Tina

Hi Maeshin and Thanks for looking at my work:-) How long...I've worked with leather now for around +7 years but the tooling/carving is just a few months old. I got my first tools in october last year for that. Padding...I make the padding by sewing 2 layers of soft lamb and 1 layer of...(hmmm here's where sometimes my lack of english reminds it self) the type of material you put into quilts or similar. Leaving a small gap I turn it inside out and stich the opening together. I attache this to the cuff/collar or whatever with rivets. IF I had a sewing machine for the heavy leather I would have used that instead but..."You take what you have and make the best of it" :-) Hope this helps you some//Tina

Really nice... But I tell you, I just loved the dragon armor. Not only was it really "fantasy" but the coloring was absolute superb. Looking forward to see this armor when it's done:-)

A million thanks Clay, Now I know what to do tonight, there's a lot of photos there:-) I've been horseback riding the bigger part of my life (but not in cowboy saddles as they're called where I come from) Only a few times in my life I've been up in one and they're comfy to say the least. Finding this place here in cyberspace have made it possible (at least in my dreams) to exspand, explore and never stop looking over the horizon when it comes to leather. Well, it does help to have a "nagging" daughter with all the faith you can have in her mom saying: "Hey, I want this and that...You can make it, can't you?" The western style guitarr strap is soon finished for her and now she wants a saddle just because I happend to mension my desire to learn how to build one...Gees, they never give you a brake do they, even if they're all grown up? :-) It's like my old granny use to say, "the kids and grandkids is what keeps you young" *S* Jumping of to visit Clays place, this is going to be interesting...Have a great night//Tina

Hi ArtS That's sooo cute... Well I guess some dog owner might like it? *SSS* I just like to make (hopefully) beautiful things. The handle, well it's on a wood base, braided (most of the times) and with a loads of patience and presistans i get the rings and tacks on. As far as I know I'm the only one making handles like this (and have for about 7 years) They have become one of my trademarks so to speak. I trade you the whole secret for teaching me how to build saddles, one of my dreams to learn:-) Have a Great evening//Tina

The one I'm usin does not smell hardly anything...So, it's either the smell or 3 layers *S*

Hi Wolvie, Nice handles, the braiding looks really cool, I like it. As Beaverslayer says, to go good with the blue on your bike I would tan them, get them a warmer, light to medium yellowish/browninsh color to accent the cool blue. Sooo missing my bikes:-( (many, many...Many years ago *S*)

I totally agre...Amazing:-)

Hi Beaverslayer :-) I'm using Winsor&Newtons "Masking Fluid". It' think it's latex (but not sure) I think any good art store would have it. Normally it's used when you need to mask something of painting with watercolors. It's like rubber when it dryes. I only took one layer of it when I did the leaves and that is not a good idea. It gets stuck in the background (made with tool 104) and because it's so thin it did not come of as easy as I would have hoped for. The next time I'm going to get at least 3 layers of it. Hope this helps a wee bit:-)

Hi Wolf... Me too...It was a try to mix the purple with the blue at some places, it kinda works;-)

I just made a little practise piece the other day when the forum was down. This is also mostly spirit dyes (and the black leather paint) Because so many areas is touching each other that needs coloring I tried to use some of my arty stuff, Masking fluid to prevent the colors to get into the wrong place. It worked but...The next time I have to do the layers of the masking fluid much thicker...It was a drag to peel of (with the pliers *grrr*)

Lets see if I can make some hints on how I do the coloring on some of the objects. First of, If possible I would use the spirit dyes on most things that needs a vivid color...They rock! The flames: It's actually easier than it looks the way I have the rest of the design. I prefer and use Angelius spirit dyes for them (but I guess any dyes can be used?). I actually just use that cotton round thigie on a metal string and dab around (really) I have yellow and red that meets somewhere in the middle for orange (or I mix orange in beforehand to make it easier). I also use resolvent and rather make a few extra layers and get it right than all at once. The trick is to be lightning fast (supermanspeed but still one has to know what to do) to keep the work and dyes wet. Because I make the background black it's very forgiving cuz it covers all the flaws. The black is Angelius leather paint done with mostly a fine brush or two. The flags and badge:This is all painted with the leather paint, "easy as apple pie":-) Snake collar:This one was tricky to say the least. Here I used the spirit dyes for the flowers and leaves. Because of the small details I used a small brush to them and I just love the resolvent fluid...It really helps keeping the work under some sort of "control" (?). I guess my background as and artist with many moves down my spinal cord helps *S* The background again is the black leather paint and the snake I made with antiquing, why settle for just one kind of coloring when there's so many to use:-)I hope this helps a little bit and feel free to ask, I'll try to aswer ASAP//Tinaps. ps. I just got the "hidden section" up in my user and will post the the rest of the pictures up almost as we speak Have a fab day everyone//Tina

Truley Impressed with your work Clay. You're absolutly an artist in your own right, both with the carving and how you come up with your ideas. Loooking forward to see the rest...Awesome:-)

Awesome crisp carving, something to aim for:-)

Hi everyone and Great, Massive Thanks:-) I know I did get some questions from some of you before the crash about how I do the coloring..And I did put up a loooong answer that was here for an hour or so *Grrr* (and no. I did'nt copy the text anywhere *double grrrr*) I'm going to get the text down again and up here, just give me a day or so. So happy and greatful to everyone that's been working on this page to get it up again//Tina

Oki, I put them up again...but because of the forum we're in I take some modified pics of the tooling on certain object to be family friendly;-)

Thank You rdb, I'm going to experiment a bit to get that "right weathered" look. Your strap have that fab look to it :-)

I Like it:-) I'm doing a guitar strap for my daughter right now and you have the absolute right "color" (antique) on there that she wants. So my question is what did you use?

Thanks both of you :-) Hidecrafter was the one but going to check out the other one too. Have a fab day//Tina

I found a link here before the crasch to a supplier that seamed to have "everything". It was a link to their online catalog (in PDF format) a Huge one and something about being the 10th anniversary catalog. Anyone that has a clue of what I'm looking for?

howardb *Giggle* I dare put just these few photos up here cuz Johanna moved them the last time from adult to this "show of" forum... Jordan Simply Very much Thank You:-) wolvenstien Thanks for your "Welcome back"...I did read and answer you just before the crach down, I'll do it again...

I didn’t know that a forum could create an addiction so quickly *S* I join the rest and say…â€Big Thank You for your work, all of youâ€.

Hi all I promised Johanna to get my pictures up again…They’re some of the ones that can not be restored so here it comes….