Article on using Gesso to enhance carved (Engraved?) surfaces

[shogun]

Gesso Highlights Carvings - FineWoodworking

Could be interesting

[JimmyWayneWestie]

Thank you for posting this article. I have a huge bottle of Gesso that has yet to be used.

[kittski]

Oh man, that’s a nice technique! Thanks for sharing.

[mark14]

Nice. I am lacking in finishing skills so this is greatly appreciated.

[shop]

wish i’d read this before we did the paisley guitar, but next time…

[beerfaced]

Excellent article. Thanks for the link.

[celesteprobichaux]

Interesting. I just cut a box out of acrylic and scored a design on the lid. I was thinking about what I could rub into it to make the score visible.

[kelley1]

I wonder if it “has” to be used with an oil finish? I think it does; this is my guess–it works so well because the oil/varnish finish is hydrophobic and slick enough to prevent bonding of the water-borne components in the gesso. But the raw wood or paint that’s been exposed by carving just sucks it up…so you need tinted gesso, not full-on acrylic paint. (The wood grain would get clogged by so much “stuff”.)

Thanks for the link! I think I need to try this.

[ChristyM]

Oooh…

[sqw]

Yep, the thing about her carving through the already varnished material I think is so the varnish effectively acts like a mask.

However, model soldier and railway people often uses wet washes to get into all the score lines, so there is more than one way to handle this depending on where you want to get to.