SO this piece took me forever and I am not really happy with it.
First of all, the white wood that i used in the face and neck area is almost the same shade as the rest of the cat. I never know what the wood is going to look like once it is finished. I used a Watco natural stain finish. I have used this a lot in my past and it never seemed to change the color of the wood, only enhance it.
Second, Notice around the top of the front legs that the wood has a darker look to it. I know that pine is real bad at taking a consistent finish. This was a surprise because i did not see it at all until I put a finish on it. I would like to know what woods are known for inconsistent finishes and avoid them. Dad said that he heard that sealing the wood first would help, but he never ran into this problem personally.
I would like to know of a good product that is more of a mat finish (not so glossy) but that will not leave the wood with a dry look. I use a shiny finish because it is easy to dust off and does not dry out the wood in time. I want something without any color changes.
Also, The back ground is really my first attempt at acrylic painting. It is a picture of hillsides with cliffs. Can you tell?
I think I will hang this in my closet.