Members memper Posted March 22, 2010 Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 Hello, I'm new here and new to leatherwork. I am working on a motorcycle seat with brand new professional leather. Two pieces (one for each side of the seat pan) of distressed 5/6 oz. I dont plan on tooling, I think I will leave that for another project. For now I want to focus on dyeing. I would like to know how to replicate the streaky two toned effect in the attached picture. Thanks in advance. M Quote
Ambassador abn Posted March 22, 2010 Ambassador Report Posted March 22, 2010 First of all, welcome to LW.net. We're glad you found us. Regarding your question, I've never produced a dye job of that type. But I'll give you some pointers on how I might go about trying, and let's hope that someone with more experience chimes in. The first thing you'll need is plenty of scrap leather to try this out on. You never, ever, ever want to experiment on your final project. Ask me how I know this. I have a trash can full of "great" last-minute ideas. Next, you'll need tan dye and black dye. I think my first try would be to dye the entire project tan, and use a wool dauber and the black dye to darken the edges. Then I'd use a very lightly-loaded dauber to produce the black streaks. Maybe another way to accomplish this is to selectively apply a resist (like Satin Shene) to keep some areas lighter than others. I'm not very knowledgable in that area, so I'll leave it to someone else to expand upon that idea. The most important thing is to get the two dyes and start experimenting on scrap. You may not be able to replicate that exact dye job, but who knows -- you may stumble onto something that looks even better to you. Good luck! Let us know how it goes. Quote
Members jbird Posted March 22, 2010 Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 (edited) Howdy and welcome. I have a laundry list of ways to get this effect in fact a devoted a hole time perfecting this effect. First off ABN is real close a few miner changes I would make. If you have air brush we are talking a hole new ball game but let's talck other methods and asume you don't have a airbrush. To get this look you need at least four steps. Step one: apply a light color I use tan mixed with a slight yellow color ( please use acholl dye) mix half achool half dye and apply. Step two: use the same color but no achool and apply work from the edges to the middle this is a done by a loaded dauber on the edges and a all but dry as you reach the middle. Step three: lightly oil the piece. Step four: apply black to the edges and work in use a white Cotten rag for this very lightly loaded Start applying and work in, in tell you are happy with the finish. Step five: buff well. Step six : spray on a finish very important! Or if you can't let dry for 48 hours Len apply a finish but not recamend. Sorry to say but this finish is a bit tricky. Good luck Josh Edited March 22, 2010 by jbird Quote Josh Dusty Chaps Leather & Seven O Saddle Shop 801-809-8456 Keep moving forward! On a horse. Hebrews 4:12 My link
Members memper Posted March 22, 2010 Author Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 (edited) ok. Thanks. Do I need to case the leather before dyeing? Would the use of a sponge or an old ruined paintbrush get the streaking effect? To me the effect in my picture looks like wood grain. Perhaps there is a "wood grain" technique yall know about? ALso, you mention mixing half dye and half alcohol. Doesn't Fiebings have premixed ready to use jars? Im looking to order Fiebings spirit based Tan and Dark Brown Edited March 22, 2010 by memper Quote
Members jbird Posted March 22, 2010 Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 Yes they have pre mixed that's what I am talking about but. I think you should try abn's way. Quote Josh Dusty Chaps Leather & Seven O Saddle Shop 801-809-8456 Keep moving forward! On a horse. Hebrews 4:12 My link
Members memper Posted March 22, 2010 Author Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 Yes they have pre mixed that's what I am talking about but. I think you should try abn's way. I have been advised by a friend to use oil based stain rather than alcohol dye. He said that the oil stain will age and wear better with use. Can I use ABN's way with oil based stains? Quote
Members jbird Posted March 22, 2010 Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 I have been advised by a friend to use oil based stain rather than alcohol dye. He said that the oil stain will age and wear better with use. Can I use ABN's way with oil based stains? Yes you can! How ever I common mistake is that oil dye is oil? Ha not at all try thining it with a oil thinner it's a higher grade achool base dye. Josh Quote Josh Dusty Chaps Leather & Seven O Saddle Shop 801-809-8456 Keep moving forward! On a horse. Hebrews 4:12 My link
MADMAX22 Posted March 22, 2010 Report Posted March 22, 2010 I have done this on a wallet before and it turned out pretty cool. I used a light tan under coat, then dyed the motorcycle design a orange color (harley insignia with wings). Then I went over it with a black similer to that style. What I did was take a portion of cotton shirt, stuff the center with cotton balls and cinch it up nice and tight so you have a round over sized dauper made out of a shirt. Load this with the black dye and then run it on some paper towels to take some of it off. Now ever so slightly run this over the project and apply slightly more pressure where you want more black. I liked the overall finish but one thing to mention is that since its a wallet that gets used daily the dye will come off on areas. The guy I did it for likes it because it makes it have a real rustic look. I wish I had a pic of it but I dont. I may try and get one in the next couple of days if I can get away with it. Quote
Members memper Posted March 23, 2010 Author Members Report Posted March 23, 2010 I have done this on a wallet before and it turned out pretty cool. I used a light tan under coat, then dyed the motorcycle design a orange color (harley insignia with wings). Then I went over it with a black similer to that style. What I did was take a portion of cotton shirt, stuff the center with cotton balls and cinch it up nice and tight so you have a round over sized dauper made out of a shirt. Load this with the black dye and then run it on some paper towels to take some of it off. Now ever so slightly run this over the project and apply slightly more pressure where you want more black. I liked the overall finish but one thing to mention is that since its a wallet that gets used daily the dye will come off on areas. The guy I did it for likes it because it makes it have a real rustic look. I wish I had a pic of it but I dont. I may try and get one in the next couple of days if I can get away with it. ok. Thanks for the tips. Quote
Contributing Member TwinOaks Posted March 23, 2010 Contributing Member Report Posted March 23, 2010 I think most of have achieved that effect followed by a long string of adult language...... Think of it like rubbing an eraser across a pencil smudge..... Dye the base color, let dry. Apply resist to the areas you want "streaky". Let dry. Apply the top color coat over the whole thing and then dip a dauber or rag in alcohol and run over the resisted area - BEFORE IT DRIES. Clean/swap daubers and repeat as desired. The solvent should pull the dye off the resist, giving you the streaks you want. In areas you want a little more dark, don't clean the rag. Let dry, apply finish and top coat. Quote Mike DeLoach Esse Quam Videri (Be rather than Seem) "Don't learn the tricks of the trade.....Learn the trade." "Teach what you know......Learn what you don't." LEATHER ARTISAN'S DIGITAL GUILD on Facebook.
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