Lesson 1: Media for Walls and Hard Surfaces - Beyond the Usual
Wood Stains
You can create the look of inlaid wood or fancy parquet by stenciling with wood stains. Stain is preferable to paint in many projects because it allows the natural grain of the wood to show through, and because it sinks in and looks "real" as if it were the natural color of the wood.
With the right stencil you can create the look of an inlaid chessboard, or other game board, beautify a simple picture frame, or simply create elegant and simple decorative boxes. And think of the possibilities of creating floors and moldings that look like expensive inlaid jobs.
Often stencils intended for quilts work beautifully to simulate inlaid wood. But of course the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
Beware, though - these are extremely thin and so must be applied with extreme care. For large surfaces use an almost dry roller; otherwise make sure that you have offloaded your brush so that is nearly dry - or you run the risk of a very smeared final product. Remember, too, that wood stains tend to be oil-based and so will not wipe up with soap and water, and have a very long dry time. Still - there are times when there is no really good substitute for the real thing - a transparent mahogany stain that lets the wood grain show through is far more effective than a diluted brown acrylic stain. Practice on a board until you have your brush technique down.
