Demo: Block dying

[CitizenKate]

I've seen a few people ask how to dye your projects so the tooled impressions are lighter than the un-tooled areas. Most projects are dyed/antiqued in such a way that the impressions are usually darker than the rest of the leather, but making it the other way around can also be very attractive, as most of you have noticed with the work of Sojourner Leather among others. I found a pretty easy way to do it, so I'm posting a quick little demo to show you at least one way to do it.

To start with, I have a piece of scrap with some tooling on it. I'm putting a wash of pure yellow dye on it as a kind of under-coat of color that does penetrate into the depressions. You can use other light colors, such as light tan, or just leave it natural if you prefer.

To apply the "top" coat of color, I often use a block of wood, MDF, or anything with a kind of a blocky shape that has a nice straight edge on at least one side. In this case, I found a piece of plexiglas I had laying around. (DO NOT use plexiglas with spirit-based dyes.) Then I take a soft cotton painters rag, or piece of old tee shirt, and wrap it snugly around the edge of the block I want to apply the dye with.

Notice here how I am holding the block applicator over the project as I am drizzling dye on it? Well, that's a very good example of what NOT to do! (Just wasn't really watching what I was doing, but fortunately, the drop that fell went onto the newspaper. - whew!) Anyway, just lightly soak the rag with dye. You don't want it to be totally saturated, but there needs to be enough to give you solid color.

This was not a particularly good piece of leather, so I really had to work to get some color into it. But the idea is to wipe the edge of your block evenly over the surface of the leather, applying dye to the high parts, and leaving the impressions more or less untouched.

And here is the result. It looks a little grainy because of the poor quality of the leather, but this should give you a pretty good idea how the process works.

Kate

[ClayB]

Thanks for taking the time to show us how you do that Kate. It's something I have never tried, but it got me to thinking. I wonder if that technique would work on the leaf, grass and seed impressions that my wife and I were doing last year. One more thing to add to the list.

Clay

[freak]

Well done. Thanks Kate for taking the time to write that up and take the pictures. I"ve always thought it might be done that way but, wasn't sure at all . Now i can say i've seen it done that way. Thank you !!! ONce again lady

[TomBanwell]

Wowser, that really takes me back. I first was exposed to leather working at a leather shop/head shop in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe called Geezenstacks in 1972. I was taught how to tool latigo, and dye it exactly that way, with a piece of cloth wrapped around a stick. I don't think I've used that technique in over 30 years. All right, I'm getting old! On the plus side, I'm getting smarter!

[CitizenKate]

Yes, in fact I can show you something similar.... take a look at the work of Les & Kimball Beery. Love their work!

Kate

It's something I have never tried, but it got me to thinking. I wonder if that technique would work on the leaf, grass and seed impressions that my wife and I were doing last year. One more thing to add to the list.

[jammon]

Good stuff, thanks for taking the time to share it.

[ClayB]

Thanks for the link Kate, there is some neat stuff there. I really like the stuff they do with the leaves and how they color it. Now I have a few more things on that ever growing list.

Yes, in fact I can show you something similar.... take a look at the work of Les & Kimball Beery. Love their work!

Kate

[CitizenKate]

Hey, what are friends for? Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Kate

Now I have a few more things on that ever growing list.

[TomSwede]

Thank you Kate!

I've been admiring Sojourners stuff and thought I need to figure out how to do it.

The greatness of this place is all things shared so liberally!!

Tom

[Don101]

Kate thank you for the tip its so simple i was trying to think on the limes of waxing before dying and buffing up after but DUR there is always an easy way if you know how, thanks, Don