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I have been commissioned to do a pair of praying hands and they will be sitting on a book (I made it a Bible as it is commissioned by my church). It is going to sit on a table in a building dedicated to this couple. I thought that I would put their names on the Bible (as many people do). The Bible measures 11" x 8 3/4" x 1 3/4". The hands are natural sized and are patterned after her hands directly (~7 1/2" tall at the middle fingers).
I used a Lenk Transfer Tool (like a woodburner) to transfer the words to the carving of the book, then I was going to paint over the lettering in gold; however, when I went to start painting it, I realized that there is not enough contrast between the raw mahogany of the book and the gold. It will just get lost. So, my first query is: How would you increase the contrast so that the gold will show? The gold is important since this is what people usually have on their Bibles (I have both Testors gold enamel and Brush 'n Leaf gold leaf - any preference?) . I had thought that I was just going to seal the whole thing with polyurethane or BLO. I am wondering if I should just seal it now, and if that would darken the wood enough to create the contrast. I love wood, and I will not paint the whole piece. I would consider a wash like I put on caricatures and ornaments, but I like for the grain to show through.
Next challenge. The hands (unfinished at this point since I decided to open the inside of the hands to free the palms) are of basswood and this older lady doesn't have a manicure or anything, but I was considering doing a fleshy toned wash with perhaps a french manicure appearance to her nails. Query number two: would you do the wash/manicure appearance or leave them natural and seal with BLO or Polyurethane? or would you do something else? I have also considered just doing the fleshy toned wash over just the nails and putting the white like a pale white line LIKE a french manicure but with a wash of like an antique white to just indicate the natural whiteness at the end of everyone's nails.
Final query: How would you attach the hands to the Bible? I have considered epoxy or just Titebond II and a band clamp, or I have considered routing out a shallow area for them, but I don't know how that would really be beneficial - it may just add another step where I could mess something up. In addition to the attachment, the way you see them in the pictures is how they will be. Any comments on positioning welcome too.
I used a Lenk Transfer Tool (like a woodburner) to transfer the words to the carving of the book, then I was going to paint over the lettering in gold; however, when I went to start painting it, I realized that there is not enough contrast between the raw mahogany of the book and the gold. It will just get lost. So, my first query is: How would you increase the contrast so that the gold will show? The gold is important since this is what people usually have on their Bibles (I have both Testors gold enamel and Brush 'n Leaf gold leaf - any preference?) . I had thought that I was just going to seal the whole thing with polyurethane or BLO. I am wondering if I should just seal it now, and if that would darken the wood enough to create the contrast. I love wood, and I will not paint the whole piece. I would consider a wash like I put on caricatures and ornaments, but I like for the grain to show through.
Next challenge. The hands (unfinished at this point since I decided to open the inside of the hands to free the palms) are of basswood and this older lady doesn't have a manicure or anything, but I was considering doing a fleshy toned wash with perhaps a french manicure appearance to her nails. Query number two: would you do the wash/manicure appearance or leave them natural and seal with BLO or Polyurethane? or would you do something else? I have also considered just doing the fleshy toned wash over just the nails and putting the white like a pale white line LIKE a french manicure but with a wash of like an antique white to just indicate the natural whiteness at the end of everyone's nails.
Final query: How would you attach the hands to the Bible? I have considered epoxy or just Titebond II and a band clamp, or I have considered routing out a shallow area for them, but I don't know how that would really be beneficial - it may just add another step where I could mess something up. In addition to the attachment, the way you see them in the pictures is how they will be. Any comments on positioning welcome too.
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