Stain, Paint, Or?

[kmmcrafts]

Made these two piece ornaments yesterday.. Back piece is the cancer ribbon and then the word for the front piece.. Made from 1/8 BB ply. Haven't glued the two pieces together yet because I'm still experimenting.. The first batch turned out kinda big and wouldn't fit into the gift boxes that I use when selling ornaments... so back to the drawing board ( inkscape LOL ) to change them up a little. 

Anyway, in the one photo below I show two of the same ornament.. the one back part ( ribbon ) was dipped in a Cherry colored Danish oil as I already had that on hand.. I'm not much of a finisher as in doing stains and paints.. I have always used natural colors and change up wood species to achieve contrast.. I also cringe at painting and covering up the woods natural beauty of the wood grain etc.. Plus I've never wanted to start painting and end up with a million different bottles / colors of paint etc.. That all being said I feel like this project needs a pink ribbon, LOL or maybe I need to just buy some 1/8" cherry plywood.. I feel like cherry ply would be a decent match for this as a natural color contrast.. Not to fond of how the cherry Danish Oil took to the ply.. Maybe I'll try dipping it into the oil a second time to help darken it.. I think IF I end up painting, I'll likely go with a paint marker / pen rather than a can of paint and a brush.. Anyone here use paint pens? just wonder how well they really work. Not a fan of brush marks.. too much hassle with spray paints in my dusty shop.. even though I will end up top coating them anyway so maybe that's the way to go about it anyway.

Anyway, suggestions / feedback? 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by kmmcrafts

[Bill WIlson]

I've used ordinary RIT fabric dyes to add subtle color to BB ply ornaments.  Just like stain the BB ply may absorb the dye a little unevenly, but letting the piece soak a little tends to even it out.  Probably will see some variance from one piece to another, but can get the color pretty even on an individual piece.  I've never tried it on anything very large though.  It might be worth a try for your ornaments.

From what I've read, dyes made for wood might be a better option and provide deeper, more vivid color, but the RIT dyes are cheap and readily available, so getting a couple colors to do some testing is pretty easy and convenient.

[barb.j.enders]

I would recommend Unicorn Spit.  These flamingos were air brushed with a very watered down mix of the red & white.  I have also brushed it on - no brush marks.  I tend to really water it down for a more washed look.  If you used it straight out of the bottle it is more opaque.

[daveww1]

I use diluted craft paints to stain wood which needs colors

[WayneMahler]

If using a diluted based pigment I would pretreat the pieces with a conditioner. It helps a lot of things as well as getting the color coat more even. BB is a lot like pine when staining it.

[MrsN]

I used tie dye to color wood with really good results. I was looking for ways to get color with out too much waste (in stain or money). I got a rainbow of colors for less than $20 ans had a whole bunch of people do the activity. I'll put a couple of pictures of our results.

 

[OCtoolguy]

11 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Made these two piece ornaments yesterday.. Back piece is the cancer ribbon and then the word for the front piece.. Made from 1/8 BB ply. Haven't glued the two pieces together yet because I'm still experimenting.. The first batch turned out kinda big and wouldn't fit into the gift boxes that I use when selling ornaments... so back to the drawing board ( inkscape LOL ) to change them up a little. 

Anyway, in the one photo below I show two of the same ornament.. the one back part ( ribbon ) was dipped in a Cherry colored Danish oil as I already had that on hand.. I'm not much of a finisher as in doing stains and paints.. I have always used natural colors and change up wood species to achieve contrast.. I also cringe at painting and covering up the woods natural beauty of the wood grain etc.. Plus I've never wanted to start painting and end up with a million different bottles / colors of paint etc.. That all being said I feel like this project needs a pink ribbon, LOL or maybe I need to just buy some 1/8" cherry plywood.. I feel like cherry ply would be a decent match for this as a natural color contrast.. Not to fond of how the cherry Danish Oil took to the ply.. Maybe I'll try dipping it into the oil a second time to help darken it.. I think IF I end up painting, I'll likely go with a paint marker / pen rather than a can of paint and a brush.. Anyone here use paint pens? just wonder how well they really work. Not a fan of brush marks.. too much hassle with spray paints in my dusty shop.. even though I will end up top coating them anyway so maybe that's the way to go about it anyway.

Anyway, suggestions / feedback? 

 

 

 

 

This might be the one time it would be good to paint something. The whole "pink" thing is the issue so why not dive in and just paint the backer pink and be done with it?

Edited September 16, 2022 by OCtoolguy

[Eplfan2011]

9 hours ago, barb.j.enders said:

I would recommend Unicorn Spit.  These flamingos were air brushed with a very watered down mix of the red & white.  I have also brushed it on - no brush marks.  I tend to really water it down for a more washed look.  If you used it straight out of the bottle it is more opaque.

I'd never heard of this I had to Google it..... Thanks Unicorn spit is now on my weekend shopping list

[lawson56]

Paint the ribbon, stain the rest.  By the the way. Awesome job!!

