Phar out finishing techniques

[bradleyheathhays]

I've just begun collaborating with a local artist who wants to make a fairly large mural out of wood.  The idea we've come up with is to design impressionistic type pieces based on arranging square wood blocks into the larger image.  The plan is to develop different finishing techniques for the blocks to give them different color intensities, contrasts between the grain, and overall color.  The blocks will be used as 'pixels' if you will in the larger image, so the smaller the wood block the higher the resolution of the final image.  I would imagine the blocks will be between 1 and 2" square.  The idea is mine but I'd never be able to do this without an artist.  She'll be doing the true 'art' part and I'll just be providing as wide a variety of finishes on these blocks as possible.  The wider her variety of wood blocks to choose from the better the end result will be.

 

So as an example, here's an art piece I found on Etsy.  It seems the artist here has either baked or burn treated these pieces.  I'm taking this idea as inspiration on how I can vary the finishes on these wood blocks.  But I'd like to have as many coloring/finishing options as possible, which is the purpose of writing here.

 

pic here

 

What I need now are both wood species suggestions and finishing techniques.  Just brainstorming so everything's on the table.

 

I need different wood grain size options.  Need both wider and narrower grained species. 

 

Would be nice to have a species where both the fast and slow growth rings take dye stain so they have the same hue.

 

Need coloring / technique suggestions.  I've used General Finishes water based dye stains before so that's one idea for generating color.

 

Thanks for your ideas.

 

 

[Eric - TIA]

Wow, that looks very cool, and can't wait to see your finished project.  I have never done something like this so hard for me to give any real input.

[bradleyheathhays]

Thanks yeah it's got the potential to turn out really nice.