treybecca

White leather is definitely the way to go if you just want plain white leather. However, any sort of tooling will need veg tan leather. Also chrome tan leather can not be wet molded and is fairly stiff.

Here are two replicas I have done of the white Mord'sith you originally posted. The full suit was the first actual leather working I had ever done and it was a year long odyssey. I used LOTS of Cova white acrylic paint and a blend of mostly natural Fiebings antique paste with a TOUCH of black to get the grey. My issues with Cova in hindsight is the price of it for the amount and the variety in color lots. Plus I did experience some flaking and peeling with some of the batches. The belt was done with Angelus white paint which I highly recommend. It adheres much better to the leather, comes in bigger sizes and is much cheaper per ounce then the Cova. I then used spray leather sheen to seal the leather which works for cosplay use just nicely. Unfortunately if you plan on doing any tooling on your piece you will need veg tan leather which I have never found in white. The only white I found was either chrome tan or thin garment leather. Hope this helps

I managed to find a bottle of Fiebings grey awhile back....it was awful. I haven't been able to find a good grey yet. Good luck and let us know if you have any success!

I am in need of making some deerskin I have darker in shade and then aging and distressing the heck out of it like in this picture. I didn't know if there was a recommended product for the thinner deerskin as opposed to the veg tan I'm used to handling.

In order to properly get the impressions you would like with tooling you would tool first then dye. The most important thing in tooling is properly cased leather which would be difficult to achieve with dyed leather.

For me I paint, antique then finish. For example in this guitar strap, I dyed everything I wanted to dye, then painted everything I wanted painted, then used Fiebings paste for antique and then leather sheen for finish. The letters are actually colored with a black sharpie...better control in my opinion.

I'm sure the Angelus would be fine on a noseband as they are specifically formulated for painting shoes. As cyber thrasher recommend build up your color slowly and you should be fine

I'm a tool junky, I have collected a little under 200...and use four frequently lol. I have yet to master a swivel knife, so my go to tools are a few bevelers, a modeling spoon and a round stylus. Depending on my work I may use a back ground tool but most times I don't. The MOST important thing in any tooling project is nailing your casing process more so then the tools used. I have found success in Bob Parks method. For example this corset and belt was created using only a beveler, modeling spoon, swivel knife (about the extent of my skill with one) and a few decorative stamps.

I guess it largely depends on how much flexing and wear and tear the item will be exposed to. The biggest problem with most acyrlic paints is they tend to kind of gum up on the surface of leather and eventually start to peel or flake off. I have had amazing results with Angelus paint which is specially formulated specifically for leather, and in using it it seems to somewhat seep into the first layer of leather and forms a stronger bond then say Cova. I'm not saying it could still perhaps flake in the right circumstances but that it is far less likely to do so. Your challenge is that since the leather has been sealed there is no chance for any paint to properly adhere to the leatger as it should. Sealing the paint after the fact in theory might be ok, but in my experience the more of any finish you on can lead to disastrous cracking of the finish etc. If it's the leather sheen in the aerosol container it is less likely to crack, however it's less likely to hold the paint on also. At this stage your best bet is to perhaps take some leather prepper/finisher on a q-tip and gently attempt to remove the finish and antique in the areas you want to paint. Once the areas are stripped you should be able to paint them with no problem at all. Again I would recommend the Angelus products and stay away from Tandys Cova. You get more bang for your buck and the results are far better. It is a gamble as there is always a chance there could be some crazy chemical reaction or such. So it is up to you if you want to chance it or just accept the project as is. Good luck.

I highly recommend Angelus paint. You get more for your money both in terms of amount and quality. Cova does have a tendency to sometimes crack under pressure which I have yet to experience with a Angelus. You will also need less coats to achieve good results. Angelus also comes in a wider variety of color.

