Folk Art Painting- Wood Preparation
As a folk artist I have found that wood preparation before painting is very important- if you want a beautiful finished product you must take the time to prepare your wood properly- no amount of painting will cover up the flaws that should have been fixed before painting. Below are a few tips and techniques that I have found helpful in wood preparation.
Choose your wood carefully- avoid wood that is warped and has knot holes and is marred
Fill in all holes, scratches and gouges with wood filler and let dry completely, sand and refill if necessary
Spot seal any knots with Jo Sonya's Tanning Blocker or product like it- knot can bleed through paint and make terrible brown rings
Sand wood with 150-220 grit sand paper making sure to sand with the grain. If you sand against the grain you will have scratches.
Be sure to sand all edges and wipe with a tack cloth
Seal the wood on all surfaces with a water based sealer- if you don't seal because wood is a porous material the grain will raise when the paint is applied making the surface bumpy .
Allow the sealer to dry completely following instructions on the product
Sand one more time with 220-400 grit sand paper to remove any grain that may have arose - this will give the piece a nice smooth surface to paint on.
Wipe the piece completely with a tack cloth.
Now you are ready to Paint !
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows
Labels: crafting, crafts, folk art painting, how-to, wood preparation |
