Painted Leather....suggestions/advice?

[TACKyPaints]

Hello everyone! I just have a few questions and have seen such great advice given on here so thought I'd see what you all might have to say!

I have been dabbling in painting leather tack and have made several bronc nosebands, saddle crosses, etc. I consider myself a newbie at all of this! I use Angelus leather paints and currently their satin 605 acrylic finisher (but just contacted Angelus about ordering their 600 acrylic finisher). My concern is that my items are not durable enough. I want to make sure that my items don't crack, fade, etc in the long run. I've read some advice on here when searching for similar topics but am still not sure what products to use & in what order! So here are my questions!

1. How would you recommend I prep my vegetable tanned leather?

2. Do I need to glaze? (Saw this recommended on another site) If so, what should I use?

3. What finishes do you recommend for painted leather?

4. Would the 600 acrylic sealant be enough or do I need something stronger?

5. Could you give me some instructions, for example, what order you recommend from prep to finish?

I would LOVE to hear your advice, any suggestions would be helpful! I really hope somebody on here can help me out!!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

I also attached a picture of my work

[TACKyPaints]

[Spinner]

Hello everyone! I just have a few questions and have seen such great advice given on here so thought I'd see what you all might have to say!

I have been dabbling in painting leather tack and have made several bronc nosebands, saddle crosses, etc. I consider myself a newbie at all of this! I use Angelus leather paints and currently their satin 605 acrylic finisher (but just contacted Angelus about ordering their 600 acrylic finisher). My concern is that my items are not durable enough. I want to make sure that my items don't crack, fade, etc in the long run. I've read some advice on here when searching for similar topics but am still not sure what products to use & in what order! So here are my questions!

1. How would you recommend I prep my vegetable tanned leather?

2. Do I need to glaze? (Saw this recommended on another site) If so, what should I use?

3. What finishes do you recommend for painted leather?

4. Would the 600 acrylic sealant be enough or do I need something stronger?

5. Could you give me some instructions, for example, what order you recommend from prep to finish?

I would LOVE to hear your advice, any suggestions would be helpful! I really hope somebody on here can help me out!!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

I also attached a picture of my work

First off, I just want to clarify that over the LONG term, any coloring of leather whether by dye or paint will fade eventually. Just a matter of how long. That will be determined on how much sun it gets, how often it's cleaned & protected (using a good leather dressing like Pecard will help) and how rough the client is on the piece. Obviously, if the piece is cared for correctly, stored indoors when not in use, etc. it and the color will last longer. Quality paints make a huge difference as well. Angelus is a good one and I do use it for some colors but I prefer Golden Fluid Acrylics as they are formulated to resist heavy UV exposure and when thinned with their mediums have great adhesion.

That leads us to the first tip. When thinning paints, use the thinner (aka medium) recommended by the manufacturer. Water is a common thinner for water based/acrylic paints but it adds nothing to the paint itself, it simply thins it. Most mediums will add a binder and something of a finish to help enhance the color as well as it's performance while making it easier to brush on. For the Golden Fluid Acrylics, I like to use their Airbrush Medium but they have others like gel mediums that make the paint stay wet longer (for blending) or crackle mediums, etc.

As for process, it's pretty straightforward.

Apply the deglazer to the whole thing evenly with light coat(s) as needed. If you plan to have dye & paint combinations this is important as trying to 'spot' deglaze can lead to uneven or blotchy colors with dyes. Let the deglazer dye and/or remove any residue as instructed. Apply a coat of neatsfoot or mink oil, let soak in overnight if possible and then wipe off/buff away any residue. It's important to let the oil soak in/do it's thing otherwise it will sit neat the surface and cause the paints to resist adhesion.

Next, if possible a base coat of white (a light dry brush white wash works well) or using a lightening agent like Oxalic Acid or pure lemon juice helps keep the colros true and vibrant. This makes a difference as applying any colors that are 'pearlescent', 'transparent', a 'tint' or 'shade' will all show the underlying color through. If applied to unlightened leather, the colors will pick up the golden/russet color of the leather and tend to have a warm, golden tint to them. This can be an issue when trying to get a deep black, or keep blues blue (versus blue/green).

Always thin your colors as discussed above and apply successive light coats versus one thicker coat. The thick coat make be faster but the paint will take longer to dry and will be more susceptible to cracking/peeling. Let each coat dry completely before applying the next coat/color to ensure proper adhesion. Apply a wet coat over a wet or partially dry coat will simply result in the two blending into one thick coat, negating the purpose of thinning in the first place.

Once the color is applied, let it dry completely (I like overnight) and then apply your sealer of choice. Spraying sealers on is a good practice if possible as it ensures that everything gets covered and allows you to control the amount of each coat. (again, light coats applied many times is better than one heavy coat). A quick note on sealers...gloss is more water resistant than satin. I'm not sure what the actual explanation is, has something to do with the way the liquid forms the finished surface and having less tooth (microscopic bumps in the surface) making it more difficult for water to penetrate. As with the color, let it penetrate & dry completely before applying the next coat.

Once the the top coat/sealer is dry, I generally apply a good quality weather-resistant leather dressing to the piece. Many folks have their favorites but mine is Pecard Motorcycle Leather Dressing. Simply rub it on lightly with a soft cloth, let sit for a few minutes and lightly buff any residue. On areas that aren't painted, the leather accepts the dressing well by buffing a little longer before rubbing off. Helps bring back some of the flexibility.

Hope this helps!

