Need Ideas for finish on a linen backed board bow

[hook]

hey guys,
just looking for some ideas and or tips for a linen backed board bow, pyramid design. Ideally  think snake skin would be the answer but not in the after Christmas budget.
photos would be nice . this (might) be my first shooter!!

[George Tsoukalas]

Paint designs on it like the West Coast tribes did. Jawge

[hook]

after glueing, the surface is very rough. can I sand it a little with some fine paper without screwing up the intergrity of the linen?
what kind of paint is best if i go that route?

[Hrothgar]

It won't mess up the integrity or the looks if you buff out the rough places. I usually use Titebond ll to apply linen. It will take acrylic paint nicely, and you can add a clear sealer such as polyrethane over the dried paint. Check out my post from October "Four Winds".

[Frode]

hook,
I've found if I put on a second and third coat of TB III (TB II works too, but those are the only ones I have personal experience with) I get a pretty smooth, translucent finish!  As Hrothgar says, it'll take acrylic fine (see green pic below).  I've also smoothed an acrylic gesso paste onto the rough glued linen surface and smoothed that out by hand, and maybe a little light sanding.  It fills in the texture of the linen/glue nicely and leaves a matte finish for painting (see yellow pic below).  Both work well, in my experience.
Frode