Drawings on turned bowl.

[Jerry Bridges]

I would like to add drawings, flowers, animals, etc. to a turned bowl. My question is, what medium and what finish.

 

[hockenbery]

What look are you trying to achieve?

There are dozens maybe hundreds of ways
Archival inks, airbrush, pyrography, relief carving…….

I use Sand-carving and airbrush.
Finish on these is Waterlox.

Archival ink by Sherry with spray lacquer

 

[Brian Horais]

Jerry, I start off sketching the drawings and contours with a soft pencil and then use a variety of pens to color them in. I use fine and extra fine tip permanent ink pens in black for contours and then use various colored pens (water based or alcohol based) to color in surfaces. I also use some metallic paints at times to add a different texture. Try out your ideas on a scrap blank of similar wood to get the desired look. You may also want to explore pyrography to burn in designs and to burn in rings using wire burners (wire with wooden ends to hold it while the item is turning). There is a whole world of textures, colors and techniques to explore. Enjoy!

Here are a few examples:

 

[Jerry Bridges]

Initially, I want to add just some colored drawings as I learn. I have some TomBow water based pens that I used to decorate some spinning tops for a church event. Is Waterlox a good finish for these colors?

 

[john lucas]

A good method for me is to use a pyrography pen to outline the area and then use the tombow markers. The burned lines stops it from bleeding past the line. Does take some practice to get the pyrography clean but well worth it.

 

[hockenbery]

Initially, I want to add just some colored drawings as I learn. I have some TomBow water based pens that I used to decorate some spinning tops for a church event. Is Waterlox a good finish for these colors?

Suggest a test.
I use Waterlox over water based airbrush paints.
First coat is light pigments can float up into the Waterlox. Thin coat not a problem.

Often the first 1 of 2 coats of Waterlox the colors are disappointing then with the 3rd coat they pop.
4 coats usually enough. I let dry a day between coats and use the grey scotchbrite in between coats.
Last coat no scotchbrite. I may use the Beal buff ending with carnuba if I want a glossier surface.

 

[Jerry Bridges]

I will try that on some scrap. I have a Razertip system with a small tip.

 

[Richard Coers]

Personally, if I was to try it freehand, the work ends up looking like a summer camp project. I like to "draw" more with a laser engraver.

 

[Curt Fuller]

I can't say anything about the Tombow markers, I've never used them. But I've gone through dozens of FaberCastelle pitt markers. They're india ink pens that come in a few sizes of hard tips and also a few brush tips. I do basket illusion work with them and a little bit of other coloring on wood. I like them because they dry almost instantly on the wood but not in the pen as long as you keep the lid on. And they don't bleed or raise the grain at all. I use a homemade version of danish oil with basically the same ingredients of Waterlox with no problems at all. I've also used rattle can deft lacquer and Krylon matte finish with no problems. I'd suggest you avoid the alcohol based pens (sharpie, prismacolor, etc) on wood because of the bleeding. And if you do use them, don't spray them with laquer. The solvents in lacquer will cause the colors to run.

 

[Jerry Bridges]

The TomBow pens are water based. And, I have used them on turned tops with no problem. They don't bleed into each other because they dry fast. The tops were for children at a church event so I used no finish. I will give them a try on a piece of practice wood and see how they take finish.
Thank all of your for your comments and suggestions.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I tried lacquer over Tombow and yes it worked but the tops were no longer vibrant. You might try acrylic fixative (like is used on water based paintings) and then any topcoat. This works for art pencil also