Club Night Report
Wednesday 12th December 2012An evening with Frans Brown - observations by club member Dave Branscombe
December's Club Meeting saw the welcome return of Frans Brown with the subject matter of "Colouring Wood". Whilst this is not every turner's preferred way of finishing a piece it was an interesting demonstration and a variety of techniques were shown.
Frans brought with him a selection of well- turned vases, bowls and platters and showed us how to apply various techniques covering:
Ebonising an open-grained timber (e.g. Ash) before accentuating the grain with a coloured liming wax.
Spray painting a bowl/platter with a coat of bold red gloss paint before applying a range of finishes:
- Using a mouth aspirator to puff acrylic ink onto the surface whilst rotating the piece to give a spreading effect
- Applying an even coat of acrylic ink in a contrasting colour (blue) before lightly spraying with surgical spirit. This leaves an interesting 'mock burr' effect
- Applying a finish of contrasting iridescent acrylic (gold) and, before it dries, imprinting with a sheet of bubble wrap
- Applying the Plastikote - a 2-part crackle paint finish to a bowl
- Using iridescent paints applied with a firm bristled brush to enhance ebonised vases
- Using an artist's colour wheel to select different colours that work well together
To finish off the evening Frans demonstrated turning a pendant using an inexpensive jig for off-centre turning.
Throughout the evening Frans delivered a good balance of anecdote, demonstration and supporting information and, as a novice turner, I look forward to trying out some of the techniques for myself. We have many excellent demonstrators at our club and I hope that Frans will be welcomed back in the future.
Following the demonstration, Frans also supplied a list of resources that readers might find useful:
| Product | Supplier |
| Jo Sonjas paints & mouth sprayer | Pegasus Art Griffin Mill Trading Estate, London Road, Thrupp, Stroud, Glos. GL5 2AZ www.pegasusart.co.uk |
| Stains/ Waxes, finishes, Lacquer etc. | Chestnut Products www.chestnutproducts.co.uk |
| Colouring Pigments | EarthBorn Pigments from The Green Shop, Bisley, nr Stroud www.greenshop.co.uk |
| Crackle paint |
Plastikote www.plasti-kote.co.uk |
| Artists acrylic inks | Hobbycraft, Stratton, Swindon |
| Spray enamel, coloured hobby paint |
Halfords or other car accessory shop. |
| Colour wheel | Internet download or Art shop |
| Surgical spirit | Chemists e.g. Boots |
| Dave Branscombe 27th December 2012 |
|
| <Top of Page> |
|