, and they look fantatsic.

Additionally Colin, your work has inspired and directed me in a positive way ever since I've been viewing your pics, Thanks you very much.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Very nice! I like it a lot !! Another way to seal bark to paint is use 'patio paint' from wallyworld and get the 'clear coat' it dries fast and seals . In fact thats what I put on bark carvings for a finish anymore, seems to work good

[Kenny_S]

Love the expression on hime coffeman. Cute and well executed. Keep them coming.

[missioni]

I am flattered by all the kind words about our work. And it is truly humbling to be an inspiration to other carvers. I never think of myself as the source of someone else’s desire to create. When I look at my work I usually see how far I have to go before I can be mentioned in the same sentence as the great carvers of the Renaissance and Gothic period that I admire so much. I set lofty goals for myself and I am honored by all that you have said and you have inspired me to work even that much harder in pursuit of my goals.

As for your bark Santa, I like it! The way I finish the bark is I paint with very thinned acrylic paint so the grain will still show. Three or four coats of Deft brushed on thinly and then black shoe polish for antiquing.

Great Job Coffeeman!!

(...just happened to notice you lived down the road...)

Coffeeman,
I was at Wally World today and at Ace Hardware and I looked for Minwax's 'Clear Tint Base'. Couldn't find it. Then I went on their site on the internet and again couldn't find it. Is it possible that it has another name?

Jerry, Hartwell, GA

check with Lowes or Home Depote

they will have a better selection than Wal Mart or Ace
in the painting supplies