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Folk art is a great tradition and is a growing love to many artists and would-be artists everywhere. While folk art can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, one thing that remains true is that folk art is about creating something unique. Folk art is done on a wide variety of surfaces with a variety of tools, techniques, and mediums. However, one popular resource is wood. Wood objects in a huge variety of options are used for folk art paintings. These include, but aren't limited to, boxes, chairs, rocking chairs, signs, and other items both pre-made, assembled, and made by hand. Working with unfinished pieces require a little bit of preparation.
Step 1:

Using a damp rag, clean the surface of your item. No matter what your item is or where it comes from, it could have dirt, dust, or even leftover sawdust on it. A good place to start is by cleaning all of this off.

Step 2:

Using a medium grade sand paper, sand the surface. Gently sand the surface of you object using a medium grade sand paper such as 200 or 220. You should always sand in the direction of the grain. For some objects this could mean sanding in several different directions according to the grain of each individual piece.

Step 3:

Then sand the surface using fine sand paper. For a very smooth and ready-to-paint surface, use a finer sand paper like 300 or 400, and sand in the direction of the grain.

Step 4:

Wipe clean. Once again use a damp rag to wipe the surface clean of any debris left behind from sanding.

Step 5:

Seal or prime the wood. There are a variety of sealers and primers out there. You will need to choose one (sealers are usually clear or transparent with a slight color, primers are usually white or grey). This will protect the wood from damage as well as help your paint to adhere to the surface. It also keeps the wood from absorbing your paints. This is particularly important when dealing with softwood.

Your wood is now ready for whatever designs, patterns, and colors you wish to add to it. Have fun trying new things and enjoying the results. If you wish to have an older-looking wood, it is best to prepare the wood as usual and then distress it. But be willing to try new things, have fun with it, make some things that just don't work, and others that really do work!

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