Tiki Finishing

[Boy Scout]

Hello, I just recently finished carving a very small tiki from Gene's video. I was wondering how you experienced carvers would finish such a piece. I am tempted to paint it a dark brown or a redish brown. I have also thought about staining the piece.

What type of stain should i use?

Also how so i prepare the carving to be stained? What is the correct process?


I am fairly new to woodworking so any help is appreciated

[glory izevbuwa]

i am wood carver in pescara itsly haw will i registad in your school

[William]

For about a year now I've been working with Minwax stain and really like it
on these pine carvings. When I use stain on shelves I'll use a pre-stain conditioner
but I don't do that on my carvings because I like the uneven affect you get when
it's applied directly to the raw wood.

This quick little 6" bear is made from 4 pc's of 3/4" select pine boards and
I just applied the stain before I came to the forum, I'll let it dry overnight
and clear coat it tomorrow after I paint the eyes.

The colors are "Cherry" on the bear,
"Red Oak" on his nose and "Sedona Red" on his jacket. He will be holding a birthday cake
with my friends name on it. All of the stain was applied in less than 30 min.
from the time I opened the cans until the brush was cleaned, I like the quickness
and ease of stain. The eyes on this little bear are paint.

Others may offer some ideas for paints and how they apply it.
I use Jo Sonja's water base artists' Acrylic on my painted carvings but I think
Acrylic paints from Walmart will do just fine.

HappY Trails
Bill
^v^

[Steve Reed]

An alternative to the above would be oil paints. Coat the whole thing in linseed oil, then use the artists oils much like a stain. If you use a light wash, it's very controllable in terms of how much color to add. Use "el cheapo" brushes, e.g. Michaels, sells a bunch for about $6. They have a whitish bristle, and scrub the oil paint into the wood. A little goes a long way. I use this for a lot of my carvings.
All the best.

[markken5889]

I've also read about people using oil paints with neutral stain as the medium, although I've yet to try that. Mostly now I use Janssen Art acrylics, and sometimes different color stains, as Bill does.

BTW - nice bear, Bill!

Mark

[Rojo5150]

I would use fire. Burn it lightly with a torch or lighter (depending on the size) and then finish with a varnish or clear shoe polish. Tiki Screams Fire!!!

[Boy Scout]

Rojo, thats a great idea. thanks alot.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestion. I should have a nice looking tiki very soon

[Rojo5150]

Just don't burn down the neighborhood there Boy Scout.