Alternatives To Tandy Tracing Film?

[Spinner]

Wow! Fantastic answer! Thanks so much for taking so much time and effort to answer the question. I hope this thread helps others who are looking for alternatives as well.

Again, thank you so much!

Dennis

No problem Dennis, glad to help. Here's even more alternatives via a thread I did on testing the new Tandy printable film: http://leatherworker...showtopic=34899

Edited October 11, 2011 by Spinner

[Spinner]

Now I have even more questions. Did your program take that photo and convert it to line art? And is it possible to draw floral tooling patterns with these programs? I don't see anyone doing this and always assumed it was way to labor intensive or difficult to do with a program.

Bobby

Well thanks for the unintentional compliment Bobby. The picture in the upper right is actually a color added version of my line drawing, not a real photo.

I started with a color scan of actual playing cards from a $2 Bee deck and then drew everything in with it as a reference as seen in the upper left. From there I created the other three views including the full color one in the upper right.

As with floral or any computer based drawing, it is a bit labor intensive (took 2 hours to do the drawings on this page) but for me it's a matter of necessary prep work and personal enjoyment. Why spend two hours on a simple drawing of 5 playing cards? Well, now I have the basis for any playing card or casino themed pattern and on future projects I can simply take the cards, suits, etc. and orient them anyway I like in a matter of minutes as shown with the set on the lower left with the skewed Ace of Spades.

I use a vector based program called Xara to do the drawings. For most things like this it's simply a matter of tracing the original photo using lines and plot points and from there the lines can be pulled and stretched to form curves. For things like the club, it's simply three ovals and a cross and then the shapes are "added" together to form one solid shape that can be modified. Vector based programs are better versus older pixel based programs as the drawings are based on mathematical calculations for the points versus fixed pixels. This allows a drawing to be scaled or skewed to any value up or down with no resolution loss.

As for doing florals, the prep would be the killer for most folks since a skilled Sheridan pattern maker would be able to draw them pretty quickly. The advantage comes from ease of repetition & modification. With a pencil drawing, if you decide on a change, you either have to erase or start over whereas a computer model could simple be adjusted. You'd want to sit down and draw each of the elements so you have references for each pedal, center, vine, etc. Then with these items, you would construct your flower and group them. From there, the whole flower could be rotated, replicated, flipped, skewed, etc. There is a learning curve with any program but for something straight-forward like this it wouldn't be long.

Here is the latest version of the program I use: http://www.xara.com/us/products/designer/ many folks like Adobe Illustrator as well but since I started out with Xara in 1997 I've grown to love it and stuck with it.

[hidepounder]

Well thanks for the unintentional compliment Bobby. The picture in the upper right is actually a color added version of my line drawing, not a real photo.

I started with a color scan of actual playing cards from a $2 Bee deck and then drew everything in with it as a reference as seen in the upper left. From there I created the other three views including the full color one in the upper right.

As with floral or any computer based drawing, it is a bit labor intensive (took 2 hours to do the drawings on this page) but for me it's a matter of necessary prep work and personal enjoyment. Why spend two hours on a simple drawing of 5 playing cards? Well, now I have the basis for any playing card or casino themed pattern and on future projects I can simply take the cards, suits, etc. and orient them anyway I like in a matter of minutes as shown with the set on the lower left with the skewed Ace of Spades.

I use a vector based program called Xara to do the drawings. For most things like this it's simply a matter of tracing the original photo using lines and plot points and from there the lines can be pulled and stretched to form curves. For things like the club, it's simply three ovals and a cross and then the shapes are "added" together to form one solid shape that can be modified. Vector based programs are better versus older pixel based programs as the drawings are based on mathematical calculations for the points versus fixed pixels. This allows a drawing to be scaled or skewed to any value up or down with no resolution loss.

As for doing florals, the prep would be the killer for most folks since a skilled Sheridan pattern maker would be able to draw them pretty quickly. The advantage comes from ease of repetition & modification. With a pencil drawing, if you decide on a change, you either have to erase or start over whereas a computer model could simple be adjusted. You'd want to sit down and draw each of the elements so you have references for each pedal, center, vine, etc. Then with these items, you would construct your flower and group them. From there, the whole flower could be rotated, replicated, flipped, skewed, etc. There is a learning curve with any program but for something straight-forward like this it wouldn't be long.

