mrmartinsclass Report post Posted June 2, 2022 Entering summer season and opening the door to this group as I am exploring new skills. I'm not looking for the one 'right' answer, but hoping to piece together a good strategy from a collection of brilliant minds. ...and I'm needing a break from the 'YouTube experts". I've been improving my carving and etching skills and now want to make the pieces pop. I'd like the headshot piece to be antiqued. (best practices for going from raw etched leather to the multi-shade stain?) The tree and sun (not hammered yet) pieces need color (or colour). What are the best paints (quality, lasting ability, for precision detail)? Markers or paint brushes? Stain whole piece first then colorize or color first, then stain and then sheen cover? The back side will have black Sharpie-drawn QR codes for contact information. I appreciate the diversity of voices. Thanks in advance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuck123wapati Report post Posted June 2, 2022 i use artist grade acrylics for painting. Decent brushes or air brush depending on the project. headshot i would leave the body and face natural, background a light tan slightly darker than the body then the hair dark brown. resist real well anything you don't want stained with the antique. Magnifying glasses and a steady hand!! Acrylics over stain but you need to realize some acrylic colors are translucent while others are opaque. If you use a translucent color then you will need a white underlayment over the stain. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zuludog Report post Posted June 3, 2022 Just a short comment ......... if you leave plain, natural, undyed veg tan leather as it is, and just grease it, it gradually darkens to a sort of mustard yellow or pale tan colour on its own Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted June 3, 2022 (edited) Give your leather a suntan. Leaving vegetable-tanned leather in direct sunlight will darken it. The result varies depending I guess on what color it was to begin with, but I have gotten some very pleasing results just from this. Edited June 3, 2022 by Tugadude Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
