Ganesha, hand-carved in Rajasthan

[PaulinKendal]

I'm a very lucky boy. I've just got back from a month in India, and had a fabulous time.

As a bonus, I brought back this splendid sculpt of Ganesha, which I'm intending to paint.

It was shrink wrapped, and when I removed the wrapping the figure smelt strongly of petroleum. I'm guessing it comes from the polish that has been applied to it. The smell has now dissipated, but I'm wondering whether I should try removing the surface finish, or just blast it with primer and see what happens. I think I'll probably do the latter.

[Tim Marlow]

That looks fun Paul. Personally I’d try the primer somewhere unobtrusive first, just in case you get a reaction with the original finish when you add the primer. It would be a disaster to inadvertently get that all over.

[PaulinKendal]

Good advice, Tim, I'll follow it.

[PaulTRose]

Thats going to look very interesting when painted

[rtfoe]

Very nice wooden sculpture of Ganesha... reminiscent of the many temple carvings dotting our capital and neighbourhood especially Batu Caves.
Will you be painting in colours like the carvings seen in the temples in India? The ones here are very colourful.

Cheers,
Wabble

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Following with interest Paul. What an unusual subject.

[PaulinKendal]

Very nice wooden sculpture of Ganesha... reminiscent of the many temple carvings dotting our capital and neighbourhood especially Batu Caves.
Will you be painting in colours like the carvings seen in the temples in India? The ones here are very colourful.

It was seeing all the painted wooden icons in India that made me think of painting this. At first it seemed like vandalism to consider painting such a nice wooden carving - but that's how temple carvings are decorated (and it cost less than the commercially produced figures I normally paint), so why not?

I believe the marble statues of ancient Greece and Rome were originally painted, too.

As for colours, it'll have to be bright, for sure. On temple sculptures the colours would just be blocked in, but I'm probably going to do some shading. And Ganesha is usually represented with a pink face and head - I'm considering rendering his head in more 'realistic' elephantine colours.