Tooled Deer In Leather

[jestermg]

I am a beginner in the leather world. I have been fooling around with leather for about 5 months. Usually made braclets, masks, etc etc. My 1st major item was a pair os Leather Santa suspenders for myself, since I play Santa Claus at Christmas. Actually playing Santa is one of the major reasons I took up the hobby of leather craft. I wanted to have a handcarved and tooled belt but when I was quoted close to 500 dollars I thought, Heck I can do that.....and so it goes.

This is one of my 1st attempts of molding leather animals into leather. Be gentle on me, this is my 1st attempt.

Edited July 17, 2011 by jestermg

[Rhide]

Looks real good to me. Nice job on the basket weave too!

Edited July 17, 2011 by Rhide

[kid terico]

Great job. If thats your first your really good.It took me 10 years to get that good and I've only been doing leather for 5 years. KT

[jestermg]

It is my first attempt at an animal. I have tooled around some with Sheridan patterns and other effects but the 1st time to just get in there with a modeling tool and go to town. I should mention that I am an artist without any education or degrees, so I wasn't overly surprised that I could do this but was pleasntly surprised with the way it turned out.

Now if I can keep from screwing it up when I allpy a finish.

[Rhide]

Removed comment

Edited July 18, 2011 by Rhide

[jestermg]

Here is my whitetail Buck after dying and finishing.

[Blazin]

Looks fantastic to me. I'm amazed at how well the basket stamping looks also. Its hard for me to perfectly line up the tool with the previous stamp for uniformity, but you got it perfect! The deer is also sharp looking lots of detail. I wouldn't know where to begin to carve something like that. You said modeling tool? You did that whole deer with just a modeling tool?

[jestermg]

Blazin,

with no formal training or even consulting a book I just sketched the buck onto a piece of transfer paper. I then transferred the design on the leather and then I took my swivel knife and outlined the antlers and the shape of the deers body. I also used it to cut in the eyes. Other than that I just used the modeling tool to sculpt the muscle tissue and other features of the buck. After I was happy with the deer, I then took a X-acto knife and made all the "hairs" on the buck.

As far as the basket weave, after I scribe a reference line it is just a matter of taking your time and practice and you will get the hang of it. Don't go into a project cold, use a lot of scrap to play around with your tools and you will get the hang of it. On the next piece I work I have learned that I need to either glur my leather to some cardboard or contact paper to reduce the strech. I had a little bit of strech in the weave, but once I wrapped this thing around the flask you could not tell.

[Blazin]

Lets see it on the flask!