I wanted to enter a diptych (or triptych or tetraptych) into the R.B.S.A. Portrait Prize, but, after enquiring, it seems that I have to fix the works together so that the separate images are in one frame or as one, so that rules out three or four for sheer practical reasons. I think the simplest option is to screw two frames together with a strip of 3mm wood as a separator, and enter two.
I've stained this strip with black, a mix of Golden Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black and water (about 1:1), which makes a fantastic black wood stain, better for staining wood than the solvent-based stain one I have. I've found that this mix applied with a sponge is generally the best way to paint anything black (I've even used it on my hat!) Solvent based stains tend to work better than water ones on wood however; water stains are usually weaker in power and make the wood expand, like any water does (even my Golden mix). I wonder if I mixed a solvent with the Golden paint I'd make a better stain? Immediate solvent options I can imagine would be isopropyl alcohol, or something stronger like ethyl acetate or acetone.
