Engraving Letters - Stamp Die?

[aregensb]

Hello all! I am completely new to working with leather. I am getting my supplies in order for my first project: a passport holder for a friend of mine. I have it pretty planned out in my head and it seems like it will be pretty simple to do.

I did want to ask you all a question about engraving on the inside. The inside lining and pockets are going to be with this leather, which is going to be lightweight. I'm not sure stamping letters will show up. I had the leather shipped to me, so I'll be able to test out a scrap soon, but in the mean time, I was wondering if I should figure out how to add color to letter stamps (silver on black, I'm thinking). Has anyone done that? Do you just get contrasting paint or marker and fill in the letters once you stamp them? This picture gives an idea of what I would like it to look like.

Any advice you might have is greatly appreciated. Thanks very much for your help! I'm excited to post my first project!

EDIT: I believe I found my answer, in case any other beginners are looking at how to do this. It's called hot foil stamping. There's another thread with info about it here. I still might try stamping and painting the letters on a scrap and see how it goes.

Edited January 17, 2014 by aregensb

[veedub3]

The picture you posted of Hermes is hot foil stamped. Done with a hot foil machine, type, and hot foil. Now I am guessing it can be done by hand with acrylic paints but I have never done it. Maybe someone that has will chime in.

Karina

Edited January 17, 2014 by veedub3

[aregensb]

Thanks for your answer! I'm just worried that if I try to paint the letters with acrylic paints, the paint might crack and fall off. If anyone who has had experience with this wants to chime in, that would be awesome and really helpful!

[Northmount]

Use a good quality paint ... many are using Angelus and swear by it. Thin the paint first, to about 50%, build up in thin layers. THick layers will crack for sure.

Tom