I use BLO with no problem. I actually like the variation it brings out in the wood grain, especially since you don't get a whole lot of contrast in the grain naturally with basswood.
Thank you for your comment. Do you paint acrylic on top of it? I love boiled Lindsey Doyle. As long as I don’t put acrylic on top of it it’s beautiful.
Such an informative video, answered so many questions that I hadn't found the answers to anywhere else, and I appreciate you sharing the results of your meticulous experimentation. At 15:55 when you're taking about the acrylic sealer you use before painting, what is the brand you prefer?
I use BLO before I paint, and the basswood just sucks up the BLO immediately. I'll paint within an hour after applying BLO, sometimes much sooner using acrylic paint (Folkart, Ceramcoat, or Decoart). Some of the carvings are a number of years old and so far, I have not seen any yellowing at all or degradation of the painted surfaces. Some of the faces on caricatures I carve don't even get painted as the coloring with the BLO gives the face a natural color. I do brush water on the face before I use the watered down red on a Santa face (cheeks and nose area). I have just started using Minwax 209 (I wait a day for the 209 to fully dry) on a couple of carvings before I paint and see the same quality of the carving finish using either BLO or 209. Older carvings I used the acrylic paint right out of the bottle without thinning with water. Now I thin all my acrylic paints before I apply them over the BLO or 209 surface. Time will tell.
Thanks a lot for the information. I am new to the carving hobby and follow the informations from other carver with much experience. I used till now BLO after carving, let it a couple of days till to a week to soak in the wood. Acrylic paint stays on the surface very well... till I use the final finish. Apply Bee wax, no mather with what (fine piese of cloth or paintbrush hard ebogh for apply the wax) removed the some of the color (where the layer is thinner). It may be look oldish, but sometime I did not whant that. I also used water based lasure. Some results, color goes a little bit off. I first think, it is my fault, apply to much oil, did not wait long enough till the wood take the oil in, and so on. Till I saw this video of yours.
Thank you for this. I have been using BLO on some carvings and some water based varnish on others. This was very eye opening. I especially like the multiple coats of paint to make the product pop.
Great video, really comprehensive. I used BLO under acrylic for a while, with mixed results. But didn’t like the coloration at the end grain so I stopped doing it. Been using the natura oil for a couple years now and I actually like it a lot. I don’t seem to have any issue with the acrylic paint over it. For any special carvings I will use a water based pre-stain and then very thinned acrylics, often multiple layers and I think that looks great. It’s just a lot of smell and work so don’t do that very often. Thanks for the video and info!
Mark could you tell me where you got the pattern for a black cap chickadee, I say it in one of your videos. Would appreciate it because that the next bird I want to carve . Just finished a green wing teal drake and a mallard drake , would like to try carving a small bird . Thanks for your time .
I use the patterns from the book Songbird carving by Roslyn Leach, Daisy. These patterns are the best you can find as far as I’m concerned. A wonderful book with five different songbird patterns information on habitat, tools, and wood carving.
Very informative video Mark! I'm going to mention it (and your channel) in the next episode of Wood Carving Weekly.
Thank you so much, I truly appreciate that.
I use BLO with no problem. I actually like the variation it brings out in the wood grain, especially since you don't get a whole lot of contrast in the grain naturally with basswood.
Thank you for your comment. Do you paint acrylic on top of it? I love boiled Lindsey Doyle. As long as I don’t put acrylic on top of it it’s beautiful.
Such an informative video, answered so many questions that I hadn't found the answers to anywhere else, and I appreciate you sharing the results of your meticulous experimentation. At 15:55 when you're taking about the acrylic sealer you use before painting, what is the brand you prefer?
Thank you Mark ..great advice for anyone painting ..Thank you so much my friend
Thank you, my friend, I appreciate the kind words.
I use BLO before I paint, and the basswood just sucks up the BLO immediately. I'll paint within an hour after applying BLO, sometimes much sooner using acrylic paint (Folkart, Ceramcoat, or Decoart). Some of the carvings are a number of years old and so far, I have not seen any yellowing at all or degradation of the painted surfaces. Some of the faces on caricatures I carve don't even get painted as the coloring with the BLO gives the face a natural color. I do brush water on the face before I use the watered down red on a Santa face (cheeks and nose area). I have just started using Minwax 209 (I wait a day for the 209 to fully dry) on a couple of carvings before I paint and see the same quality of the carving finish using either BLO or 209. Older carvings I used the acrylic paint right out of the bottle without thinning with water. Now I thin all my acrylic paints before I apply them over the BLO or 209 surface. Time will tell.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate the info and knowledge.
Thanks a lot for the information. I am new to the carving hobby and follow the informations from other carver with much experience.
I used till now BLO after carving, let it a couple of days till to a week to soak in the wood. Acrylic paint stays on the surface very well... till I use the final finish. Apply Bee wax, no mather with what (fine piese of cloth or paintbrush hard ebogh for apply the wax) removed the some of the color (where the layer is thinner). It may be look oldish, but sometime I did not whant that. I also used water based lasure. Some results, color goes a little bit off.
I first think, it is my fault, apply to much oil, did not wait long enough till the wood take the oil in, and so on. Till I saw this video of yours.
Thank you for this. I have been using BLO on some carvings and some water based varnish on others. This was very eye opening. I especially like the multiple coats of paint to make the product pop.
Thank you for your comment, what type of BLO do you use?
big box stuff. I have used a pint for about three years. That is how long I have been carving. I retired and saw a video so I tried it and I like it.
Great video, really comprehensive. I used BLO under acrylic for a while, with mixed results. But didn’t like the coloration at the end grain so I stopped doing it. Been using the natura oil for a couple years now and I actually like it a lot. I don’t seem to have any issue with the acrylic paint over it. For any special carvings I will use a water based pre-stain and then very thinned acrylics, often multiple layers and I think that looks great. It’s just a lot of smell and work so don’t do that very often. Thanks for the video and info!
Mark could you tell me where you got the pattern for a black cap chickadee, I say it in one of your videos. Would appreciate it because that the next bird I want to carve . Just finished a green wing teal drake and a mallard drake , would like to try carving a small bird . Thanks for your time .
I use the patterns from the book Songbird carving by Roslyn Leach, Daisy. These patterns are the best you can find as far as I’m concerned. A wonderful book with five different songbird patterns information on habitat, tools, and wood carving.
what about BLO + Mineral spirits before painting?
Thanks for your comment. Good question, I’ll have to try it as an experiment.
I mix 1 part BLO and 2-3 parts Min spirits@@markdmaker3173