When Woodburning Just Isn't Enough...

Great Ape

Great Ape

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Lord help me, I've found a new element to add to the woodburning-on-guitars thing I've been doing; Hand Painting...First comes the design concept...
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Then I spent days trying to figure out how best to incorporate dyed areas with painted areas without the two different mediums interacting--and bleeding all over each other...what I came up with, not knowing if it would actually work, is to apply sanding sealer to the areas to be painted, as a way to "mask" them. Used small paint brushes. I figured (as in HOPED) that would prevent the dye from running into the areas I intended to paint.
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And it worked! I also used brushes to apply the dye (a blend of blue & green Trans-Tint). Bye the way, I can't begin to verbally express the tedium of burning those beads- the burning 'pen' is like a small X-acto knife, and you can't just do circles with it-y'have to burn tiny lines while turning the wood. Each bead is the result of 6-10 turns :sad:.
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So it's time to paint. I used various thicknesses of opaque paint-markers--they're very cool! I won't bore you by taking you through every step of the painting-just a few along the way... 
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And...
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Now I must admit that I sorta chickened out on the finish coats--I know lacquer would have been a great way to do it, but I've never tried it, the weather's been a roller coaster of snow, rain, and temperature fluctuations from 20-55 from day to day, and a spray booth is just not possible...so, I'm doing what I've done on other finishes--sealed, oiled, & auto waxed. Oil coats are underway...
 
That's like, insanely gorgeous. :headbang: So, ummm... if the Fender Custom shop starts sniffin' around, offering you like $2,000 to doll up a Strat, you are going to put your snoot in the air and say "Fender?!? Ha! I don't work on trash..."

Right? right... :guitaristgif:
 
I can say that WIDDOUT raisin' no snout.....and thanks, in all seriousness. Nothin' wrong with the Fender Custom Shop that lowering their prices by 75% wouldn't help. To each his own.
 
I'm not into Native American themed art, but that is gorgeous.
 
All the good adjectives have been used. I don't know what to say now, other than to repeat them... stunning, spectacular, amazing... although what hasn't been said yet is that it's without peer. I've never seen anything like it on a guitar. Hell, I've rarely seen anything that good on paper. 'Tis a very special talent you have there, Mr. Ape. I suspect you'll never go without food or shelter, although you'll deserve much more.
 
Needs a Floyd.


But seriously -


I agree with my learned colleagues that you have some serious mastery of the form, Great Ape.  Wonderfully original approach to guitar decoration, and meticulously executed.  Bravo.
 
Man, if you don't know how to play kindly, don't get down to the playground  :toothy12:

I'll say that I preffered it when was wood and black drawns only, but it's terrific job!!  :eek:ccasion14:
 
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