cool ideas for decorating/finishing rawhide backing

[Bob Barnes]

I love the looks of Mike Yancey's bows...and Ed Scott's...so I put rawhide on 4 bows this weekend...while they are drying I thought I'd get some advise on cool things to do with the backing...kinds of designs or what to use to make them look good...
thanks in advance.
Bob

[ranger 3]

Here is one I did.
 
 
 

[Bob Barnes]

cool...thanks.  What kind of paint did you use?
Bob

[Swissbow]

On the bow I made for my daughter I did some tribal paintings...

 

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Andy

[Pat B]

This is a copy I made of Jay Massey's Medicine Bow. It is sinew backed hickory with a rawhide covering. I used craft paint from WalMart for the design.
 
 

[Bob Barnes]

all great!  thanks...lots of talent here.
Bob

[walkabout]

very nice work guys

[Pat B]

Bob, I also added tiger striped tissue paper to the back of a rawhide backed bow. Came out great. Photobucket won't cooperate with me tonight but when they decide to I will post pics.

[Pat B]

Finally cooperated!   Unfortunately this bow didn't survive but that doesn't detract from the backing effect.
 

[Bob Barnes]

very cool...thanks!  I have not given up on this project as I have 4 or 5 floor tillered bows now rawhide backed... I just have other bow projects coming up all of the time... I have a big old boy graduating from my class next month and he wants me to make him a bow...all 6' 5" 275# 30 1/2" draw of him...     I'm thinking that I might should do a glass bow rather than a wood laminated bow...unless I do something like hickory backed Ipe in a R/D a...maybe 66-68" long ???

Bob

[UnderControl16]

Wow i love that Tribal one. I'll have to post some of the designs that i have done when the batteries charge.