How to Pick a Wood Art Subject

Wood is an especially dramatic background on which to paint because it offers various shapes, shades and grains to enhance your work. You don’t even have to fret about finding a wood art subject. With enough patience and a few simple steps, the subject is going to come to you.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Get a piece of wood that is attractive to you and you’d like to paint on.

2. Analyze the woodgrain and see what speaks to you If you stare at the wood long enough, something will come. It may not be an entire picture, but you will see what grain pattern resembles an eye, a head, a flower, a tree or a face waiting to be born.

3. Assess the overall size of the wood to determine if you will have a single subject or an entire scenario.

4. Note the shape of the wood to figure how the subject will fit keenly into the existing outline.

5. Work with the grain pattern to determine the layout. Also incorporate the pattern into your painting. You need not simply plop paint over the wood but let some of the grain show through or work around it for a delicious masterpiece.

Tips & Warnings

• Rustic subjects, like trees and grizzly bears, work well with wood as they match the background.
• Delicate subjects, like angels, fancy fish and soft flora, work well with wood as they contrast nicely with the heavy background.
• In other words, anything goes!
• Wood paintings can be very addictive.