"How to" Faux Oak - fast way

[matsdekor]

Hi
it seems you all like some different tutorials for inspiration - so here I give you a fast way for oak graining ( well, fast - anyway faster then normally.) I start with beige basecolour ( I'm used to NCS colour system and you probably not - so I just name it beige- actually the base coat are different all the time depending on what end colour you want so any beige will work fine).
OK - you need 2 spalter, a piece of burlap( not to tight) one eraser or a colourshaper, a badger and a small pointed brush

[i]I did a class at NASODA Chicago some years ago talking about what tools we were going to use and I told them that we would use a rubber - and everyone looked at me a bit confused - so after that I say eraser [/i]

pigment or colour: raw sienna and green umber
I'm used to work in dry pigment and glaze but you can make this in golden proceed or FE - you just need some media/paint which stays open for a while. - Hmmm - this seems to be long - but why not

With this technique we don't start with flogging - skip the flogging
you will achieve that effect anyway in the first layer.

Do a mix with sienna and green umber ( appr. 70 - 30)

Step 1 put the glaze on the whole panel- a bit darker where you will do the heart grain

Step2 with the eraser or colourshaper you draw the heart figure

Step 3 with the badger( or a dry spalter - depending on how fluid/wet your glaze is) you soften the heart. Soften towards the center very gentle.

OK as I understand I can just post 3 pics in the row - so as on TV
- To be continued...... ( Tomorrow, cause now it's getting late in Sweden)

[Pat]

Awesome! Can't wait till tomorrow now....

[Jodi]

OOOooOOOO!! This is like a mini series. To be continued...
So it looks like the heart grain is done with tic marks, or slash marks, not continuous motion. Is this right?
I took several classes at NASODA, but unfortunately none were with you!!

Thanks for the tutorial! Looking forward to the rest of it!!!

[Surfempress]

Yay Mats!!!

[sabralynne]

Yay! Where were you three months ago? Just kidding... Can't wait to see the rest!

[PetiteMarie]

Thanks !! Wa ALL LOVE tutorials indeed - esp. when they are great as this one (very good pics, congrats!!)

Next step, next step, plz !!

[sonol'artista]

Fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to show this

[matsdekor]

Hi
OK let's continue this mini serie.
In last episode we started the first layer
in this episode the bad gay shows up in the first pic " El Matso"
(by adding a lot of irrelevant pics I can make this as long as Dallas


- but I'm not)


Well back to reality - still first layer

Jodi - yes - a good way is to have a really hard hangover so your hands are really shaky. As you see this shaky movement also creates nice fibers.
It works without hangover as well

Step 4
Take the burlap - 15 by 25cm ( I guess 6" by 10")
fold it so it get thick and to the size you want
just drag it beside the heart - follow the form of the heart

Step5
take the badger and flogg the side grain carefully, a little bit off the grain direction - by this you cut the grain ( typical for Oak) and at the same time you get a feeling of fibers. - First layer done - let dry.
To be continued............

OK this s the 3 pics
This week I work with Oak with my students at my school making a big Oak door with a lot of moldings and ornament - try to post a pic of it

[Surfempress]

El Matso Fantastico!!!

[Linda Topel]

OK ....talented.....cute .....AND funny

You are to much Mats........

[southpawsue]

Mats, Nice work!! this is the coolest thread your cracking me up!! Thanks so much for the how tos and the comedy show!!! MORE, MORE, MORE

[T.A.L.ENT.]

awesome work on your website...welcome...

[bkc]

Hi Mats,
Looking forward to the end of the story and all the characters involved in making this wood grain ('el matso', 'the matterator', 'mats on a hot tin roof', and of course 'mattavar' where you turn into a 3 meter tall blue decorative painter)
For those of you who do not know Mats, he is one fine decorative painter. I have always likened him to the motto of the french socialist party in 1982 who ran on the slogan of "la force tranquille"' (calm strength). Never seen someone work so fast breaking such a small amount of sweat. First time I saw him at salon, he and his partner Lotte were doing a beer glaze marble on a surface that was probably a meter and a half wide, and two meters tall. Of course the drying time for a beer glaze is about four minutes. Most people I know would be rushing around like chickens with their heads cut off to finish this before it dried. Matts and Lotte looked like they were calmly playing a game of twister with hands, arms, and feet crossing over each others. I am pretty sure matts was also using his nose. Never broke a sweat.
Anyways, looking forward to seeing you at Salon.
And awaiting the end of this oak story with bated breath....

