: I have an artist friend who is prepared to do custom paint work on
: the deck of my next boat. She uses acrylics. I would like to
: protect the art work by putting it under the fiberglass, just as
: we do with other types of graphics, but I'm concerned about
: whether the epoxy/glass will bond properly. Has anyone tried it?
: Does it work OK? If I have to sand the artwork lightly to get a
: proper bond--no way I can do the glass before the paint cures
: completely--will its sheen be restored when it "wets
: out" with the epoxy? I am prepared to do some tests of my
: own, but would love to know the results of actual prior
: experience.

Depends on how much artwork there is. If it's fairly small it may be ok. Big emphasis on "may."

Run this option past her: Have her paint her graphics on paper, then scan and print them on a color printer. You can then overlay the printed paper onto the bare wood. Fiberglass and finish as usual.

I did something similar to the second option on my wife's first kayak back in 2004. The printed overlay is 2 ft x 3 ft and totally covers the front deck. The bulk of it is printed (color inkjet) with wood and metal accents. I did use a very limited amount of black paint. It still looks very good 8 plus years later. The layers of glass, epoxy and varnish helped prevent the artwork from fading. Storing the kayak indoors helped as well.