[xsailer]

I've come to conclusion that to really learn finishing techniques, in my case applying acrylic paint, you should do several pieces at one sitting. I've painted several of my pieces but only one at time. Consequently after reading of all of the other processes out there and then trying to remember the method I used a month or more ago I'm not sure what I want to do. I'm currently doing several now over several days and I find myself developing "my" best system, that I like and because I'm learning as I go and improving "my" style with each piece. Because I'm doing several at one time I think I will retain what I did. I also intend to jot down several notes to myself to help me remember. I'm finding just doing one piece every month or so isn't enough to learn your best method.

Just a thought that is helping me.

[Kenny_S]

I don't know if I am improveing on my painting technique,but have tried several different techniques and landed on one that is like. That is washes. However, I still like on part of the carving a straight coat of paint like white for beards and hair on Santas. A wash of white leave to my thinking a dirty color of hair and beard so a straight out of the bottle white and then the rest the wash techniques.

I think you have hit on something Bob, painting more than one carving at a setting. I have several waiting to be painted so I will try that technique.

[AlArchie]

One of the quirks of my painting carved fish is that for some bullheaded (ya, I know) reason, I don't use the taxidermist specialized paints, but rely on the standard acrylic colors. Needless to say that requires a LOT of experimentation to get colors anywhere near close to natural. What I should do, but don't, is write down color schedules for different parts of different fish so I don't have to go through the whole experimentation process each time.

Well, maybe I just like playing around with the paints, and as I only carve one or two fish a year, it doesn't seem practical to make intricate schedules.

Even so, I think it would be a good idea to write down both color mixing schedules and processes.

Al

[socrates]

yeap painting is an other ball game all together!!!!! id like to find out how the washed acrylic look is achieved?

[BobT]

I thought I had tried just about everything under the sun. Then I found Floyd Rhadigan's method, tried it, and am sticking with it. It woeks oh so well for me.

Rhadigan Painting