New to Forum and new to leather

[Bighearn]

Im new to the forum and would like to know what you think. Have not worked leather in years but got the itch again

[tazzmann]

Looks awesome to me! Great job! What did you use for coloring?

[Bighearn]

Cova colors on the design and paint brushed dye around it. It was a real pain to do had to use some reading glasses as my eyes are shot. I worked with leather when I was a kid some but just got back to it after twenty some odd years and two kids etc. I love doing it and am rusty but I just got the itch if you know what i mean.

[tazzmann]

I know what you mean. I got into it when I was 14, but only did it off and on for about 20 years. Now I am getting heavy into it. I just broke out the majority of my tools from storage. I too am a little rusty, but my muscles are starting to remember how it was done. Keep up the good work! looking forward to seeing more of your stuff!

[Bighearn]

I will post em as I get them done. I got a few request from friends after they saw this one. I'm trying to do some stuff other than the pattern book junk. Not that the old patterns are bad they are great but they only appeal to a limited crowd if you know what I'm trying to say.

[tazzmann]

Yup, I have started into the Tattoo artwork world. I got a really cool skull design that I put on the side of a front fork tool pouch. When I get the pouch done, I will post it up under the motorcycle section here on this site. It is the first skull I have ever done, so I hope it turned out ok. I can see several of my mistakes, but then I am WAY more critical of my own work!

[Spider]

Dude that is nice. If you have an itch again that is cool. Of course, after hanging in this site for a bit that itch will become a rash....LOL sorry....LOL

[SCOUTER]

BigHearn, Belt looks very nice... I don't know how deep you were "in" before but this site will turn you into a born again leatherhead... Be warned! Welcome!

[Bighearn]

Thanks fellas I just wish I was more of an artist so I could draw up the things I see in my head and put them on the leather. I guess I'm just stuck hunting for cool things I see and can transfer. I lean to motorcycle related things as I have two Harleys and a ton of Harley pals that want a belt nobody else has. So you got to make each one something different and new and all that jazz and the patterns out there just don't go with the Harley crowd. I guess I'll Just keep looking for cool patterns and tibits that I can snatch here and there, and hope the Harley goon's don't track me down and get me for copyright infringment. Oh not leather but something cool you might like (or might not) but I make these buckles with a picture of your bike encased in it. I get the buckle blanks and glue the pic in then pour a resin over it. The resin hardens like glass and there ya go a nice custom buckle of your bike or whatever else might strike your fancy. May not be the first to do it but I never seen it before it just hit me while shopping for a buckle at Tandy. A pic attached of my buckle with my Heritage.

[bustedlifter]

Belt looks good. I know what you mean about the neverending quest for artwork.

[steveb]

Thanks fellas I just wish I was more of an artist so I could draw up the things I see in my head and put them on the leather. <snip>

well i cant draw either, never held me back...lol...nothing that a scanner, a set of french curves, a compass or two and a

good set of fonts can cure...good design is all in your eye, not necc. in your hands.... Be crafty, many font sets and even specialty fonts have all sorts of

appropriate iconography that you can corrupt for leather craft, once sized up...having a friend or two who are excellent graphic designers helps

in those special situations where only the best will do

You can tun a picture into line art with high contrast and play all sorts of tricks with scanners, copiers and photo editing/viewing software

- no reason to let crappy drawing skills get in the way. Even without those (nice to have ) skills, you can make do...

steveb

[Bighearn]

So true. I been playing with some programs and seeing what I can do. This site has giving me tons of ideas. I really dont know where to start. I guess I do.... the next peice of leather. I been eyeballing some of the holsters these guys are making thinking I might give that a try or two or three. I got an old 45 I need a new holster for so I guess Ive picked my next project.

[Spider]

well i cant draw either, never held me back...lol...nothing that a scanner, a set of french curves, a compass or two and a

good set of fonts can cure...good design is all in your eye, not necc. in your hands.... Be crafty, many font sets and even specialty fonts have all sorts of

appropriate iconography that you can corrupt for leather craft, once sized up...having a friend or two who are excellent graphic designers helps

in those special situations where only the best will do

You can tun a picture into line art with high contrast and play all sorts of tricks with scanners, copiers and photo editing/viewing software

- no reason to let crappy drawing skills get in the way. Even without those (nice to have ) skills, you can make do...

steveb

Hey Guys you are right. I both draw and work my computer. I have done both made illustrations out of scans and just plain drew and scanned. Actually I also sometimes just draw directly on the leather and see what comes out. Just like a tattoo artist has to make a pic tattoo friendly, I've found that we have to do the same thing. Practice is key. I mean I can draw on paper all day long but leather takes different technique cause now we are making it 3D not just to appear 3D. I say learn to draw some simple stuff if you can but even us who draw need to look for existing patterns out there from time to time.

Keep learning.

[Bighearn]

So no one ever told me what they thought about the buckle idea. Good, bad, indifferent?

[Spider]

So no one ever told me what they thought about the buckle idea. Good, bad, indifferent?

Hey Bighearn,

I like the buckle idea. That could really come in handy when making belts and even bags if people want to really personalize an item. Really cool way to add to a nice leather piece.

[william]

I love the Belt

I would like to see the buckel when finished it sounds like a great idea.

[Bighearn]

I love the BeltI would like to see the buckel when finished it sounds like a great idea. -------------------

I posted a pic of the buckle on one of my replies should be able to see it I'll post another if not it shows my heritage incased in the buckle. Used a resin mixture to seal it into the buckle.The biggest problem with the buckle is that making the pic small enough to fit the resuloution of the photo is not as clear as I would like. But I'm still playing with some photo programs to try and find one that will retain better clarity of the photo any suggestions?

[Spider]

I posted a pic of the buckle on one of my replies should be able to see it I'll post another if not it shows my heritage incased in the buckle. Used a resin mixture to seal it into the buckle.The biggest problem with the buckle is that making the pic small enough to fit the resuloution of the photo is not as clear as I would like. But I'm still playing with some photo programs to try and find one that will retain better clarity of the photo any suggestions?

Adobe Photoshop....No other worth messing with.