Can figuring develop over time, or am I going mad?

[JustinFun]

Hi all, first post *waves*

is there a consensus as to whether maple figuring can develop over time? Google doesn’t seem to help.

I would have thought that the obvious answer was ‘no’ - figuring after all is down to how the wood has grown, and it’s not doing much growing when it’s glued to a slab of mahogany.

But if so, how come my 1995 Std, bought from new when I was 18, has gone from a plain top to a (modest) Birdseye one?

I don’t have a ‘before’ pic I’m afraid, but this is how it looks now.

 

[JustinFun]

Wow... tough crowd...

 

[Big Al]

No, it cannot. That minor blister figure was present from day one.

 

[corpse]

Figure does not develop but finish- particularly the clear coat- discolors. But to me this tends to hide rather than reveal- but there is such a thing a color "sympathy"- complimentary colors and all of that. Not an art guy but I paint as a hobby and I cannot believe the colors that happen when one color get applied in a translucent coat over another- both good and bad.