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

[Crystal]

Thank you, Kate! Another great thing to learn. I have to ditto Don, when I saw the eariler post asking for some help - I went everywhere except to what you have shown. (blew another pop quiz.)

And you have proven another therory that I have about all the talent on this board - all of you have two heads and four hands...(I can see two of you hands, so the other two are taking the pictures... ) otherwise how can an individual possibly retain all this information and produce such fabulous results? I am going to look into cloning....

Dolly

[abn]

Thanks for taking the time to write up that demo, Kate. Block-dyeing is on my list of things to try soon!

p.s. Thanks, too, for the link to Estes Village. Lots of nice stuff on that site!

[CitizenKate]

LOL I wish I had four hands! Actually, what I did was set the camera up on a tripod, and set the timer so I was working when the shutter went off.

Kate

And you have proven another therory that I have about all the talent on this board - all of you have two heads and four hands...(I can see two of you hands, so the other two are taking the pictures... ) otherwise how can an individual possibly retain all this information and produce such fabulous results? I am going to look into cloning....

[skip]

Very nice demo I too haven't seen dying like that since the seventies. thank you for reminding me of my past and the fun I had when I was just a wee ladd.

[tazzmann]

Thanks for the great write-up Kate! Possibilities..... hmmmmm....

[gtwister09]

Paul Burnett has many stamping designs that are a wonderful to start your creativity if you want to do that type of stamping work. Many of them are for belts but he also shows many coloring techniques as well. They can be purchased from the various leather suppliers and he has a web site as well.

Paul Burnett - Painted Cow Website

Regards,

Ben

[Pip]

Thanks Citizen kate! fabulous demo!!

[Spider]

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

Kate

Funny you would quote or use their work as an example. I will use your work as an example of great work. Funny how that happens huh?

[MADMAX22]

Thanks Kate, Tom just directed me here and I think this is very useful.

[dvawolk]

Hi, Kate!

I just tried this system for block dyeing and it is just drying by me...

The difference is that i pressed oak leaf into vegetable tanned leather. The leaf impression is stunning in detail, but there is very minute shallownes of it - the leaves are a thin thing :-)

So when i try to block dye, some surface that is pressed down, is also colored...

I am pressing another leaf into leather right now and i will try the following.

The leaf will be pressed into wet vegetable tanned leather for about half an hour.

After that i will block dye it right away when it will be still wet.

---Is this okay, or is it better to wait for the leather to be dry inside the press?

IMO it is harder to dye embossed leaf with wide embossed surfaces, compared to deeply tooled leather. Is there any other suggestion not to paint over the embossed surface, or is the only answer: practice makes perfect :-) ?

[CitizenKate]

So when i try to block dye, some surface that is pressed down, is also colored...

I am pressing another leaf into leather right now and i will try the following.

The leaf will be pressed into wet vegetable tanned leather for about half an hour.

After that i will block dye it right away when it will be still wet.

---Is this okay, or is it better to wait for the leather to be dry inside the press?

The dye tends to bleed more when applied to wet leather, so for this technique it's better to allow the leather to dry completely before applying dye.

IMO it is harder to dye embossed leaf with wide embossed surfaces, compared to deeply tooled leather. Is there any other suggestion not to paint over the embossed surface, or is the only answer: practice makes perfect :-) ?

Yes, it is more difficult, but it does take some trial-and-error to get it just right. One other suggestion: don't put too much dye on your block. If you're getting dye into depressed areas, use less dye and work lightly over the surface of the leather.

Kate

[whinewine]

The dye tends to bleed more when applied to wet leather, so for this technique it's better to allow the leather to dry completely before applying dye.

Yes, it is more difficult, but it does take some trial-and-error to get it just right. One other suggestion: don't put too much dye on your block. If you're getting dye into depressed areas, use less dye and work lightly over the surface of the leather.

Kate

Suggestion: AFTER applying dye to the block, BLOT heavily on newspaper to remove most of the dye. Think: 'dry brush' technique.

russ

[CitizenKate]

Suggestion: AFTER applying dye to the block, BLOT heavily on newspaper to remove most of the dye. Think: 'dry brush' technique.

russ

Kate

[dvawolk]

Great!

I just needed some practice - for fun, i will post my first few block dyed embossed oak leaves! The progress is really obvious :-)

Thanks for the hints and guidelines!

[dvawolk]

Hi!

These are my first attempts in leaf embossing and block dying. With last one (right) i am very satisfied! Comments and critiques welcomed!