[decoycarve]

Back when I was doing decorative ducks for compitition the only way I painted was Acrylics as washes for a real soft look on the ducks. After all the burning was done I would seal the bird with sanding sealer. I would then tint some gesso and scrub it into the bird with a stiff china brush. Let it dry over night and base coat it again and let it dry over night. I would do this until the duck had a nice even soft coat on it. Did it this way to build up my primer with out filling in my fine burning. You cant rush the drying of the gesso with a hair dryer so just had to wait until it was dry. I would then start building up thin coats of paint. Thin meaning I could just read newsprint if I painted it on a piece of news paper. I always mix my paints on a piece of glass with a white background. You can see the consistisy of the paint that way. Water works for thinning ( but lets call it spreading out the structure of the paint). But not the best thing for thinning. Get some flow medium, or testors acrylic thinner. Water spreads out the pigment particles but It also spreads out the acrylic binder. The medium or acrylic thinner leaves the binder intact but only spreads th pigment particles. Really helps to get a nice smooth coverage and a lot les clumping (blotchiness) in your paint. Anna was having trouble with acrylics at first until I gave her a bottle of flow medium. She wont paint without it now. Get some try it and see if it works.
Goody

[santagibbs]

Thanks Kenny for the paper sack information and the Deft from Wal Mart.. Charltotte

[Kenny_S]

Mrs. Gibbs,

My darling little bride showed me the technique years ago when I was doing some woodworking for some people and I ran out of really fine sandpaper. All I needed to do was smooth out the finish a little.
Now, I have seen several on the board use that method also. It isn't new but dos work and does not appear to scratch the finish as much as sand paper.
Wal-marts carry other protectant besides Deft, They have Krylon, Minwax, Red devil, all comes in either spray or brush on. If I use brush on I use the smallest size as it can go bad over a period of time. I can't remember if the brush on is in 1/2 pints or pints. The smaller size last quite a while and if it goes bad(which some says it doesn't), not as mush to throw away. Continuious opening of the can darkens most of that type portectant. Anyways, That is what I have seen over the years.
Best to you.

[Kenny_S]

Just bought a 12 color Lyra Aquacolor water colorsfrom Hobby Lobby, the wife's home away from home. Was surprised at the cost of water colors these days,not like the "El cheapo" kids water colors but this tin is what the little bride said she would like to use.
Have an ornament ready to put color on after lunch so will see if I like water colors. I take it that the carving sould be wet while using the water colors,eh?

[Irish]

I won't even ask, Kenny! Some of the watercolors that I use start in the $12 to $15 range for one of those tiny tiny tubes.

But there is a huge difference between that craft watercolors and artist watercolors. Craft colors often are clay or talc based with much more of these fillers than actual color pigment. Higher quality watercolors are all pigment! You'll see the difference with the first color you use.

So, if I may suggest, put just the smallest amount of one color on your tile first, add water, and see how much more concentrated these colors are than craft colors.

This is the same for colored pencils whether you are using watercolor pencils, oil colored pencils or regular artist colored pencils. The higher the quality the less clay they contain so they are more transparent and brilliant in hue when used.

Susan

[Kenny_S]

Thank you Susan! I just found out that I had to mush color and not enought water but, I did like the hue of the red for the hat, A deeper or I should say richer color. Easier to go on and I think, I will let it dry completely before adding another color.

It will take longer to paint the carving as I force the aycrlics some. Well quite a bit.

BTW, I wished only 12 to 15 dollars. But, I believe in the saying," You get what you pay for". And these should last a long time. Water Color pencil, Hmmmmmmmm, The little bride has a slew of them. Hmmmm, Me thinks I could have saved meself some money.
I appreciate your input greatly. For someone who has been around Carving for 15+ years, I am learning more than I have beforeAbout painting and carving. Now for cleaner cuts.

[Irish]

Watercolor pencils are really really fun!

Keep them very sharp. Then apply very thin layers of color ... don't push the pencil or force the pen. This lets the pencil get right into the grain and develope a wonderfully even coloring. Then you can take other colors and apply them right over top the first watercolor pencil work.

On a leaf I would do four or five light coats of medium green. In the veins I could add a couple of pencil coats of dark green and on the edge maybe bright yellow.

When you brush over the pencil work with a slightly damp shader brush everything blends together!

When you're done with the watercolor pencils apply at least one light coat of spray sealer before you use anything else so that you set that color!

If you already have the red applied to his hat you could use a dark maroon or even red-purple watercolor pencil where the hat and white fur meet to darken that area.

Susan

[Paul_Guraedy]

Kenny, when you start to put on the second wash, the wood does not have to be soaked, too much water and scrubbing will "lift" the previous wash.

After a couple of washes and having my color on the areas I want, I do not always wet the area for the next wash. But be careful to "stay inside the lines" of the color you are applying. Using watercolor on dry wood will leave a line that is difficult to cover.

I don't think any of us have also mentioned that in watercolor you usually paint from light to dark rather than dark to light which is most common with acrylics.

I am not familiar with the Lyra Aquacolor; but, assume from your comments on the price that it is not a "cheap" brand. Susan, what are your favorite brands of watercolor. I have been staying pretty much with Winsor-Newton, although I do have some Grumbacher.

At first I was shocked by the cost of the paints, then realized that it really does not take too much paint on a carving and the tubes last a long time. Well, except for yellow ochre, umbers and siennas. The birds I usually carve seem to take a lot of these colors.

[Kenny_S]

Learn something again on using water color crayons directly on the carving then blend them. Thanks Susan, I will try some of the little bride's water color crayons as she has several tins for her scrapbooking projects.

Paul, I really never thought how to paint but stands to reason on light to dark for the water colors.
Will give it a try. was going to yesterday but two of my Darling grandchildren came over and spent the afternooon babysitting their Nana and Papa.

Thanks Susan and Irish for those tidbits of information. I will put them to use.

[Kenny_S]

Definitely a learning experience with water colors. Not totally satisfied with my results but being the fist time, Ain't bad for me. will keep trying as I did not get the rich red I was hoping for but all in all, I will paint more with water colors.

BTW, I did not seal the piece before I started so maybe I will the next one.

I have it in my head that Santa's stocking cap should be a rich red. But thinking all of the chimmenies he goes down Christmas Eve, Maybe his hat is a little worse for wear.

Thank you all for your advice and sharing your techniques. I appreciate them.