I've been making hair clips with shrink plastic (pic of one)
the material has some limitations and lot of steps.... occurred to me, painting on leather might work
Leather wouldn't snap with careless use and I could curve (shape) them to a shape shrink won't handle without breaking and the attachment could be done with stitching rather than a wire that creates a catch for hair
But... it has been a long time since I have done any leather work... lots in high school, purses, wallets, I was great a tooling... lots of tack and bridle repair once upon a time (Tandy in neighborhood, that long ago)
so... advice please
thinking of using Lumiere paints, using permanent pens for outline
if the metallic paints work it would be fantastic (the clear coating on shrink plastic ruins the effects of metallic, would sealing leather do the same thing?), can I blend colors on leather?
Can I iron on a transfer of some kind?
I need to select a leather that is not finished (something that will absorb the paint) and preferably white
and not too expensive to start with, and maybe a source for scraps to practice on with paints first too
I have no idea what thickness, I want it to have some body (not be flapping around) but soft enough to not be uncomfortable (the shrink butterflies really dig into the scalp against a headrest)
and keeping them light (for fine hair) so I could make them bigger would be good
and be able to shape a small curve to them.... like )( a gentle curve
before or after painting?
And I need a source of materials (I want to start with a smaller piece than an entire hide, a couple feet)
ordering on the internet is intimating, though even when tandy was in the neighborhood they were not very well stocked
I imagine I need to seal them, seal the paint afterwards...
will hairspray damage the paints and finish? People will do that even when you warn them to not spray the clips...
I can drill holes in the clips or stitch around the standard bar type barrette.... do I need a special thread? a waxed heavy thread?
and a good basic book
I can swing an exacto knife but... the best way to cut? Looked into a few books in library, most are about cutting large strips and squares not curve shapes... or about stitching precut pieces together
I'm sure there are things I have not considered....
or, is it not going to work the way I am imagining?
I've had some ask about making flowers to clip on shoes and sandals.... I was playing with fabric and plastic coating, not very satisfactory....I think leather would work for that too
