How Do I Get These Colors?

[Abbyanna]

Hello everyone. I have recently gotten back into leatherworking and have been enjoying reading these forums. Years ago I finished a few kits, but that is about it. Nothing fancy, really. I am still a beginner at this.

I'm making a book cover for my husband. I have begun tooling a simple art nouveau design as a border. As to the color, he and I both like this-two tone look, but I have had a bit of trouble getting these colors on the test scraps.

http://shendorion.de...-Belt-203101968

The artist that did this belt stated in his comments that he used diluted mahogany antiquing, neatsfoot oil & lanolin. My test pieces turn out with a cool purple/ wine color rather than the warm colors shown in the photo. It occurs to me now that it the warm colors in the photo may have to do with the lighting in the shot. He may have taken the photos in the late afternoon which tends to shift colors to the warm side of things(I have this trouble a lot when photographing my paintings). Or I bought the wrong mahogany antiquing gel. I have Eco-Flo Gel Antique. I have not tried lanolin yet.

I will try some golden orange acrylic diluted way down and see what effect that has on the wine color on the scraps. Does anyone have suggestions as to how I can achieve these colors? I am more than willing to just buy another color of dye or antique if that is the best way to accomplish this. I just don't know what to buy. The closest Tandy store is 2 hours away so I tend to buy everything online.

I will take pictures of the partially tooled cover later today when I take it out of the plastic to continue work on it.

Thank you for your help with this!

[PutnamLeather]

I've always had the same results with mahogany  that you have no matter what I did with it. If I was going to try to replicate the pic my first guess would be different shades of timber brown.

[Jaymack]

Post the same question on this person's deviantart thread. http://shendorion.deviantart.com/ The lighter brown looks like Fiebings pro light brown deluted 5 or 6 to one, and maybe antiqued.

[Matt S]

Fiebings do a non-gel antique also.

[Abbyanna]

Thank you all for the suggestions! I really appreciate your help! I will take a look at the timber brown, Fiebings pro light brown and Fiebings antiques. I would rather buy 2 or 3 more bottles of dye than 5 or 6 to get what I am trying for.

If I still cannot make it look like I want it to I will post a question the artist dA thread. A couple of other people have already asked a question similar to mine and he told them mahogony antique, neatsfoot & lanolin. I did not want to pester him asking the same thing he has answered multiple times already. But I will if my test strips do not turn out the way I hope.

I'm not anywhere close to done tooling this, but you can see the basic cover design in the picture.

Thanks again for your help!

[treybecca]

IMHO get the heck away from that darn Ecoflo stuff!! I've never had anything but bad luck with it. I know some folks swear by it, but for me it never behaves as real antique should. Looking at the picture I would definitely say its Fiebings Mahogany. I'm no sure about diluting it with oil and lanolin, but I do know some people use Tan Kote. Mahogany is probably one of my favorite colors out of the fiebings line.

[TomG]

Why not go on his thread and asking HOW he does it. It may be the way he does it that is different

[Abbyanna]

Thank you everyone so much for your suggestions. I have chosen another color from the ones you suggested.

I did ask the person that made the belt about the problem I was having with the Eco-Flo color. He said he sometimes has that happen when using the Eco-Flo mahogany with newer, pinker hides, but that a couple of applications of lanolin & mink oil should shift it back to a warm tone. I just thought I would pass on the information in case anyone finds it useful.