Some time ago, I promised my two children that I would build them a sit-on cribbage table just like the one I had that had been passed down to me by my father. It essentially is a pine log cut I half on a bias with one thick end and one thinner end. The thicker end has two legs an the thinner end has one. I had at one time acquired a log that ended up being beetle chewed so it became kindling. Recently, a neighbor cut down a white pine and he gave me a 6 foot section. So there is the question. Do I latex paint the ends and let it sit in the shop for 6 months before I slice it in half or slice it now, paint up all the exposed wood and let it dry like that?
You don't mention the diameter of the log, but no species will dry without cracking. Latex paint is a poor sealer, use Anchorseal. If you leave the bark on, you could easily have bug problems with this log as well. Peel off the bark.
Latex paint is not effective for sealing. Hot wax or wax emulsion (AnchorSeal) is much better.
I almost always seal just the end grain in hardwoods. White pine, I don't know, maybe someone does.
A log or half a log will not dry much in 6 months but maybe it doesn't need to be well dried before using it. Cutting it in half first may help minimizing cracking, although in my experience white pine doesn't warp and crack as readily as many hardwoods. However, my experience is only with boards and slabs cut on my sawmill - not sections of logs. In general, whole logs don't dry inside, at least not in a reasonable time. Here is some discussion about drying logs:
It does get attacked by bugs so removing the bark as soon as possible and getting the sections inside as soon as possible might help. I might consider saving several pieces as alternatives in case the first one doesn't work out.
Drying a log is very difficult. I read an article a few years ago written by the forest department that said logs don't follow the normal drying formula's for wood. In fact some logs take many many years to dry and may not dry at all.
Removing the bark does little to change the drying but may reduce some bug damage. Ripping the logs through the pith helps speed up drying but doesn't really stop them from checking but may reduce it.
Coating the end grain is important. Keeping them out of the sun and wind and off the ground is the most important. You will still get some checking but if the ends are coated with end grain sealer you stand the best chance of getting check free wood.
Your best bet by far is to rip it into usuable thicknesses. As a turner I often rip logs into 5x5, 4x4 and smaller and seal the ends and have very good luck keeping them. Lately I've taken to sawing them into wider blanks such as 2x6's and 3x12 just to see how that works and so far it works great. Sawing the wood into these thicknesses greatly reduces the drying time but still may take a year per inch. The best way to know is to weigh the pieces and date them. When they stop losing weight they are stable enough to work with. I find moisture meters useless for wood thicker than 2". Weighing is the best way.
The screen won't do anything except waste screen. Removing the bark does help drying but not much. Mostly it helps keep the bugs out. The bark removal that is not putting screen over it.
>>>Ripping the logs through the pith helps speed up drying but doesn't really stop them from checking but may reduce it.
What cutting it can do for some unstable species such as Dogwood is reduce the tendency for wide splits all the way to the pith. I've seen splits on rounds open up 5-10 degrees. If you cut in half the tangential stresses from shrinkage may still warp badly but minimize big splits. Will still probably end check.
>>>Lately I've taken to sawing them into wider blanks such as 2x6's and 3x12 just to see how that works and so far it works great. Sawing the wood into these thicknesses greatly reduces the drying time but still may take a year per inch.
That's the industry method, SDR (Saw-Dry-Rip), I read about a few years ago recommended for some species such as Yellow Poplar. This is claimed to greatly reduce loss from warping. I also cut green wood into wider pieces but mostly for a different reason - to give more flexibility when turning. After it's dry, I can cut a 2x8 into 2" squares for spindle turning or 8" blanks for face turning. I also found that 2" planks seem to dry almost as quickly as 2x2 squares but 3" and larger take longer for wide planks.
I read that the "1 year per inch plus 1 year" rule of thumb for air drying, already shaky since it is largely species dependent, works for 4/4 and 8/4 but falls apart completely for planks over 2" thick. I have some 5" thick chunks that were still too damp inside after about 6 years of air drying indoors. They are at 11 years now - maybe time to try again!
I remember reading, years ago, an article which involved cigar store Indian carvers and ships masts. the ship yards would bore or burn a hole into the ends of logs 3-4 feet to reduce/prevent checking by allowing the log shrink internally as well as from the out side. When they got ready to turn the mast they would cut off the ends. The carvers would buy the ends to carve Indians. Many of the old carvings have a hole all the way through from top to bottom which were sometimes plugged and some left open. Just food for thought.
Removing the bark does help drying but not much. Mostly it helps keep the bugs out. The bark removal that is not putting screen over it.