DwightT

Yes you can, but it's been quit a while since I last did it. I think TomE has the general process using the fuzzy selector or select by color, plus there are several tutorials available out on the web for how to do it. I just did a quick google search for "gimp line art from photo" and it came back with a writeup along with a few video tutorials. Might not hurt me to sit down and go through the process again just to re-familiarize myself with it. /dwight

I'm one of those people who couldn't draw a crooked line if I had to. Remember the "Draw Me" ads that the American Art Institute used to put in magazines? Most people would get back a form letter letting them know that they had great potential as an artist and they should sign up for the Institute's art correspondence course right away. My letter wanted me to promise to never touch pencil to paper ever again. When computer drawing programs started to be developed, I was in heaven. I could at least now reliably draw a straight line and actually put out some engineering drawings at work. Since those early days the programs have gotten good enough that if I see something that I think might make a good leather pattern I can load an image into the drawing program (I currently use GIMP), then trace over it to create a line-art template. I can then scale that line-art to whatever size I need and print it out to have a tracing template. Probably most of you have enough talent to be able to free-hand draw a pattern directly and by-pass the computer part, but I know that won't happen for me. I think just about any computer drawing program would let you do the job. But regardless of the program it will involve spending some time with it to discover what it is capable of and what you can do with it. /dwight

They all seem to have their problems at one time or another. I had one from FedEx a while back that I'm still trying to figure out. Ordered a cat door from Amazon, and on the anticipated delivery date I got the email notice that it had been delivered. Great. Even included a photo of the package sitting on my front porch. But when I went out to get it, the package wasn't there. Crap. Figured a porch pirate must have walked off with it. Called Amazon to report it, and they said that they will send out a new one. I don't remember the reason but the replacement was going to take a few days to get here. Two days later though there is a package on the front step with our cat door. Ok, the replacement got here faster than expected. Go in to Amazon tracking, and they say they haven't shipped it yet. Went ahead and cancelled that order (certainly didn't need two cat doors), but I'm still trying to figure out what happened.

Beautiful. I may have to look at making myself a set one of these days. And your stitching looks pretty awesome also. /dwight

Nice. Gives me some ideas for some of the cigar smokers in the family. /dwight

I finished a dice cup today using your technique (mostly) for the base. I'll need some more practice, but I have to say that I like the process and the results much more than the flush base that I was doing. I started by cutting a circle that had a radius that was about 3/8" longer than the circle that I would have used for a flush fit. After skiving and wetting, I did some initial shaping over the Campbell soup can that I was using as a mandrel. I then inserted it into the tube, smoothed the fit and stitched it in. Next I cut off the excess (about 1/8"), and finished the edge as normal. As I said, I think it looks a lot better than what I was getting before. /dwight

Thanks. Seems so simple that now I feel like an idiot for asking (but the only foolish question is the one that isn't asked). I was thinking that you would have to have cut a dart in the inner rim to get it to fit properly. I didn't even think about wet molding. Haven't done any yet, so it just didn't come to mind. I'll be trying that in the next day or two on the next cup that I do. Thanks again. /dwight

Beautiful work. Especially with the lifter. I have got to get more practice with that tool. /dwight

I also did the "social" media thing for a while. Originally it was a convenient way to keep in touch with my daughter when she moved to the other side of the country. But with the way it has devolved over the last few years and as Chuck mentions the total narcissism that it seems to breed, I've pretty much given up on it. This forum and one motorcycle related forum are about the only types of online discussion areas that I'm involved with any more. /dwight

Small workspaces almost require some level of neatness. Otherwise there wouldn't be any room to get any work done. There is actually only one can of NeatLac. The other can is NeatLac Thinner. Basically acetone. I bought both of them way back when I was in high school, long before the digital age. There is about a third of the can of the NeatLac left, and it is actually still good. I don't use it too often though. It doesn't seem to work well with the gel stains that I use. /dwight

Hi Joel - I'm looking at the recessed base disk in this photo: In the dice cups and bottle totes that I've been doing I've been using a flush box joint: It works, but I think that having a recessed bottom like yours would be better, plus I would be able to do a better job of finishing the edges. Thanks /dwight

Beautiful work. I like how you did the base with the recessed bottom. Can you describe how you do that? Do you cut a dart in the rim? /dwight

Lets hear it for small workspaces. My tool rack is based on one that I saw in the forum - I think it was brokenolmarine. Works well for me. /dwight

That is gorgeous, and high quality workmanship. Good job! /dwight

Thanks for the kind words. We came up with a few different designs during the process, some more successful than others. With 7 kids between us and all their spouses, doing these bags gives us a way to give each kid something fairly unique for Christmas. Right now she is working on a patchwork leather bag using my chrome-tan scraps (that's what prompted her to organize my scrap bin the other day). It should be interesting once it's complete. /dwight

When I got back into leatherwork a few months ago, my wife felt threatened because she thought family and friends would like my stuff more than her quilting (poppycock). So we came up with a way to collaborate by combining her quilting with my leather and including our mutual interest in wine: quilted wine totes with a tooled leather base. It's been a lot of fun working with her on the design and fabrication. /dwight

Thanks a lot. Now my wife wants me to make a couple for the Barby doll collection that she keeps for the grandkids. /dwight

Welcome from Idaho. You'll find lots of good info here, often just from digging through the archives. Lots of friendly people ready to answer questions and give advice too. Looking forward to seeing your work. /dwight

I have to confess - when I got back into leather a few months ago, I sorted my scraps into veg tan and chrome tan bins. That was the chrome tan bin and since I haven't really done much with chrome tan... Most of that is from the bag of scraps that I inherited from my grandfather. My veg tan bin has a bit more in it. And I can't believe that I'm really in a discussion comparing the size of scrap bins. Seriously? /dwight

I'm going to have to try one (or two, or three) of those and play with it, but I would think you would do a "faded" bevel where you start heavy at one end of the line and fade out towards the middle. Then you fade in on the other side, ending heavy at the other end of the line. But I think Handstitched is right: most of the effect will come from proper coloring & shading - which is something that I personally am horrible at. /dwight

That's not too bad then. I've had some hats where things like that added significant weight and by the end of the day my neck was screaming in pain from holding it all up. Regardless the hat stilllooks great. /dwight

Hello from western Idaho. As has been stated, lots of good info here. It's pretty amazing what you can learn from the people here. Welcome to the forum. /dwight

That looks awesome. Have to ask though how heavy it is. Seems like all those antler tips would add a fairly noticeable weight. /dwight

That was exactly my point. Half the time I'm not looking for a specific piece of leather. I'm usually looking for inspiration for the next project. /dwight