About varnishes,decoration and colours...
I would like to know how to prepare properly varnishes and colours with natural materials in the traditional way.I tried shellac ,sandarac and dammar but I'm not very satisfied.Linseed oil alone takes too long to dry.Any advice?
Thank you.
Bye
Thank you.
Bye
Francesco:
You can get the 2004 issue of the Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries. There is an article I wrote about Islamic varnishes and paints.
Adam
You can get the 2004 issue of the Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries. There is an article I wrote about Islamic varnishes and paints.
Adam
hello Francesco,
I really know much on this subject,I even have painted the walls of my appartement and my store with earth pigments and my wife makes clothes and hand-woven blankets,all dyed with plants.
I?ve ever wondered why many of the greatest bow-reconstructions are finished and painted with modern synthetic resin paints.
I use earth-pigments dissolved in hot water,for to fix the colour I add a bit of hideglue.This makes an absolute scratch-restitant colour.You have to
prepare your pigment solution in a little container within hot water.If you are finished with your painting,put the colour in the refrigerator,for keeping it fresh and to prevent the colour to rot(hideglue!).If you want to use it again,heat the little container within hot water and add some hot water.
For to finish you can grind the paintings.
This colour is not water-resistant,you have to protect it.I prefer for my bows fat from animals.The best seems to be fat from bears,but today there is almost no chance to get it.In Germany you can get badger?s fat in every pharmacy.It is expensive but for one bow you need only a little bit,I warm it up till it is like water and then I bring it on the bow,10 minutes later I polish the whole bow.I repeat this every month.
I don?t use linseed oil,cause it fixes the membrans of the cells of wood,this makes sense for furnitures but not at all for a bow.
I really know much on this subject,I even have painted the walls of my appartement and my store with earth pigments and my wife makes clothes and hand-woven blankets,all dyed with plants.
I?ve ever wondered why many of the greatest bow-reconstructions are finished and painted with modern synthetic resin paints.
I use earth-pigments dissolved in hot water,for to fix the colour I add a bit of hideglue.This makes an absolute scratch-restitant colour.You have to
prepare your pigment solution in a little container within hot water.If you are finished with your painting,put the colour in the refrigerator,for keeping it fresh and to prevent the colour to rot(hideglue!).If you want to use it again,heat the little container within hot water and add some hot water.
For to finish you can grind the paintings.
This colour is not water-resistant,you have to protect it.I prefer for my bows fat from animals.The best seems to be fat from bears,but today there is almost no chance to get it.In Germany you can get badger?s fat in every pharmacy.It is expensive but for one bow you need only a little bit,I warm it up till it is like water and then I bring it on the bow,10 minutes later I polish the whole bow.I repeat this every month.
I don?t use linseed oil,cause it fixes the membrans of the cells of wood,this makes sense for furnitures but not at all for a bow.
Alessi, What period are you talking about. Is this decoration for your turkish bows? -j-
Hello Adam,where can I get that issue of the JSAA?
Hello Redhawk,I already tried to dissolve pigments with hide-glue,but I'm aiming to obtain waterproof colours;thank you anyway.
Hello Jack,I'm not trying to make exact replicas,but yes I do prefer middle-eastern bows.I'm looking for a reliable and waterproof varnish(and medium for the pigments)made with natural materials.
Another question:the horn once polished doesn't seem to need anything upon it,but I think it will absorb moisture anyway.Can I leave it "naked"?
Bye
Hello Redhawk,I already tried to dissolve pigments with hide-glue,but I'm aiming to obtain waterproof colours;thank you anyway.
Hello Jack,I'm not trying to make exact replicas,but yes I do prefer middle-eastern bows.I'm looking for a reliable and waterproof varnish(and medium for the pigments)made with natural materials.
Another question:the horn once polished doesn't seem to need anything upon it,but I think it will absorb moisture anyway.Can I leave it "naked"?
Bye
Hello Francesco,
for to waterproof the pigments dissolved in hideglue you can take the natural resin lacquer from Kremer(Zecci).It is made with sandarac and dammar and other natural resins.It is expensive,but really good and you don?t need much for one bow.
for to waterproof the pigments dissolved in hideglue you can take the natural resin lacquer from Kremer(Zecci).It is made with sandarac and dammar and other natural resins.It is expensive,but really good and you don?t need much for one bow.
Francesco:
Look up the web page for the Society. They will send you a past isue, or you can subscribe (#20/year). There is an Italian representative, I can look it up if you want.
If you are not aiming for authenticity, you can mix oil paints with spar varnish (the type used for boats) and use that as paint. Varnish with spar plus boiled linseed or tung oil (2 to 1). This will be close to the real thing.
Adam
Look up the web page for the Society. They will send you a past isue, or you can subscribe (#20/year). There is an Italian representative, I can look it up if you want.
If you are not aiming for authenticity, you can mix oil paints with spar varnish (the type used for boats) and use that as paint. Varnish with spar plus boiled linseed or tung oil (2 to 1). This will be close to the real thing.
Adam