Wet Forming And Carving: How To?

[Ash]

Hi folks,

I searched in other topics but i didn't find the answer... sorry if this is a repetition

I'm doing a floral carved piece, it will be a valet (or a tray) and I'm going to wet form it after the carving and dyeing

So how to do it?

I was thinking about doing the carving, let it dry, dye it and antiquing and then re-wet and mold, but maybe there are two problems:

1) antiquing will fade with water since it is water-based

2) carving details will be lost by re-wetting it and molding?

Any suggestion will be so much appreciated

thanks a lot

Ash

[Chief31794]

I don't carve on anything I'm going to wet form. Both of your assumptions are correct and there is another thing as well. When wet forming and using boning tools to work the leather the carvings will be distorted and/or eradicated in the areas that you work the leather. I normally wet form, sew, then dip dye but I only do it on uncarved leather. It is probably possible and some other folks may know a better way, but I think if you wet form carved leather you give up detail in the carvings and the wet forming.

Chief

[Ash]

thanks for reply...

just a detail: I will not use the boning tool, just put it in a shape by hand and let it dry, so no tools will be used on carving

the final object will be like this one, and the tooling will be on the flat ground:

Edited January 31, 2014 by Ash

[Northmount]

Other threads have suggested you should do the tooling after the wet forming so you don't lose the depth and detail. I would do the dye after the tooling so it doesn't open up spots with no dye below the surface.

If you can support the area you are tooling adequately, should have little problem tooling after forming.

You can search for wet forming and tooling or carving. You will find more opinions and instructions.

Tom