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PAINTING ON WOOD – Alvin Kofi
Reference Image
Materials
Wooden panel (sourced from
hardware stores, cut to size)
Sandpaper
Charcoal for sketching
Fixative spray
Acrylic paints
Oil paints
Liquin medium
Brushes
Stencils
Masking tape
Scalpel knife & metal ruler
Find these items at cassart.co.uk
Choosing the Wooden Panel
To start you’ll need to choose your wooden panel. Each piece of wood has its own unique character, and this can become an integral part of your artwork.
Head to a local hardware store to find panels cut to size. Pay attention to whether the grain is light or dark and how it flows—this will help inform your composition later on.
Top Tip: Make use of any pieces you don’t use as painting mounts or backings.
Sketching out the composition
Before you start working onto your work, you can do some thumbnail sketches on separate paper to choose a composition. Once you’re happy use charcoal to lightly map out the composition onto your wood. Look for bits of the wood that you might like to leave exposed and lay out your composition to allow this.
Whilst doing this sketch focus on the big shapes rather than any details. Before moving on quickly brush away any excess charcoal and use spray to fix the sketch.
Preparing the wood for paint
Sand the surface lightly, following the direction of the grain, to create a smooth working surface. If you want more texture to show through in your final piece (perhaps the areas you won’t be painting), sand less aggressively. Lightly sand the edges to prevent splintering.
You could also use masking tape to map out a grid. This will allow you to draw the audience’s attention to particular areas such as the face.
Top Tip: The grain of the wood contributes to the narrative of your artwork—use it to enhance texture and movement.
Applying Initial Washes
Begin with a thin acrylic wash to seal the wood. Use a large brush and a mix of gesso and water to create a translucent layer that allows the grain to remain visible. This wash acts as a base for your painting, preventing oil paints from seeping too deeply into the wood. If certain areas need more opacity, build up additional thin layers while allowing each one to dry in between. You can use a hair dryer to dry the layers as you go along.
Top Tip: Acrylic washes act as the foundation for depth. Building up thin layers builds richness without losing the wood’s organic feel.
Starting to block in colour
Next, start introducing colour using more acrylic washes to establish the structure of your piece. These don’t need to be thick—think of them as a roadmap for your painting rather than a final layer. Acrylic dries quickly, so work confidently but don’t be afraid to make adjustments. If you want to add pattern or texture, consider using stencils at this stage. It could be nice to reference traditional African and Indian wood carvings when applying patterns, layering them subtly to create depth.
Introducing oil washes
Once your acrylic layers have dried, it’s time to move onto oils. Use a limited palette like raw umber, alizarin crimson, and Paynes grey to create a rich tonal range. Mix these with a little Liquin to create a fluid, transparent consistency. Start by mapping out the darkest areas—these deep tones will create the structure of your portrait. Work from dark to light, gradually refining the details as you go. Experiment with using brush strokes along the grain and across the grain to create vibrancy.
Refining details
As the painting develops, return to your reference image to fine-tune the facial features and body language of your subject. Hands are particularly expressive, and subtle shifts in tone can help convey emotion. At this stage, less is more—each brushstroke should feel intentional, helping to shape the contours of the face and body without overworking the piece. Allow the painting to breath by leaving some areas raw or unfinished. Celebrate the wood!
Final Touches
If you have used it, remove masking tape to reveal sections of exposed wood. You can leave them as they are or start to build up some washes on top.
Introduce highlights sparingly to maintain a balanced composition. You can adjust contours and shadows with fine brushes for a polished finish.
And of course, allow the painting to “breathe” by leaving some areas of wood raw or unfinished.
Top Tip: The beauty of painting on wood lies in its natural imperfections—embrace them to create a unique and personal work of art.