Painting pen blanks

[Jamie]

I just finished doing a drawing/painting on a pen blank. It was water color and Sharpie on raw wood. I finished it with CA. It seems like the Sharpie ran, staining the bare wood areas when I applied the CA, it looks like the water color held up OK.
What do any of you who paint blanks use for paint and how do you finish your pens? Maybe a water color marker would be better than a Sharpie? I really didn't want to use acrylic paints, I'm doing ink sketches with water color washes and want that translucent look to the color. Thanks for any help.

 

[DCBluesman]

I can't help you on this one, Jamie. I use acrylic on top of a lacquer finish.

 

[jssmith3]

James, try putting a finish like lacquer or CA, use your water colors and sharpie then maybe try a spray poly finish. I have done that with good success but i also went over that 1 layer of spray finish with my usual BLO/CA finish. If you don't pre-finish your blank prior to painting it will almost always run with whatever medium you use. Please let use know if this works for you & good luck.

Janet

 

[ctEaglesc]

When I color corn cobs with sharpies, I "Seal" the color with BLO.
It will alter the color but alcohol based ink doesn't run.
BT experiement with what you got.
CA has an intresting effect on the inks of sharpies.
I made the neatest colored corn cobs that way.