Chris

[TACKyPaints]

First off, I just want to clarify that over the LONG term, any coloring of leather whether by dye or paint will fade eventually. Just a matter of how long. That will be determined on how much sun it gets, how often it's cleaned & protected (using a good leather dressing like Pecard will help) and how rough the client is on the piece. Obviously, if the piece is cared for correctly, stored indoors when not in use, etc. it and the color will last longer. Quality paints make a huge difference as well. Angelus is a good one and I do use it for some colors but I prefer Golden Fluid Acrylics as they are formulated to resist heavy UV exposure and when thinned with their mediums have great adhesion.

That leads us to the first tip. When thinning paints, use the thinner (aka medium) recommended by the manufacturer. Water is a common thinner for water based/acrylic paints but it adds nothing to the paint itself, it simply thins it. Most mediums will add a binder and something of a finish to help enhance the color as well as it's performance while making it easier to brush on. For the Golden Fluid Acrylics, I like to use their Airbrush Medium but they have others like gel mediums that make the paint stay wet longer (for blending) or crackle mediums, etc.

As for process, it's pretty straightforward.

Apply the deglazer to the whole thing evenly with light coat(s) as needed. If you plan to have dye & paint combinations this is important as trying to 'spot' deglaze can lead to uneven or blotchy colors with dyes. Let the deglazer dye and/or remove any residue as instructed. Apply a coat of neatsfoot or mink oil, let soak in overnight if possible and then wipe off/buff away any residue. It's important to let the oil soak in/do it's thing otherwise it will sit neat the surface and cause the paints to resist adhesion.

Next, if possible a base coat of white (a light dry brush white wash works well) or using a lightening agent like Oxalic Acid or pure lemon juice helps keep the colros true and vibrant. This makes a difference as applying any colors that are 'pearlescent', 'transparent', a 'tint' or 'shade' will all show the underlying color through. If applied to unlightened leather, the colors will pick up the golden/russet color of the leather and tend to have a warm, golden tint to them. This can be an issue when trying to get a deep black, or keep blues blue (versus blue/green).

Always thin your colors as discussed above and apply successive light coats versus one thicker coat. The thick coat make be faster but the paint will take longer to dry and will be more susceptible to cracking/peeling. Let each coat dry completely before applying the next coat/color to ensure proper adhesion. Apply a wet coat over a wet or partially dry coat will simply result in the two blending into one thick coat, negating the purpose of thinning in the first place.

Once the color is applied, let it dry completely (I like overnight) and then apply your sealer of choice. Spraying sealers on is a good practice if possible as it ensures that everything gets covered and allows you to control the amount of each coat. (again, light coats applied many times is better than one heavy coat). A quick note on sealers...gloss is more water resistant than satin. I'm not sure what the actual explanation is, has something to do with the way the liquid forms the finished surface and having less tooth (microscopic bumps in the surface) making it more difficult for water to penetrate. As with the color, let it penetrate & dry completely before applying the next coat.

Once the the top coat/sealer is dry, I generally apply a good quality weather-resistant leather dressing to the piece. Many folks have their favorites but mine is Pecard Motorcycle Leather Dressing. Simply rub it on lightly with a soft cloth, let sit for a few minutes and lightly buff any residue. On areas that aren't painted, the leather accepts the dressing well by buffing a little longer before rubbing off. Helps bring back some of the flexibility.

Hope this helps!

Chris

Wow! Thank you so much for posting that for me! That has answered many, many questions I had! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you being so willing to help! It's nice to be able to have the steps broken down as well as the added advice and tips! Again, thank you so very much!

I have on final question for you!

I have currently been using Angelus Acrylic Finisher/Sealant but have seen a lot of discussion about Resolene (sp?). Is acrylic resolene something I should consider as my final top coat?

[Spinner]

Wow! Thank you so much for posting that for me! That has answered many, many questions I had! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you being so willing to help! It's nice to be able to have the steps broken down as well as the added advice and tips! Again, thank you so very much!

I have on final question for you!

I have currently been using Angelus Acrylic Finisher/Sealant but have seen a lot of discussion about Resolene (sp?). Is acrylic resolene something I should consider as my final top coat?

The Angelus products should be fine. I've actually had good luck with the Tandy Super Sheen as well oddly enough. I do spray mine and build up 3-4 light coats. I've used resolene with success as well but I'm not fond of the longer drying time and the tackiness that it has while drying. All three are acrylic based top coats and should do the job just fine. If you're in a state that allows you to buy it though, give Fiebing's Saddle-Lac a try. It's a lacquer based hardening top coat (piece still remains flexible) and is very water resistant. Being a lacquer though, you definitely want to spray it on as the heavier solvent in it will pull up and smear acrylic colors if you try to wipe or brush it on.

[TACKyPaints]

The Angelus products should be fine. I've actually had good luck with the Tandy Super Sheen as well oddly enough. I do spray mine and build up 3-4 light coats. I've used resolene with success as well but I'm not fond of the longer drying time and the tackiness that it has while drying. All three are acrylic based top coats and should do the job just fine. If you're in a state that allows you to buy it though, give Fiebing's Saddle-Lac a try. It's a lacquer based hardening top coat (piece still remains flexible) and is very water resistant. Being a lacquer though, you definitely want to spray it on as the heavier solvent in it will pull up and smear acrylic colors if you try to wipe or brush it on.

Thank you so much! I will look into the Saddle-Lac and see about giving it a try! I make custom painted horse tack so my products have to be able to withstand the "abuse" horse & rider place on them! haha! Thanks again!