Post #238302 by little lost tiki on Sat, Jun 17, 2006 9:28 AM

Thanks for all your comments everyone! I'll definetely post more pieces in the futere so check back every once in a while!
Hey Hewey!
Here's how i got the board all prepped and purty.This info is also directed towards tikiwahine when she tackles her board...Best place to get the boards if you're low-budge is from friends with old ones or check Craigslist and stuff.The only drawback is it might be cracked/missing fins-which isn't too bad to fix/and they're usually covered in wax! They have special glues and resin kits that are little for those kind of repairs.Getting the wax off sucks! All you surfers know that! Scrape off as much as you can-then I used Bestine and a razor blade and paper towels =pour Bestine scrape with razor Wipe onto paper towel.Repeat about a hundred times-(I've only painted 3 boards so if anyone knows a better way to remove wax...)When you finally get it done you'll know.Hold it up and look with your eyes right next to the board and you'll see anymore bumps. I suppose you could gesso it first-but I don't know if it's stretchy enough so I never use it.What I do is use water soluble crayons to sketch out the board(based on your sketchbook study of course-planning is key! but you would know that) Then I use acrylic and get all the colors-shading-lighting-texture down on it-repeat for other side-fins too if you got'em!
After that's dry I cover it with a few coats of matte or satin brush-on varnish-sealer(UV
friendly would help) After that is dry I go and add a bit more detail lighting and shading to give it some umph! Then I seal it again-and back up on it and add even more little details in spots.(I use the "squint test" to check for errors... You back up on a piece squint yer eyes and look at the piece-glaring errors in color and composition will be easier to spot! Dali used to have his wife take his paintings half-done and she would hide them in places so when he would turn a corner or go into the garden ...there would be his piece New to his eyes and he could examine it with an unbiased filter) After those 3 acrylic and seals it's time for the paintpens which I will do 1-color first-seal-next color-seal etc. After all your paintpens are sealed Do 1-more seal then spray over that with a couple coats of UV spray (if your varnish doesn't have that protection) then seal over that with the matte varnishand you got it!Doing all those coats of sealent raises each layer of paint above the other for a nice subtle below the surface interest! Here's a detail!