[kawear]

Great thread. Very informative and entertaining! Thanks.

[matsdekor]

OK - time again
I just saw from my last post that I really need a spelling tutorial.
This thing have a spell check but I for sure need a eye check.
The bad guy "el Matso" who suddenly showed up in the middle of the tutorial is supposed to be a guy not a gay ( I'm sure this gaved you a good laugh)
But OK - I asked students to do marbling with a rubber - so I guess this is normal for my writing standard, anyway I hope you enjoy my fantastic English.
By the way, we have more snow here than in 25 years, and melting degree today, so when I arrived to my house a couple of hour ago I had water damage. Water dripping down from my ceiling - and if it continues to long it might change the colour of the Oak to this 1:st pic - But that's another recipe.

Anyway time for 2:nd layer
here I use raw sienna and burnt umber
Step6) apply the whole panel with a mix of 70 - 30 ( depending of what colour you want in the finish, of course) - here I just started on the left part.


Step 7) Now it's time for knots, flames and other effects( what I call flames is as I understand from some comments mottles?)
Use a dry spalter to " scrape" the glaze to a place in the side grain where you have some movement ( or already has planned for a knot)
take the badger and soften the flame so you have a good fading.


OK this is as far as we come for know - But tomorrow is another day
Back to my dripping ceiling

Benjamin -it will be nice seeing you again in Versailles - Love your work

Ohh - I close to forgotten
To be continued.........

[Surfempress]

Matsamillian Von Paintermiester...you are amazing.

[Pat]

Very cool tutorial and great to watch! It makes me just wanting more.....

[matsdekor]

Epilogue

OK just some things left to do

Take a small brush and make some small dots - as knots.
With the back of your brush make a small opening in the knot so you have a small light inside. Use a rag and take a little bit of the glaze away beside the knot - it's close to always both darker and lighter areas beside a knot. As a decorative effect you can do some mottles in the side grain ( it's not typical for oak but can sometimes be useful as a balance for the composition). Then you have a piece like this - here you can see the both layers.

I do a ornamented Oak door with my students right now and they have come this far, In the middle mirror its going to be a big ornament as well - there is a lot of shading and light still to be done but this is how it looks right now

Well -this is it - adios from "El Matso"

THE END

[Jersey Girl]

Tack sa mycket!!!! You are wonderful to share such talents!

Your english btw (by the way) is fabulous! Sure wish I knew fluent Swedish, it was only spoken part-time growing up and so I only know a small amount.

Need to try this technique next week, can't wait!

Also, very clever profile pic ... did you tape a picture to the magnifying glass?

[matsdekor]

WOW - some Swedish - Bra

My profile picture is actually the opposite to a magnifying glass -

a wonderful tool - so you don't have to step back and forward all the time when painting - I don't know what it's called in English. (reducing glass???)

[Surfempress]

Beautiful work. I am so inspired!!!!
I have to go buy a magnifying/reducing glass. That's a cool tip.

[Jersey Girl]

You've given me a new reason to have a magnifying glass ... I usually use one to read the small print in magazines, haaa!!! I'm showing my age unfortunately . Your image in your magnifying glass actually reminds me of a paperweight that was very popular whey back when ... my Mormor Eva had one with a young picture of her Far Manne (my Gamla Morfar ?). Pretty cOoL!

[Fauxho]

Thats very nice...I miss the old NASODA school. It was the only place to get an education from the best in the world in the true mediums that they use. I wish it was still around....Great work

[marsha]

speechless! Welcome and beautiful work!

[sonol'artista]

Amazing! I want to play with this!


Theresa