A Couple Of New Bags!

[AndyL1]

Hey Gang,

Well it's been a while since I've posted something up here so I figured I should share what I've done lately.

Here we go! Two messenger bags both done in 4/5 oz veg tan. One is mahogany and the other brown. Both done in my dry-sponge weathering effect. They both measure 15x11x4.5.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Andy

Edited April 3, 2011 by AndyL1

[jeeperaz]

very nice. thanks for sharing.

any chance you can share some of you photography setup details?

[AndyL1]

very nice. thanks for sharing.

any chance you can share some of you photography setup details?

Thanks a ton!

My photo setup is fairly basic. I took these photos on the island in my kitchen actually! The leather underneath is the flesh side of an oil tanned hide draped over a tall box to get a nice seamless backdrop.I get some nice natural light from the garden window on the right and I turn on some lights to the left.

Gear:

Nikon D70s

Nikon SB-600 Speedlight

Tripod

Photoshop CS3

I shot these at F/4.5 so I get a nice shallow depth of field and the Speedlight pointed at the ceiling for a good bounce fill. I use the timer on the camera so I can stand to the left with a bounceboard to pop a little light into the left side. I usually like to shoot outside but in a pinch I think my kitchen setup works good too.

Edited April 3, 2011 by AndyL1

[Ladykahu]

Very nice bags! Seeing your work is inspiring me to make a messenger type bag for myself

Any chance of a photo of how the catch works? I haven't seen one like that before

Thanks

Natalie

[jeeperaz]

Thanks a ton!

My photo setup is fairly basic. I took these photos on the island in my kitchen actually! The leather underneath is the flesh side of an oil tanned hide draped over a tall box to get a nice seamless backdrop.I get some nice natural light from the garden window on the right and I turn on some lights to the left.

Gear:

Nikon D70s

Nikon SB-600 Speedlight

Tripod

Photoshop CS3

I shot these at F/4.5 so I get a nice shallow depth of field and the Speedlight pointed at the ceiling for a good bounce fill. I use the timer on the camera so I can stand to the left with a bounceboard to pop a little light into the left side. I usually like to shoot outside but in a pinch I think my kitchen setup works good too.

Thanks. Exactly the info what I was looking for.

[groovytech]

Where did you get the steampunk style latch? Great work!!

[dscott]

great job

[AndyL1]

Very nice bags! Seeing your work is inspiring me to make a messenger type bag for myself

Any chance of a photo of how the catch works? I haven't seen one like that before

Thanks

Natalie

Unfortunately I don't have a photo (gave the bag away already) but basically the horizontal bar pivots up and slides out of the slotted catch it is in. It's a three-piece hardware.

Where did you get the steampunk style latch? Great work!!

Thanks! Got it from Ohio Travel Bag.

great job

Thanks a ton!

[8thsinner]

WOW, they look incredible and the carving on the last one is awesome, I wish I could do that.

Could you please share something about your dry sponge technique, do you dab with the same colour over and over in different places or use different dyes or what. I love it.

[AndyL1]

WOW, they look incredible and the carving on the last one is awesome, I wish I could do that.

Could you please share something about your dry sponge technique, do you dab with the same colour over and over in different places or use different dyes or what. I love it.

Thanks man!

It's not so much of a "dry" sponge I guess. What I use is an old kitchen sponge, and dampen it under the faucet with water. Squeeze the water out so much that the sponge is just soft and slightly damp. I pour some black dye into a paper plate, not a lot maybe a couple of table spoons. I just touch the sponge into the dye to draw up a little then pat an old rag to get the excess off. The sponge now is just barely loaded with some dye and I begin to pat the edges of the bag. I usually hold one end of the sponge and kind of slap it against the leather, changing angles as I go to keep a very random pattern.

I repeat this process a few times as I just try to build up the color. Too much black dye all at once won't look as good. It would look like you used the sponge as a rubber stamp and all you see is "sponge" pattern.

Once I get it to where I like it, I'll let the dye set for a few minutes. Then with a dry white rag I'll come back and rub off some areas. It kind of removes some black here and there on the high spots like around some of the stitching. Makes for a cool effect. Check out the bottom edge of this bag to see what I mean.

Thanks again!

Andy