Please help me choose a background colour for Double Dragon

[Frank Pellow]

I have just cut Fiona Kingdon's 'Double Dragon' pattern out of thick Spalted Maple wood.  Fiona did not use a backing when she cut her pattern out of similar wood. 

I intend to attach a 1/4 sawn oak backing board and to stain it.  I would appreciate your vote as to what colour to stain the backer.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

black when in doubt.

[Sparkey]

I keep trying different colors and almost always end up back at black.

[Hawk]

For what it's worth, perhaps a sun burst kind of background, off center , yellow blending into oranges and such. Just a thought.

Chris

[Fran L]

I like the blue as a "sky" background.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I remember trying to decide on black or blue when I did these navy plaques and have to say black wins every time. Sold 1 blue in 2 years. 

 

[spirithorse]

I really like that green for some reason. It just appeals to me.

Good luck and God Bless! Spirithorse

[Scrappile]

I really liked the blue glass you used on your other dragons......

[Sycamore67]

Red

Edited January 23, 2020 by Sycamore67

[Karl S]

Prefer the Green

[new2woodwrk]

Black for me also - but the blue is nice as well

[OCtoolguy]

16 hours ago, Frank Pellow said:

I have just cut Fiona Kingdon's 'Double Dragon' pattern out of thick Spalted Maple wood.  Fiona did not use a backing when she cut her pattern out of similar wood. 

I intend to attach a 1/4 sawn oak backing board and to stain it.  I would appreciate your vote as to what colour to stain the backer.

I think something bright as a background brings out the dragons a lot more. Maybe a shade of yellow.

[OCtoolguy]

16 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

I remember trying to decide on black or blue when I did these navy plaques and have to say black wins every time. Sold 1 blue in 2 years. 

 

On your example, I agree. But not on Frank's.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 minute ago, octoolguy said:

On your example, I agree. But not on Frank's.

Just an opinion like everyone elses. Any color would work. I am sure someone will want one with a color he does not have. 

[OCtoolguy]

1 minute ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Just an opinion like everyone elses. Any color would work. I am sure someone will want one with a color he does not have. 

I really do like your examples and yes, the black is the best. And you are right, someone will suggest "heliotrope" I'm sure.

[kmmcrafts]

I like them all, LOL But can you do a fire sky sunset purple, 

Over the years of doing different color backers on portraits.. I found that Black almost always wins.. I also had many customers asking for colors I didn't have..  I'm not a big fanatic of keeping hundreds of colors of paint on hand to offer and add to the confusion.. I told my wife a while back that I'm about done with the colors and will offer only Black.. Keeps it simple.. There are a couple of signs etc that I may offer pink or blue for boy or girls room etc.. things like that.. but the rest will most likely be black... I was doing the car portraits different colors.. I got people saying... well... my car is hugger orange or plumb crazy purple can you do the actual car colors.. LOL... That would get kinda annoying to me.. and to get those colors most times would mean buying actual car paints.. ( not cheap )... that's the biggest reason I'm going back to black. 

This may not matter to you if you're not a seller.. and or just making unique art... but it's so much easier to keep things simple... especially with online selling.. as then you gotta take photos of each color etc etc.. Just not very productive to offer all sorts of options... most times it confuses the customer  

[Frank Pellow]

I thank everyone who voted and/or commented.  The colour Black is the clear winner. 

In the meantime, I decided that for this, my first 'Double Dragon', to use a natural Zebra- Wood backing:

I will be cutting another 'Double Dragon' soon and, for it, I will use a black background.

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by Frank Pellow
Changed Tiger-Wood to Zebra-Wood

[bandaideman]

Well Frank I liked the tiger wood. Unfortunately I do not always see colors a as others do. I am not totally color blind but do have trouble with getting colors right. Browns are green to me for instance. But because I can make it out and know I am right I like the Black. Thanks for sharing the dragon flies well done. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Not a fan of the wood on wood. Too close to the same color. Walnut would work well.  

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, Frank Pellow said:

I thank everyone who voted and/or commented.  The colour Black is the clear winner. 

In the meantime, I decided that for this, my first 'Double Dragon', to use a natural Zebra- Wood backing:

I will be cutting another 'Double Dragon' soon and, for it, I will use a black background.

 

Frank, as much as I like the look of the zebra wood, in my estimation, the two dragons get sort of lost in it. It looks great, don't get me wrong but I think a light colored, single color background really makes them pop out.

 

[kmmcrafts]

Usually Zebra wood darkens up quite a lot once it has been in some Danish oil... This looks good.. but I also agree with JT and others.. I do a lot of different wood types with Walnut backers... in fast most are birch ply with walnut... but I've also done a fair amount with Maple, Red Oak, and Cherry... cherry doesn't look as good though... not enough contrast.. Here is a clock made from 1/8 BBply wiith walnut backer... as I said.. I don't like painting wood.. so I use natural wood colors to accent.. 

 

[Frank Pellow]

1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

Frank, as much as I like the look of the zebra wood, in my estimation, the two dragons get sort of lost in it. It looks great, don't get me wrong but I think a light colored, single color background really makes them pop out.

 

My wife agrees with you and, in fact, exactly what she said was:  "the dragonflies get lost with that background". 

I like what I have done and a will put the first 'Double Dragon' my office.  I will be making at least one more and will use a contrasting background for it (or them).