I want an old worn look to color, suggestions

[Kustomizer]

OK, so I'm going to do my next seat with some color added, but I want it to be an old, worn out look, kind of like an old wooden sign and I was wondering the best way to achieve that look. I know that I have to dilute the dye with water, but was wondering how much and if I should dye the piece the main color first and then use the diluted color over it or do the color first and then super sheen it and use some antique or what. Anyone done something like this and maybe have a picture or two and some advice? The colors will be red, white and blue and there will be a 50's pin-up girl also, so some kind of flesh tone I guess, not sure. Here is the clipart I'm using for part of the design that would have color:

Any suggestions would be great!!

[CitizenKate]

Kustomizer, is something kind of like this look what you had in mind?

I do this by applying the dye colors first, skipping the resist, then applying antique.

Another way to give leather a little bit of an aged or distressed look is to put some brown dye on a rag, and lightly wipe it around the edges, getting it to blend from darker to lighter from the edges in.

Probably a million other ways to do it, should be interesting to see what everyone else does.

Kate

[kevinhopkins]

Hello Kustomizer,

What you're wanting is a bit challenging, but able to be done. Unfortunately, whatever you do is going to be an experiment, at least for the first time. I've done what you're talking about with acrylics over spirti dyes. The trick is to get the background color the way that you want it. And really, you're just gonna need to experiment a bit to figure out what you want. I wanted mine to be on a distressed charcoal background, so I reduced black greatly, wiped it on with a sponge, then reduced black antique with tan kote (a lot) and wiped it on with a sponge, then I wiped it down with thinner. After that, i used wated down fiebing acrylic colors to get what I wanted on the figures. You can build them up gradually, or make them as bold as you wish. I'm sure there are twelve zillion ways to go about it, but this worked for me.

happy experimenting!

Kevin

[MADMAX22]

I use one of the deglazers and after applying the dye take a rag dipped in that stuff and start buffing/wiping the stuff you want the older look in. It pulls up enough in certain spots to look cool IMHO.

I have also gotten some cool looks doing what Kate mentioned. Doing her step and followed with a alcohol or deglazer rub will get a cool affect also.

As allways experiment first.

[jbird]

Some great tips so far,

I am thinking your saying the colored part you want old looking,

Any way here's what I do for the old leather look,

I start with the airbrush spray a even light coat over the hole piece then spray a darker coat around the edges, let dry buff with a rag, then I take a rag and take a little dark brown stain and rub it off on a paper almost tell there's nothing left on it, then I rub the edges of the piece lightly let it dry the buff, last step take some black dye on a rag and do the same as the brown dye heavy on the very edges, let dry buff apply finish then I might rub on some antiuqe if needed or wanted.

With paint I apply it let dry the rub some denatured alcoholl then a rub with antiuqe.

Josh

Bad spelling on my iPhone

[Kustomizer]

Thanks for all the great info. I will be doing a bit of experimenting on this and will probably take bits and pieces of all of the info above to try and get the effect I'm trying to achieve. Thanks again!

[TomBanwell]

Not sure if this applies to your seat with multi colors, but I get the old bomber jacket look as seen on this steampunk mask as follows. Apply clear antiquing to seal the leather. Then apply brown antiquing over it, and wait till almost dry. Scrub hard with a paper towel to remove brown unevenly, giving the old look.

[Kustomizer]

Not sure if this applies to your seat with multi colors, but I get the old bomber jacket look as seen on this steampunk mask as follows. Apply clear antiquing to seal the leather. Then apply brown antiquing over it, and wait till almost dry. Scrub hard with a paper towel to remove brown unevenly, giving the old look.

Thanks, that sounds like it might give something close to what I'm looking for, again thanks for all the info, I love this place!!