Jurassic Journal - Dye Treatment.

[mountainm]

Hi Everyone

Working on this for a fossil hunting journal (image is approx Double actual size):

Wondered about ideas for the dye job. Was thinking maybe a very weak black wash then a resist on the bones then a black finish on the rest - leaving the bones grey - or perhaps Darken the fossil, but leave the rest lighter?

Any ideas, examples etc.?

Thanks

Mike

[MonicaJacobson]

That is super cool. Sorry, no ideas on the dye. I always prefer things undyed until I see what people come up with, after which I can concede that dying it was worthwhile. I do think you should leave the fossil light and darken the background, though.

[rawcustom]

Awesome idea. The actual bones I have seen are mostly more of a mahogany or red/brown type color if you wanted to match.

[CoreyChiev]

That is amazing, and so realistic! If it were me, I would resist over the bones and then put some black antique to highlight the amazing tooling you've got there. Maybe a stone grey for the background?

Truly awesome job!

[mountainm]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone.Still undecided about the final finish. I did some googling for anything similar and found this picture of a piece (unfinished) and I really like the high contrast between the black details and the natural leather. The finished piece is all in black and I think loses its wow factor a little. Looking at the other (similar) pieces on the site I think light on dark is "OK" but something isn't quite right.

Site www.mrvlw.com/?page_id=420

image (not my work)

Here's the light on dark finish the same person did:

Edited April 14, 2015 by mountainm

[Tinkerton]

These are amazing

[fgabesz]

Wow! It's fantastic!

[mountainm]

These are amazing

Just to reiterate. Those last two aren't mine. Just examples I found whilst researching a finish.

They are very cool though.

[CoreyChiev]

I like the top "unfinished" picture as well. The dark bones on the light natural leather makes it look like a actual dig site. Basically like you just brushed the sand off the bones and there they are.

[WinterBear]

mountainm, If you are worried about losing details, have you looked for pictures of fossils in matrix? If the fossil is in sandstone, the bones can have varying shades of brown, gray, or even reddish or purplish tones, even within the same fossil.

http://geology.com/articles/green-river-fossils/animal-fossils.shtml and http://geology.com/articles/green-river-fossils/fish-fossils.shtml

http://www.fossilmuseum.net, especially http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/JurassicFossils.htm and http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/GreenRiverFish.htm,

[mountainm]

Yes. Got a pinterest board full of them. My dilemma, I guess, is whether to try and make it look like stone, or like leather. Going to experiment tonight.

Thanks

Mike

[mountainm]

Finally got around to finishing it.

Just an ordinary journal

But just as when fossil hunting, sometimes you have to turn over a rock or two...

Any comments welcome.

Cheers

Mike

[MonicaJacobson]

Mike, it turned out really well. Good choices on the dye! And the stitching looks nice, too.

[CoreyChiev]

Wow, now that is ART! "Well done!" doesn't even begin to cover it.

[Grey Drakkon]

Excellent choice with the coloring, it's far more subtle than the bleached out look or the pitch-black version.