Painting steel gates at A Welding and Fabrication

There is a thing that I find amazing, maybe even paradoxical in a good way; that thing is artistic steel work, or ornamental iron. It's pleasing that a thing can have the strength and functionality of steel, yet be aesthetically appealing. And if you're thinking that ornamental iron looks like something from 300 years ago, look again.
In the 1800's it was common to carve a lion's foot, vines, or a bird's claw into a piece of furniture. This was to bring life to the piece and the room it was in. That same idea has come roaring back in this set of gates. They're made to look like tree branches and leaves, in full color.
This project; fabrication and painting, is being done at:
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A Welding & Fabrication Shop
330 Wears Valley Road, Pigeon Forge Tn. 37863
Phone (865) 428-5555
email: aweldingfabricationshop@yahoo.com
A Welding
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This first picture is how I encountered the gates, they're powder coated a brown color.
Gate1
The shop foreman said they used to apply a color of paint, then wipe it off, this would create a look like bark. I'm working with a paint that's made for heavy duty industrial applications, it's called Dupont Imron. I wasn't sure how this would work with the wipe off method, so I decided to try something else. I made a stencil that resembles tree bark, then used it with an airbrush to apply the paint. Consider too that this is a one step process, not two.
I really wanted this to look neat, but as usual, there is a time constraint; one must find the exact place where the least effort makes the "most bang for the buck". I realized that I should talk to the One who made tree bark in the first place, so I prayed. I had the idea to go find a branch and examine it. Right in front of the shop is this bush that appears to be Holley, so I broke of a small branch in an inconspicuous place.
Coolest bark
This is the piece that I found, I love the pattern, especially on that thicker part that goes up in the middle. Next I made stencils with a hobby knife.
small bark pattern
On the smaller bark stencil that you see above, I just drew it in a more random way, then cut out the sections. The bigger pattern that you see below was done with a better method; I took a paint brush and made long lines for the spaces between the sections, this being more like a crack that would occur as the tree grew.
Bigger bark pattern
Below is what it looked like with the bark patterns applied.
Faux bark
Here is the finished look, with bark patterns and leaves painted green.
Done!

Remember, this is just a small part of what they do at A Welding & Fabrication; They also make bear proof trash bins, repair truck and trailer parts, fix large tools, cut and bend sheet metal, fabricate structural steel, and more. Contact info is above.
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Welding, fabrication, steel and metal work in Sevier County, Tn, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatliburg areas.
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