Here is the latest version of the program I use: http://www.xara.com/...ducts/designer/ many folks like Adobe Illustrator as well but since I started out with Xara in 1997 I've grown to love it and stuck with it.

Thanks Chris! Believe it or not I actually understand most of that, LOL! If a person were to take the time to build enough elements and combinations of elements you could basically "cut and paste" and then modify or manipulate what ever was necessary to tie it all together. However it sounds like more than what I want to try to take on at this point anyway. It's amazing what you can do though and you really fooled me, LOL, I thought the photo was your original! Someone borrowed one of my finger carving patterns to use for a class and he copied the photo and turned it into line art and sent it back to me. I was really impressed and wondered about doing a floral pattern. Anyway...very cool stuff...thanks!

Bobby

[Spinner]

Thanks Chris! Believe it or not I actually understand most of that, LOL! If a person were to take the time to build enough elements and combinations of elements you could basically "cut and paste" and then modify or manipulate what ever was necessary to tie it all together. However it sounds like more than what I want to try to take on at this point anyway. It's amazing what you can do though and you really fooled me, LOL, I thought the photo was your original! Someone borrowed one of my finger carving patterns to use for a class and he copied the photo and turned it into line art and sent it back to me. I was really impressed and wondered about doing a floral pattern. Anyway...very cool stuff...thanks!

Bobby

That's pretty much the jist of it Bobby. I actually just found out the current versions of Xara have a photo import tool that will essentially trace the picture or drawing for you from a jpg or scanned photo and convert it to the vector format so the hard part is taken care of, it's just a matter making adjustments/clean-ups. I'm seriously thinking of upgrading and will let you know how it works out if I do.

Funny thing on the color version of my drawing, looking at it now I realized that if someone is paying close attention there's a flub that shows it's artificial. The Ace of Spades was changed and re-added to the picture after I had made it and in my haste to finish up, I forgot to add the primary level shadow that separates it from the Ace of Hearts (notice how the edge is not detectable between them but it is on the other overlapping cards). That's what happens when I work too late into the night! LOL

Chris

[r lenna]

You can get it at http://springfieldleather.com/ for $20 a roll or $2.30 a yard. If you get one of their Memberships even less than that. Rob

[Bard Skye]

Thanks Chris! Believe it or not I actually understand most of that, LOL! If a person were to take the time to build enough elements and combinations of elements you could basically "cut and paste" and then modify or manipulate what ever was necessary to tie it all together. However it sounds like more than what I want to try to take on at this point anyway. It's amazing what you can do though and you really fooled me, LOL, I thought the photo was your original! Someone borrowed one of my finger carving patterns to use for a class and he copied the photo and turned it into line art and sent it back to me. I was really impressed and wondered about doing a floral pattern. Anyway...very cool stuff...thanks!

Bobby

That's what I've done with my AutoCadd.

I've built "libraries" of elements that I commonly use, then scale, orient, and place in the drawing I'm working on.

Now I'll have to start putting together libraries of leather carving elements. <g>

It's a bit of work to start with, but worth it in the long run.

Great work, Spinner.

Skye

[r lenna]

Hi There you can find it at Springfield Leather you can get by the yard for $2.30 or by the roll for $20 you can find it here. http://springfieldleather.com/Books%2C-Patterns-%26-Craftaids/product/8086/Tracing-Film%2C10-yards/ most things are cheaper there than Tandy. Rob

[ACarver]

For me I make all my patterns in AutoCad, such as sizes of front and back, stitching lines,...etc. Then I transfer the pattern to photoshop to scale. In photoshop I made custom bruches for flowers, roses, leafs and some shapes. I just set my layout by putting all flowers and other elements in secounds, I can then rotat, flip and scale anyone.... I use my tablet pen to draw all scrolls and vines... at last I print it to transperant paper. If the drawing is bigger than A3, I print it in sections and tape them later... I just starting to use a projector that been hanging from my ceiling. so I do not need to print my drawing in section, I aim the projector to the leather piece., I tape the leather to my bench to prevent it from moving then I trace all lines using a stylus... and believe me I'm starting to like this method alot...

