How do I paint wood grain texture with acrylics?

Question

I'm painting a border of my canvas with acrylics. I decided to use a wood grain texture, but I'm not sure how to do that. Can someone please help me? I'm new to acrylics and I really do not want to mess this up.

Answer 1

Use a tick comb and run it down the wet paint letting the teeth of the comb scrape the canvas. Twist and turn slightly as you drag the comb across the canvas and this will give the impression of the wood grain.
Get a scrap of canvas and practice on that before you go to the painting. Mask off the rest of the painting so that you don't overlap the rest of the picture as you drag the comb through the wet pigments on your border.
You can try a regular hair comb as well because they can give a wider grain. Some hair combs have two sides to them,one with a wide set of teeth and the other half with a more compact set of teeth. Break the comb in two and use separately.

Answer 2

First of all, I would make certain that the paint is the right consistency in order to complete the task. I always like to thin acrylics a little bit before trying a task such as this. Next, I would experiment on an old canvas or other suitable surface before starting. Experience is the best teacher in this case. Of course, you would need to start with a base color of the wood and then either lighten or darken for the wood grain. Good Luck

Answer 3

Practice practice. You probably never thought to try it on some other object first?

Start with a darker wood color as a base and work the grain on to of that by covering it with a lighter color. (Though different types of wood need different approaches) You can get special tools for that but with a normal comb you can get very natural looking results. Try removing every other tooth for a wider split and angle the comb. Just drag it through the wet paint while changing the angle of the comb slightly in any direction, even almost flat on the canvas. You'll be amazed I promise you.

Here you can see the 'official' tools.
http://paintinthetown.bizland.com/store/Wood_Graining.html
If you are planing on doing it more often I would suggest you get a Wood Graining Rocker. It is great fun.

Answer 4

Over time, the wood may cup (become warped or bowed), the oils in the wood can bleed through and discolor the painted surface, the painting will fade irregularly as the paint is absorbed by the porous wood surface etc. It also takes more paint to end up with the exact color you want on a surface that already has it's own color. Those are just some of the reasons to prepare your surface with gesso first. Since you haven't done that, the best you can do is to seal it with varnish when you're through and hope for the best. Next time, realize that if you don't value your art by taking the time to create it correctly, then no one else will value it either.

Answer 5

I'd be doing it the other way around, paint on a lighter basecoat, let it dry, then quickly (use a large brush) paint on a water thinned darker colour, wiping it off immediately with a rag using one long stroke.

Once you get a woodgraining rocker etc, and learn about glazing techiques you can get a better result and put in a lot more detail, but this is a good starting place for a beginner with nothing but paints, water and a rag.

Answer 6

Faux wood grain has become a pretty established commercial technique.

If you Google: faux wood grain techniques

You will find many links that will tell you how to do it.

At it's simplest you underpaint with a light color; yellow for example. then you apply the finish color... for example a reddish-brown that is slightly transparent... they make "combs" that you drag through the top coat while it is wet giving you the wood grain you are looking for.

it takes a little practice but it is not too difficult.

good luck

Answer 7

Scrunched up rag pulled through wet paint should work. Experiment !