drift wood

do you have to do anything to drift wood that you pick up from a lake? I fear that it will smell once it is on the wall.any one use the stuff that you pick yourself?????

I have used driftwood many times... Â*it needs to be dry. Â*You can use water based acrylics to tint or highlight and you can drill holes for mounts... Â*I use dowels and cover them with an expoxy putty to disguise them and then paint the putty to closely match the driftwood color. Â*I spray the driftwood with Deft semi gloss clear wood finish which is available in most hardware stores. Â* It creates a great looking base. Â* Oh yes, I have found black walnut makes a nice platform under the driftwood and carving.
Harold

If you are planning on carving that driftwood, you have to clean it well so there is none of that Lake Michigan sand in it. That would play havoc with your tools! I have carved some and you never know what you are going to have... hard or soft, light or dark. That is part of the beauty of it. There are several books out on carving driftwood spirits and freestyle art as well. Try it! It may be the media you are meant to carve in.

SPEAKING OF DRIFT WOOD. HAVE YA'LL CARVED CYPRESS KNEES OR THERE ROOTS ?

I HAVE SEVERAL PIECES OF ROOTS FROM 4' TO 2' DIA. TO 6 FOOT LONG THAT HAVE BEEN DRY FOR 2 YEARS AND I NEVER PUT A BLADE TO THEM YET. NOW I'AM READY, IS GOING TO RUN MY KNIFE ? SAME QUESTION FOR KNEES.

[Captain_Bandaid]

While on vacation in San Antonio last year, I saw some drifwood fish and birds. I do not remember the artists name but his work was very appealing. He would take a driftwood limb about 2-3' in diameter and cut/grind/sand the ends to make it look like a fish or a bird. The centers were left with the bleached, split wood. The worked sections were highly polished, stained and varnished. Drift wood is a wonderful medium when the natural elements are juxtaposed against creative artistry.