[Lady Roper]

Dennis,

I read all the responses to your question with great interest. There were a lot of suggestions but for my part they were all a little hollow. Yes there are other products that you can draw on for a lot less money, but none of them allow you to trace multiple times onto leather. You can use any of the tracing papers, but you either have to transfer the pattern onto tracing film (which is what I do) or you have to cover the paper with packing tape or with shelf paper. Vellum or tracing paper alone, won't stand up to a stylus during the tracing process, nor will it withstand the moisture from the leather. Most papers won't! You can cover the back side of your pattern with packing tape, but packing tape expensive and somewhat time consuming, especially because you need to cover both sides if you hope to be able to use the paper twice. For me the shelf plastic is so heavy that I can't get the clean clear lines that I need, to be able to cut my pattern without having to do a lot of re-drawing. Sheet protectors also are too thick to do a nice job of transferring patterns. You can cover the leather with plastic wrap which is a real pain, but you still need something to protect your paper from the stylus. So for my purposes, I consider Tandy's tracing film to be cheap. It's large enough to do bigger projects. You can draw right on the film, or trace a pattern onto it. It can be used many times without coming apart. I think it's one of the better products that Tandy has ever come up with and having tried the alternatives, I still prefer to purchase it by the roll. I have patterns on Tandy tracing film that are 30 years old and are in as good shape today as they were the day I drew them. I have the greatest respect for all of you who use alternatives, but I think for the money, time savings and durability, Tandy tracing film is my first choice!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!......

Bobby

[Lady Roper]

I too use the Tandy tracing film. Works great, but was tought to trace my patterns with a pencil which will "rub" off of the film, then I have to redo my pattern. Any suggestions other than a pencil to trace the patterns?

[bkingery]

I too use the Tandy tracing film. Works great, but was tought to trace my patterns with a pencil which will "rub" off of the film, then I have to redo my pattern. Any suggestions other than a pencil to trace the patterns?

I use a sharpie ultra fine point, the white case ones not the new fangled black ones because they bead up and smear.

Bryan

[Lady Roper]

I use a sharpie ultra fine point, the white case ones not the new fangled black ones because they bead up and smear.

Bryan

Thank You Bryan. I will be purchasing the Sharpie.

[DaltonMasterson]

I use a pencil, and then spray it with a clear coat of paint, or some sort of "fix" for watercolors. Hairspray will work too.

I have just been using the clear cheap paint from Walmart and giving it a few light coats over the pencil marks.

This will allow you to erase and adjust patterns before you spray, and then after you can make changes to your original and not destroy your original if you erase.

DM

[Tex]

Don't laugh too hard but I went to Wally World, bought a roll of clear plastic window covering. It works great as a tracing film. I use alot on tracing chap & chink patterns.I just use a felt tip maker & I have a good outline. Just have to keep it pulled tight. So I just tape it down in several places over what I want to trace & go for it. It's alot cheaper than that HIGH $$ Tandy film. 1 roll will last you a very long time.It works good on tracing just about anything cause it's clear & you can see everything you are tracing easily.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Tex

[Eddie Collins]

ST Leather out of St. Louis might have a cheaper price on Tracing Film. I usually use Freezer Paper, with a No.3 or No.4 pencil, No. 2 smudges. I use Tracing Films for names, animals, intricate patterns. I'm beginning to just draw on the leather with a stylist, using a drafting circle jig.

[TexasLady]

6/3/12

WildRose! A girl after my own heart! Today, thinking that I was Christopher Columbus, I discovered that I could use the plastic bag that holds cereal, inside the cereal box as my 'tracing film'. So far, so good. I drew out a copy of a checkbook wallet on one 'page' the size of copy paper. I used the rest of it to copy a pattern for a cell phone cover. This was 'oversized',... larger than the size of a piece of copy paper. What I really liked was that the plastic accepted ink from my fine lined permanent marker. And, its plastic, so moisture from the leather shouldn't hurt it. What I'd like to know from you is, how re-usable is it? Will going over the design with my stylus cause it to have more of a groove than would occur with the Tandy Tracing Film?