[Roberta Moreton]

The cancer ribbon color depends on the type of cancer. Pink is breast cancer, light blue, prostate cancer.  That’s all I know.  

[Eplfan2011]

I'm with Ray here it is all about the pink ribbon ...paint would stand out and make the ribbon prominent.

[kmmcrafts]

I ended up ordering some paint markers from Hobby Lobby.. I have several of these layered designs and many of them are going to me some fine detail painting of some different colors.. I've not been one to do the artistic type painting on my projects but there is a first time for everything I suppose. I got the suggestion of the paint markers from a laser group..

Here is the markers.. and a image of one that the person suggested the markers to me did of the same design.. She painted the word too.. but I think I might leave mine.. I also thought about food coloring.. I know some folks do that with the puzzles.. 

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Art-Supplies/Drawing-Illustration/Markers/Basic-Color-Posca-PC-3M-Paint-Markers---8-Piece-Set/p/81095031

[meflick]

1 hour ago, Roberta Moreton said:

The cancer ribbon color depends on the type of cancer. Pink is breast cancer, light blue, prostate cancer.  That’s all I know.  

Roberta beat me to it. This is what I was going to say. There are different colors used for different types of cancers. By leaving the ribbon as you have done here, it would be more generic to any type of cancer. You just have to decide if you want specific by using paint on the ribbon or generic.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323448#ovarian-cancer

your paint job is great and does enhance it, IF they are looking for one for someone with breast cancer. Are you willing to paint them in a variety of colors? Only you can decide that.

Edited September 17, 2022 by meflick

[OCtoolguy]

16 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I ended up ordering some paint markers from Hobby Lobby.. I have several of these layered designs and many of them are going to me some fine detail painting of some different colors.. I've not been one to do the artistic type painting on my projects but there is a first time for everything I suppose. I got the suggestion of the paint markers from a laser group..

Here is the markers.. and a image of one that the person suggested the markers to me did of the same design.. She painted the word too.. but I think I might leave mine.. I also thought about food coloring.. I know some folks do that with the puzzles.. 

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Art-Supplies/Drawing-Illustration/Markers/Basic-Color-Posca-PC-3M-Paint-Markers---8-Piece-Set/p/81095031

Beautifully done! Wise choice "grasshopper".

[barb.j.enders]

16 hours ago, Eplfan2011 said:

I'd never heard of this I had to Google it..... Thanks Unicorn spit is now on my weekend shopping list

It was reviewed a few years back in the Scrollsaw magazine.   I happened to find it at a wholesale place locally.

[Hudson River Rick]

Kevin, you did an outstanding job on that ornament, thanks for sharing.

In the picture, you have the piece on an easel, could you please say what size the outer diameter is?  My wife and I volunteer at an organization that supplies meals to families of patients suffering from cancer, this may be something we could include with their first delivery.

 

SORRY, I didn't mean to hijack this thread.

Rick

[kmmcrafts]

50 minutes ago, Hudson River Rick said:

Kevin, you did an outstanding job on that ornament, thanks for sharing.

In the picture, you have the piece on an easel, could you please say what size the outer diameter is?  My wife and I volunteer at an organization that supplies meals to families of patients suffering from cancer, this may be something we could include with their first delivery.

 

SORRY, I didn't mean to hijack this thread.

Rick

That photo isn't of my ornament, it's the photo from the designer of the ornament, I purchased the plans from Etsy. I have not painted my ornament yet as I'm waiting on the paint markers to be shipped. 

As far as the size.. I made the size around 3 1/2 inch diameter.. but I can resize and make it up to around 8" diameter. My laser is limited to a 8 x 11 working area so probably just shy of 8" is what I'm capable of making it.. that is until I get a new laser. While this is a laser design.. when purchasing the plans they also send a PDF file too.. and one could make it with the scroll saw as well.. you'd not get the engraved text around the outer circle though.. The original design before i resized it was around 4" diamerter but they wouldn't fit into the small gift boxes I use for my ornaments so i resized it smaller.. Can be made as small or large as needed on the laser up to my 8" workable area. 

[Hudson River Rick]

Kevin, thank you for the response.  

I may look at purchasing the pattern and doing the the recipient specific text using vinyl that can be cut on the CIRCUT.

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, Hudson River Rick said:

Kevin, thank you for the response.  

I may look at purchasing the pattern and doing the the recipient specific text using vinyl that can be cut on the CIRCUT.

Here is the link to the seller of the set, If you don't want to whole set they have them individual as well.. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1248731346/double-layer-cancer-bundle-svg-wall?click_key=e70f3038ce65e9f7f47bea129b45ffb8b615b296%3A1248731346&click_sum=c00217c6&ref=shop_home_recs_4&pro=1

[Hudson River Rick]

Thanks again Kevin.  

I'm going to play around on the CRICUT cutter and then order the pattern set, I probably won't be able to get all the words to fit around the circle, but that gives us the chance to choose the wording for the patient.  I wish you PEACE & GOOD HEALTH !