[It's me]

Hi, new member here, my name is phil. I've been carving for 2 - 3 years now. Self taught with all the anxiety that goes along with not knowing. I live in Japan but originally from the U.S., thus the reason for being self taught. My carvings are basic signs (in Japanese), moldings and\or ornamental carvings for furniture I make. Being isolated and self taught I don't have exposure to the parlance of the carving world so please be patient with me.

Don't know if this is the place to ask my question but I'll give it a try.

I made a standing screen (for lack of a better word) which has large panels of which I incised a plant. The problem is you can't see the plant clearly. I've brushed it with a varnish dilute and am wondering how to make it stand out. I'm thinking of staining over the varnish or using a color varnish. I'd like to keep the panel as natural as possible thus I didn't paint or color it before I carved. Any suggestions?

[AlArchie]

Can you post a picture and advise what kind of wood it is? Might help in getting some suggestions.

Al

[It's me]

Thanks for your reply,

I'll try to post a pic, I'll have to figure this all out first though. The wood is "beni matsu" which means foriegn pine in Japanese. My guess is it's a species of red pine from Siberia.

As you may or may not be able to see in these photos it that the incised area blends in with the surronding areas. I'd like it more visible but not over powering.

What I've done so far was to brush a varnish dilute on it after incising. I was wondering if there is something I could wipe on it and then wipe off to highlight the incision without bleeding or discoloring the surronding area.

[AlArchie]

Nice looking panels! I like 'em. Very elementary and clean.

Here's what I'd try......take a smaller piece of the same wood and carve a few incisions in it, finish it with the same varnish you used on the panels and let it dry. Now, depending on the color and shade you want the accents to be in, work into the incisions a contrasting stain or acrylic colored wash. Wipe the excess off the surface and let dry, then recoat with your original varnish. Try this with several different stains or washes on the smaller sample piece to get the effect you want. Once you find one that works, use that particular technique on your panels.

A gel type stain might work better than a thin one, and maybe even a water based one that would be less likely to bind with your finsh varnish on the plain surface.

I sure wouldn't go experimenting on the panels you have carved.....try the tests on samples first.

Maybe someone else has a better idea, but that's what I 'd try.

Al

[It's me]

Thanks for the positive comment.

The plan is going in this direction: I put the final coat of varnish on the screens and ordered some gel stain. Now time will be the deciding factor. If the gel comes in time I'll give it a shot. Using your suggestion of testing on separate boards. If not, I'll deliver as is. This may be ok because when I described it to the customer there didn't seem to be a problem, but of course seeing it is the deciding factor.

phil