Journal Cover Questions

[Sintini]

I am planning a project for a friend of mine that is graduating from college this spring. I am creating a journal cover for her that can take a inserted journal. The idea being that she can keep the cover after she fills up an insert. I have a couple of specific criteria in mind for the journal aside from some questions about design. Her favorite color is green so I was thinking that a nice dark green would look good as a dye. I have a few dyes that I purchased from Tandy over the past couple of years but dark green is not one of them. The other thing is that the greens I saw on their website are really not dark enough. I am looking for more of a forest green. Something pretty dark. I haven't seen anything like that which will likely mean mixing my own colors. The only work I have done with that is the acrylic cova stuff that Tandy carries and that did not work real well. Though I think that may have more to do with the cova stuff and my inability to properly use it than my mixing skills.

So I am looking for some ideas of a easily mixable dye. I intend to darken up the areas of emphasis by hand then just run the dye over the whole thing to get a uniform color distribution.

The second thing I am looking for is a different finish than what I have used on most of my projects. Up until now I have been using Tandy's eco-flow professional finish. Which has been fine for what I have done thus far. However, on this project I wanted something a little different. I am looking for something that will give a bit more of an oiled look. A duller finish that wont leave a real glossy surface. Preferably something more pleasing to the touch than the Tandy stuff I have been using.

I found this forum after I started tooling and so did not discover that Tandy is not the only supplier out there. My "membership" with them ran out a few months ago so I am open to shopping elsewhere. Wherever I can find what I am looking for.

Thanks!

Edit: I keep using the word dye. Maybe I should be using the word stain? If this were woodworking stain would be the word to use. Is there a difference? That's probably a pretty noob question, but the only way to not be a noob is to ask.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Sintini

[immiketoo]

For your dye question, you might want to look at Angelus dyes. They have a lot more colors than Fiebings and I think they have a dark green. Or, you could learn to mix the dyes to get the color you want. I have had to do that to get oranges and other colors that aren't readily available.