This is my first official tutorial, yay me!
I have wanted to post about how exactly I do my wood instruments for so long but never really knew how. Youtube is something I'm not comfortable with and no one really wants to read about it on Instagram or Facebook. Before I started painting instruments, I probably watched/read a solid 8 hours of tutorials. I wanted to make sure I created something that would last for a long time and be beautiful! Now, my method isn't perfect. I'm still learning and growing but I will update anytime I discover something new!
So here we go!
Step 1: Check to see if your instrument has a gloss layer or not, this is extremely simple! All you have to do is look at it in the light, if it has gloss on it there will be a bright sheen.
Step 2: If your instrument does have gloss you're going to want to lightly sand wherever you want to paint! I personally sand my instrument no matter what, just to guarantee that the paint has a smooth surface to bind to. High gloss will need more sanding while an instrument without gloss is all about making the surface a tiny smoother.
Before I sand my instrument I typically draw out my design in chalk so I can see what needs to be sanded. Remember, this will come off after sanding so don't worry too much about accuracy. There isn't a specific kind of sand paper to use, I typically steal some from my Dad but anything that's a bit finer should work!
!!! VERY IMPORTANT !!! Over sanding CAN ruin your instrument and how it sounds. You need to be EXTREMELY careful when you're sanding. Think: it's better to not have sanded enough than too much
Step 3: Now that your instrument is sanded, give it a quick wipe down before painting begins! This is typically when I tape down the instrument as well, anywhere not being painted gets taped off. I do leave the front and back untaped (where designs are going) so the finishing spray goes on even but everything else needs to be covered.
Step 4: Accurate Outline. I typically don't outline my paintings but to each his own! If you're more comfortable working with an outline, I'd recommend using a white marker to put your design on.
Step 5: SO MUCH GESSO. I'm serious. A lot. This step is tricky because you don't want to over paint your instrument and alter the sound but also need as even of a surface as possible. I typically put on 2-3 THIN coats on before painting begins. It's tempting to pile on the paint but please please please for the love of your instrument, don't do any thick coats!
Step 6: PAINT AWAY!!! Again, thin coats are key. Thick paint can easily affect the quality and sound of your instrument so you want to work in thin layers.
Step 7: Spray it SO MUCH! I use 3 different types of varnish. A Krylon Varnish, A Krylon varnish meant for wood surfaces, and a Krylon Gloss Varnish. All of these can be found at Joann's! I have noticed they are getting rid of some varnishes so this may not still be true but you can find them online, at lowes, or even at Fredmeyer as well. I do 3 coats of each, alternating between each one. I usually do the gloss very lost and sometimes only do 1 coat depending on how well I feel like the other two have done!
Step 8: Let dry for a few days. I typically leave it to cure somewhere in a low traffic area for at least 3 days. The cans don't say it needs this much time but it makes me feel a bit better.
Now you have your own custom instrument! Some important things to remember when handling are: All instruments should have humidifiers to prevent cracking, a soft or padded case will work best for protection (I personally prefer hard padded cases), and you have to be gentle with handling it. You don't want any of the paint to chip off and also want to keep the instrument itself safe! If you're planning to sell them, I typically include a warranty that I'll attempt to fix any chipped off paint if it does occur.
Thank you so much for checking out my tutorial and head over to my instagram to see more @hannahjay.art
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