Spinning paint on a piece of wood is not new, as I was reminded by the much-missed Mark Baker when he was commissioning me to write these articles – it was a technique he’d used 30 years before, and it wasn’t new then. But just because it’s not new doesn’t mean it’s not great fun to do, or that there isn’t room to be experimental. You probably know by heart the mantra about having fun with colouring wood, and the fun doesn’t come easier than this – one paint brush, one blob of paint and 2000rpm. This might make it sound like this article will probably be rather short, but there are many variations you can try as you discover your own particular style or favourite approach.
Whenever I’ve mentioned doing centrifugal colouring at live demos for woodturning clubs, there has often been some hesitation – and this is mostly down to the fear that paint will go everywhere and the village hall, parish
