Painting Leather White

[TomBanwell]

I'm looking for a better way to paint my veg tan masks white. Currently I am airbrushing Createx Airbrush Colors Opaque White acrylic paint. I thin it out with water in order to get it thru my Paasche model H. The dry veg tan soaks it up, and I have to keep going over it to get it white enough. Once that is dry I spray on a coat of Fiebing's Resolene acrylic finish in order to give it a semi gloss sheen. The leather gets so wet from the paint that I have to let it dry overnight before applying the Resolene.

I've tried spraying the Resolene first before applying the paint in order to seal it so that the white paint would build up faster, but it went on very unevenly. Can anyone offer me a better way to do this?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56845519/bunny-leather-mask-in-white

[dirtclod]

You could try spraying the mask with saddle lac or something that to seal the leather and then paint. That might work. I never have tried it though.

[Tina]

Hi Tom,

the only thing that comes into mind is letting each layer of white dry before the next. It might not get quicker but I think you might save paint and not risking to reshape your mask due to to much water. The ide I got in my head was that each layer makes a acryllic small seal on the leather, making each next layer just ending up on the surface (?)

Love seeing your work:-)

[Spinner]

Hi Tom,

the only thing that comes into mind is letting each layer of white dry before the next. It might not get quicker but I think you might save paint and not risking to reshape your mask due to to much water. The ide I got in my head was that each layer makes a acryllic small seal on the leather, making each next layer just ending up on the surface (?)

Love seeing your work:-)

+1 to this. letting the acrylic dry between coats should improve your coverage and save some paint. Once dry, acrylic becomes hard and non-pourous and will build up.

When it is wet, and you're adding to it's moisture content by adding thinned acrylic to it it will simply soak in deeper and not achieve that 'top coat' you're looking for.

Another option would be switching to a non-opaque airbrush paint. There are many that are made for textiles and are ready to shoot from the gun allowing you to apply thicker coats.

[Studio-N]

Try one of the Meltonian Nu-Life Color Sprays. You can probably get it through your nearest boot & shoe repair shops.

It works on shoes, I'm guessing it will work on masks.

[leatheroo]

hey tom, i have been using jo sonja's acrylic paints and find them to be excellent quality. I also had the problem of watering down to get it thru the airbrush. My last project i thinned the paint with some spirits instead of water...it worked really well........ i think the spirits evaporate and the leather doesnt get as wet.

[TomBanwell]

hey tom, i have been using jo sonja's acrylic paints and find them to be excellent quality. I also had the problem of watering down to get it thru the airbrush. My last project i thinned the paint with some spirits instead of water...it worked really well........ i think the spirits evaporate and the leather doesnt get as wet.

Hmmm, I'll have to give that a try. Didn't know they'd mix.

[Timd]

Tom, I just got a bottle of Fiebing's spirit based white dye, and while I haven't sprayed it, only brushed, it covers decently.

[Nomad]

I dilute acrylic with the vodka, many airbrush artists use it, there is an opinion that it works well because of difference in water and spirit formulas. My friend dilutes water with spirit and after that uses instead of vodka.

[Jtiem]

hey tom, i have been using jo sonja's acrylic paints and find them to be excellent quality. I also had the problem of watering down to get it thru the airbrush. My last project i thinned the paint with some spirits instead of water...it worked really well........ i think the spirits evaporate and the leather doesnt get as wet.

+1 This is what I would use Liquitex Acrylic Ink. It is "super-fine pigments suspended in a state-of-the-art emulsion" so no water and no thinning necessary. I have used it in some art pieces and it goes on beautifully.

[TomBanwell]

Tom, I just got a bottle of Fiebing's spirit based white dye, and while I haven't sprayed it, only brushed, it covers decently.

Thanks, Timd. I just ordered some. Didn't know you could get a white dye. Hopefully it will spray OK.