Need Help Need to finish this Cedar Sign

[WB]

I have this Cedar Sign I've carved on my CNC. The original plan was to have a local artist paint the sign, but now my customer doesn't want it painted they want dark highlights, meaning they want to add some depth by darkening the tips of the trees and the texture behind the lettering.
It's basically being left up to me, I can't find anyone to touch it. I have a lot of time invested in this and I only get 1 shot at it.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get the results I'm looking for? I was thinking of lightly torching the trees. Maybe some diluted paint/stain on the texture and sanding the high points to bring back the natural wood colour. Possible painting the letters black or darker brown, possible sanding the face of the letters back to the natural colour.

No clue what to do with the fish.
Thanks

 

[JBurton]

Why not ask the same local artist to do the staining? If it were me, and the plan prior involved someone else finishing, I'd bill it and ask him where he'd like it, as I don't finish wooden signage...

 

[Geneva Olson]

this sounds like someone wants a piece of art. not a sign.

 

[Neko2]

Just like an artist doesn't always make the best signmaker, the signmaker doesn't always make the best artist.
I'd work with a professional artist or woodworker/woodcarver and maybe ask for some tips while they work.

 

[JBurton]

Right, forgot to mention, that's a fine looking carved piece of wood!

 

[Gino]

My first question would be..... what are all those areas with a different color running through it like at the top of the R, K & B ?? Also, the bottom of the Y, C & A ?? Is that some sorta attempt at patching ??

 

[Notarealsignguy]

My first question would be..... what are all those areas with a different color running through it like at the top of the R, K & B ?? Also, the bottom of the Y, C & A ?? Is that some sorta attempt at patching ??

Crappy blank? Top of the R looks rough also. It really needs filled, primed and painted.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Airbrush

 

[Billct2]

Paint and especially stain will bleed in that grain. So first step would be either a full coat of sealer or sealer/stain to control bleeding.
Once that's done you can add your other colors. If you torch it, do that first then the sealer.
The otehr issue is if this is an outside sign the final coat will have to protect it from rain/sun.

 

[Boudica]

My first question would be..... what are all those areas with a different color running through it like at the top of the R, K & B ?? Also, the bottom of the Y, C & A ?? Is that some sorta attempt at patching ??

Looks like pieces of wood laminated together then cut into a slice, then routed. Did that in college for an art project.

 

[pro-UP]

Test, test, test. Grab some of the cast off pieces and try out some of your ideas or some of the recommendations mentioned here. Then, get payment from your client up front. This is now a change order. They changed their order mid-process. JBurton is 100% correct. Your plan was not to finish it, so leave it to the client to either go back to the original plan or work directly with a wood worker to achieve the desired finish.

 

[WB]

My first question would be..... what are all those areas with a different color running through it like at the top of the R, K & B ?? Also, the bottom of the Y, C & A ?? Is that some sorta attempt at patching ??

That would be a boo-boo fix. Machine lost it's Z and plunged into the material. The customer is aware.

 

[Johnny Best]

Just give it to the customer for $100 and tell them to finish it up the way they want it. If your not willing to take a chance of finishing it then you should not have started it. You lost your X.

 

[WB]

Just give it to the customer for $100 and tell them to finish it up the way they want it. If your not willing to take a chance of finishing it then you should not have started it. You lost your X.

Thanks for wasting everyone's time with that insightful post.

 

[Johnny Best]

The truth hurts Brother.

 

[bob]

Thanks for wasting everyone's time with that insightful post.

That post that you sneer at was probably the best bit of advice you've received. Either get an airbrush and learn how to use it or do as Mssr. Best suggests. Next time make sure you can actually do the job.

 

[Gino]

Hafta agree. If you can't turn out a nice sign, keep it and do it over. Otherwise, give it to the customer and tell them you don't know what to do.
_____________
If you bought that blank pre-made, you chose the wrong kinda boards for that kinda sign. The grain is going the wrong way and looks more like picnic bench style wood, than sign grade wood. 2" boards is not for signs, unless you're making a small plaque. When I used to go to the lumber yard for redwood, I made sure of no splits and all vertical grain, clear heart. Generally got 10" and 12" wide by 240" long all 6/4" To make the trip worth while, I usually picked up $4,000 to $5,000 worth at a time. We'd carefully inspect the wood to keep all the grain going the same way and kept tight grains together and looser grains together, which represents wet and dry year. I just gave a face-lift to 4 signs we did back in the early 90s.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Hafta agree. If you can't turn out a nice sign, keep it and do it over. Otherwise, give it to the customer and tell them you don't know what to do.
_____________
If you bought that blank pre-made, you chose the wrong kinda boards for that kinda sign. The grain is going the wrong way and looks more like picnic bench style wood, than sign grade wood. 2" boards is not for signs, unless you're making a small plaque. When I used to go to the lumber yard for redwood, I made sure of no splits and all vertical grain, clear heart. Generally got 10" and 12" wide by 240" long all 6/4" To make the trip worth while, I usually picked up $4,000 to $5,000 worth at a time. We'd carefully inspect the wood to keep all the grain going the same way and kept tight grains together and looser grains together, which represents wet and dry year. I just gave a face-lift to 4 signs we did back in the early 90s.

That's the hardest part and what makes or breaks a sandblasted sign. It is also what makes them so expensive, it's not the masking, blasting or painting it, almost any idiot can do that.

 

[Gene@mpls]

It appears that he did his job [and pretty well] and the customer is requesting a service he does not provide. The snark is all self entertainment.

 

[Gino]

^^ What are you referring to as snark self entertainment ??

I didn't see one poster say it was a bad looking sign, let alone the nature of the sign, but there are a few physical mistakes........ and hard ones to fix, especially now that the customer wants it stained. There's only so much you can do and the only thing that'll save this sign is to paint it. Now, what kinda sign shop can't paint a cnc'd wooden sign ??