You Gotta Do The Work – How I Prepare The Wood Base For My Art

You Gotta Do The Work – Today I am sharing my simple and basic routine for preparing the wooden base for each of my artworks. There are three basic but very important steps that I follow for creating my Upcycled Functional Art.

Step 1 – As all my wooden pieces are collected from junk yards, they come loaded with tons of dirt & grime on them. These are mostly defective, cracked pieces, so I always find them in the back of junk piles. The first and most important thing is to disinfect these. I wash them with a soft cloth and mild soap. Later, I keep them in the sun for drying up completely.

Step 2 – Sanding is very rarely required for my art process. But if a piece has pointy edges poking out or sharp cracks, I need to sand them slightly. Only the soft 120 grit sandpaper to smoothen off the top surface and remove any polish from it. I don’t use fillers in the cracks or faults, as they are the real beauty for me! I leave them as they are.

Step 3 – I draw a rough draft or sketch for my idea with either chalk or a pencil. I do this step only when I want to create a pattern or a intricate design. There is some guidelines for the pattern, just to keep it streamlined. I do not draw my floral designs. And just go with the flow and let the image appear on its own. I just dip my paint brush in my hues and let the magic happen. Its never planned. And thats how I love it! 

Just remember, you gotta do the work. Each time. Would you like to know more? Send in your queries in the comments below. I would love to help.