Distressing!

[Jamesnkr]

Ben - Sotheby's, March 2014, picture painted 2001 - so very similar time to your bird.

One can't be certain, of course, that these are all his original frames, but if so he had a pretty good framer.

[GeoSpectrum]

Here's one of mine, no distressing, yet....this finish is dead easy and doesn't take long, a bit of bashing around on the gravel drive should do it.

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[Benhen]

Yup, soften it up a bit. Gotcha, thanks, James.

[prospero]

I have a strong urge to have a go at this if I can find a bit of moulding.

[prospero]

Another thing you can do with ripple paint. blast it with a hot air gun while it's drying. It will bubble up in places. When it's dry, pop all the bubbles and sand a bit. Repeat to build up layers or scabby paint. Then add a finish on top. Great fun.

[prospero]

Well I've had a nibble with a Dremel engraving tool. The finest one seems to work the best. The piece I tried it on had a black coating beneath the gold. It would look better if the moulding had trad white gesso so you get more of a layered effect. Unfortunately I can't lay my hands on a suitable bit. There is probably something in the shed but it's too cold to go raking about... The holes will look too fresh when done. The exposed white gesso needs to be stained with something. Dark wax diluted with white spirit good.

Anyway, the technique seems to be to jab at the moulding using random stabs until it looks right.

On the original pic I can't quite make out if the black spots are holes or not. I think maybe not. This 'fly speck' effect is easy enough to do with a stiff brush (old toothbrush?) by lightly loading it and running you finger over the bristles. The random scratches are even easier. Just get a knife and attack it.

[Benhen]

Dark wax diluted with white spirit sounds great.
There's a difference between white spirit and turpentine if I remember right. One dissolves synthetic varnish and the other doesn't -- tho might be writing nonsense.
I used some black liquid polish from Liberon the othe day --- way too shiny for me.

Talking of cold, there's a huge old rasp in the out-shed, it is staying put.

[Jamesnkr]

I used some black liquid polish from Liberon the othe day --- way too shiny for me.

Liberon black polish. It is French polish - shellac. Gives a fantastic almost lacquered finish. Here's a little thing I did the other week with it.

[Benhen]

Commendable, James. And perhaps for that piece the sharp reflections off the liquid polish work well. I found that by mixing a little Indian ink, and some dry black pigment into it it took a little of the glare off it, which was the look I was after. Think I may have even picked up the Indian ink tip off this forum.

[GeoSpectrum]

my first effort at wormholes.

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[Graysalchemy]

Something my dad who restores antique furniture always taught me was that wood worm don't usually go into the wood at 90 degrees they will go in at an angle.

[Roboframer]

It's the coming out that makes the holes!

[Jamesnkr]

It's not just the angle; they're also don't go straight into the wood, they wiggle as they drill. And they leave nice tracks on the surface too. Try waxing after drilling, and then the holes fill up with wax so you can't see the direction they're going in.

[prospero]

You only tend to see the tracks if it's wormy timber that has been sawn.

[Jamesnkr]

What's worse than finding a worm in your apple?






Finding half a worm...

[prospero]

What's worse than finding a worm in your apple?

Finding half a worm...

Well there is getting whipped with red-hot barbed wire.