It looks like super diluted acrylic paint. I would try diluting Angelus paint with water to see if you get "wash" look that you are looking for. I personally would stay away from Cova that is offered by Tandys as it's not enough bang for the buck in my opinion. Some folks have luck with the folk art paint you can get at any hobby store too.

IMHO, run far away from the ecoflow products, which your local Tandys will try to dispense like crack to the unsuspecting folk. There is a reason Fiebings, and products like like the neatlac Electrathon recommend have been around for generations...because they work! Some folks have had beautiful results with the Eco flow antique, but I have put my faith in Fiebings antique paste. I've also learned to let the antique sit for just a wee bit, the longer it sits the darker it gets. My only recommendation with the paste is to use a spray method of sealer (ie an air brush) as some finishers can turn it runny and move it around a bit during the sealing process.

I personally love love love Quik Slick from Sheridan leather. Much more consistent results the gum trag and less money per ounce. As for color I use a big ole pro Sharpie with a chiseled end and I get clean results everytime. I guess some folks would consider it cheating, but pretty sure they wouldn't be able to tell the difference

Ok this really has become a pissing contest. In reply to the original post, I agree that tools are very important. However, a true Master of any craft can produce astounding works of art using just crayons. I personally did invest in some barry king tools, and while I love my mallet and swivel knife I do find myself going back to my vintage Craftools time and time again. The key word here is VINTAGE. You can get them for about the same price as new ones all the time on ebay and it's well worth it IMHO. The biggest key I found in improving my own technique was perfecting the casing process. You could spend thousands of dollars on tools, and if the cow isn't ready to receive your blows, it won't make a lick of difference. Here is an example of an artist doing what she does with the tools she has been given. She is Deakath on deviantart, she is French and I have talked to her about her processes. In most cases she uses small screwdrivers, modeling tools etc to get the look she is going for. Now this might not be your cup of tea for all you traditionalists out there, but she inspires me with every new post.

Here is mine... Oops helps to attach the pic lol

I actually use Angelus Paint on all my armor commissions...the color is just more dense then dye. I use dye as a base "just in case" and then go over it in thin coats. The paint actually dries much faster then other paint I have found and I have yet to see it scratch or peel like the icky Cova did. Once it is dry, I go over it with antique and then seal with Leather Sheen.

Modeling spoons can be your best friends...fix all sorts of issues

I use the pallet covers that feed stores use to cover the top of pallet of feed. They are a little less in thickness then a cereal box, come in 4' x 4' sheets and best all...are FREE. Just hit up your local Tractor Supply Co. Or other feed store and I'm sure they will set you up.

Check out this guys tutorial....I found it very helpful and he does some amazing things....

I second wrapping in Saran Wrap. And only exposing what typos are working on. I've done elaborate book covers that took two weeks (pesky real life schedule) with no issues. I do case mine with listerine solution also however

Pretty sure it's the same stuff with fancy verbiage. IMHO pitch the gum trag and try quick slik from Sheridan leather company. Much less expensive per ounce, and does a better job with far less elbow grease. Plus you can color the edges AFTER you use the slik

I personally enjoy the old vintage Midas stamps...and since they have been dis for over 30 years now, not too many folks use them

Kinda the same difference between buying a Victorian Secret Bra versus a Walmart variety....still gets the job done, the cheaper one actually lasts longer....but your paying for the name. Many folks have had great results with the inexpensive acrylics you get for a buck and some change. I personally recommend Angelus Leather paint. Very flexible and formulated specifically for leather.

I've never seen white leather that was able to be tooled. The best thing you can do is use white Angelus paint. I second the thin coats, but Angelus is a faaaaar better product then Cova and is super flexible. I typically seal with Angelus finish as well unless I'm using antique in which case I have used Leather Sheen in aerosol form. Here is a pic I did for a customer who has worn it numerous times and still going strong.

I am looking for some decorative rings like the ones in this picture. I've searched the web to no avail. Antik corp has some different styles, but nothing like this. Any help would be most appreciated.