To all purests here, let me assure you that I do have a whole role of Tandy Tracing Film which I love to use. It's great. But, I'm trying to put together a leatherworking class and to make materials as cheap for my students as possible. I'm delighted to find that, by saving some plastic bags from cereal, we can all make a few small patterns for leatherworking. - TexasLady

[IndianHorseSpirit]

Hi,

you can go to offce max or Office Depot and get the printable sheets, or sheets for an overhead projector

[Chief31794]

I too use the Tandy tracing film. Works great, but was tought to trace my patterns with a pencil which will "rub" off of the film, then I have to redo my pattern. Any suggestions other than a pencil to trace the patterns?

I trace my patterns onto Tandy tracing film with a No. 2 pencil, I reuse the patterns 8-10 times with no problem. The pencil lines guide you for the first transfer, after that the lines are there whether the pencil marks stay or not. The stylus will leave impressions in the tracing paper that, to me, are better than the pencil lines.

Chief

[lightningad]

came up with an ultra cheap way of transfering a computer printout onto leather...

simply print your design on normal printer paper, then turn it over and cover the rear side with strips of wide packing tape. I also put a layer on the front side, but thats probably overkill.

Then you case the leather and trace over the design as normal...works a treat, and the tape helps prevent your pen from piercing the paper. The design is also re-useable.

adam

Edited January 10, 2013 by lightningad

[Doc Reaper]

Use that painters plastic, it's thin. Comes in 4x12 sheets, make a copy on your printer, place plastic sheet over cased leather, tape plastic to table, then tape copy of pattern to plastic. Works well and it works better than tracing paper, more accurate too

[Spartan]

I second the freezer paper. It is even waterproof on one side so it makes transferring your image to cased or damp leather easy!

[raysouth]

Many interesting products to use. DickBlick.com has a number of very reasonably priced tracing materials on rolls or individual sheets. Speedball tracing paper 20 yard roll x 18" wide is @ $6.14, 50 yard roll x 12" wide is $9.26 and 18" wide x 50 yard is 11.97.

In addition, something I use is called Sally's graphite paper. Composition is not same as found in pencil lead and is easily, with art eraser, removed if not heavily forced into leather. My primary use is when I am using pyrography on leather and most of it is burned away during the process. Great product for me but perhaps not for everyone.

Hope this is useful for someone.

God Bless.

Ray

[Cyberthrasher]

I just stick to the CHEAP $2 pad of tracing paper from walmart with really cheap packing tape on the back. I use an HB pencil (hard and fine line) to transfer my design to the paper, back it with packing tape (keeps moisture off and stops me from pressing into the leather too hard), then line it up and trace with my stylus. A lot of people do the same with a plain sheet of paper, but I prefer to have transparency so I can see where I'm placing my work better. Also, backing it with tape means I'm not going to tear it up, leaving it available to reuse over and over if I'm doing a run of items with the same design on them.

[bizbeblu]

3M "Transparency Film for Copiers" PP2500 or Universal "Laser Printer Transparency Film" 65125. Either or both available cheap at any big box office supply store. From the days of overhead projects (back when the world wasn't run by yet another powerpoint presentation If working from an existing paper pattern just copy the original onto the clear acetate (using the copy function of your all in one printer or a regular copier). Shrink or expand to desired size. If creating from a computer graphics program just print direct to the acetate.

With transparency in hand I use a very small ball point modeling tool to trace pattern onto leather (works best if leather is cased). Always keep the printed side up as the ink will transfer to the leather. (The line of tracing scraps the ink off.) Drawbacks: generally single use, though I've done as many as four on one transparency. Size limited to 8.5x11. For bigger work one would have to section the pattern into smaller chunks.

Never understood the value or reason for Tandy's way over price "tracing paper."

Robert

[olds cool]

I use the same method as bizbelbu. I always print a mirror image so that the text comes out correct when flipped over. I have used a few other methods as well when I'm out of trans film. I've printed on regular paper and slipped it into a Ziploc bag or layed down a piece of saran wrap and tape the paper on top of it.