Artist oil paints...

[Tina]

Have anyone ever tried to use real artist oil paint on leather?

The reason I would love to if it's possible. It would be interesting if anyone have some experience and can share them...Otherwise, I'm going to try and see what happends. The paint it self just contains linseed oil and pigments. Just think of the possibilities, mind boggling:-)

[TwinOaks]

Well, Tina, I'm about to find out.... I gotta do something, or else I'm out a piece of leather, and a coupla hours...see my post for more....

[HorsehairBraider]

I'm just guessing... so please go ahead and try because I might be wrong. I don't think it will stick, unless the leather is REALLY dry. The reason I say that is because I used to paint with oils, and often got it all over the place including on me, and worst of all, my saddle. (I didn't have a tack room or a husband back then, so I could keep my tack in the house.) It always came off the saddle. My thought was, the saddle itself had oil in the leather. Therefore the oil paint had a hard time adhering to the leather. It always came off me too, otherwise I would have very interesting looking hands and arms right about now.

[Tina]

Horsebraider,

I think you might have a point, I don't think I would use it on a saddle? (big question mark for now). The importance is to get it to dry and then see if the pigment sticks to the surface. I just painted a lion, lets see in a week if I have another project for the garbage or not:-)

Because it is oil paint super sheene and such in acryllic can not be used, but I do have this Aussie leather treatment with beezwax, that might work and put a nice shine to it and protection?

Anybody, feel free to come up with suggestions...I'm going to go deep diving here cuz IF it works the possibilies are massive.

Have a great weekend//Tina

[CitizenKate]

I suppose it might stick better to leather that has not already been treated with anything oily or waxy... aside from that, I'd say just try it (on a piece of scrap first, of course).

Can you tell us what particular effect you are hoping to achieve with the oil paints?

Kate

[Tina]

Well,

one of the effects that I can do is half translucent (have pitty on my spelling from time to time, I'm an Alien ) I have a bunch of Rembranth oil paints with that effect and it will halfway let the naturual leather shines throu. The other total benefit is the time you have to work with the paint, hours if not days.

I know that using scrap is the clever way to go, but off course I just had to try it on a piece carved and all I post that picture up here. The lioness' fur is oil paint, the rest a mix of acryllic leather paint and antiquing.

[Dale]

Tina,

I've got several random thoughts/questions....please don't take any of them to imply that I don't think you should give it a try. I'm curious to know how it works myself

1. With respect to the sealer, I'm not sure it would really be necessary, but why not just use a varnish made for oils?

2. I'm fairly ignorant about oils, but my understanding has always been that they're a bit heavy. I've seen leather used as a canvas before -- it was a good looking painting, but I had to ask "why use leather instead of canvas or masonite?" I use acrylic (very wet) and try to let the texture, if not some of the color, of the leather come through. All that being said, your "half translucent" comment is interesting and may render insignificant my decision to use acrylics for that reason. Perhaps you can elaborate on the translucence train of thought.

3. The working time of oil could be a real benefit. Do you get the same working time when it's thinned (I'm assuming that's how you get it translucent)?

I'm curious to hear the results.

Dale

[Tina]

Hi Dale.

Well first off...I always liked to found out bounderies, what can/can not be done. For me personally the benefit is that I've painted with these paints since the crack of dawn. I know how to use them and how the behave.

Translucent...In my book, the Rembranth paints (made by Talens-Holland) is the best you can by for money. They have a whole line of paints that you do not have to use thinners with, they come translucents as they are. On the lioness I use a couple of them with shaddows and such. I don't want to use thinners (ie; chemicals) on leather, this is a salution that might work (?) The oil paint can be used heavy or not. It's really easy to control and super easy to get super thin. Because I do not want to use chemicals as a thinner, you can always ad extra linseed oil instead. I did not use anything extra of anything doing the lion. Rembranth paints is very unlike any other brands out there, extremly ful of pigment but at the same time very smoth and soft in it self. Adding oil will let you work longer with the paint. The drying time is usually around 5 days on canvas and 6-7 for certain colors such as white. On leather, well I just have to have some patience and wait and se:-)

I did not know that there was a varnish for oil...Can you hint me in the right direction, type/brand that works for leather?

I will let you know how the progress' going. To me this would be wonderful and the possibillitys magic if it works.

Edited January 27, 2008 by Tina

[Dale]

Thanks for the explanation, Tina. I had no idea it took days for the stuff to dry. I'm not sure I'd have that kind of patience, especially since I tend to blend by layering. Depending on your results, I may still check it out, though.

I think all painting mediums have varnishes suitable for the medium. Take a look around dickblick.com. Here's an example for oil: http://www.dickblick.com/zz004/84/. I don't know what effect it would have on the leather itself, but I really doubt it would hurt it...we've all put some odd stuff on leather without ill effects. As long as you're testing, try that, too!

Dale

[TwinOaks]

Report: Oil applied over any type of sealer or dye is disasterous. Of course it could be user error on my part b/c I haven't used oils in over a decade and have forgotten all I knew. So...for me Ti White was a boo-boo.

I'll stick to what I know for now, and as time and funds allow, will perhaps reinvest in some good oils. Tina, good luck with the lioness, and keep posting results.

[Tina]

Dale,

I looked at the link...This is actually something I have at home but hesitate to use on leather. The reason it's not as flexible as I would wish for, in other word, it could crack easy (?)

TwinOaks

I'm not looking for oil, just a non water/acrylic lacker (laquer), type super sheen where you get a clear surface but oil/thinner based. Ideal might be the clear stuff you have on type mahogany boats, that must be flecible but I'm not sure how the leather will react.

I found this one on Tandy, but I probaly have to call them to see if this is what I'm looking for:

Master Quick Shine Spray 13 oz

84300-000 The shoe repair shop secret to a high

gloss shine. Good for luggage, handbags,

shoes and boots. It is ORM-D

and must be shipped by ground.

Can someone tell me what ORM-D is?

I'll keep posting when I have jumped over a hurdle:-)

[TwinOaks]

"other regulated materials, domestic"

Basically, it's got some ingredients that airlines/shipping companies don't want on their airplanes.....just in case.

[Oscar B]

Use of Oil Paint

'

Artist's oil paint, when used on natural-colored calf,

steerhide, or sheepskin, shows up the grain and pores of

the skin, giving a peculiar charm to the work. For oil

painting of separate units of a design, however, the

leather requires "sizing" to prevent the oil from spreading.

The process is therefore too precarious for one who

cannot first see it done by an experienced worker. For

coloring an entire surface, however, the work is simple

and the results very beautiful. The leather is placed on

a pad of newspapers, as for staining, but it is not wet.

Mix the oil paint with turpentine to a very thin consistency.

With a fairly large soft brush or preferably a

wad of soft cloth, spread the paint evenly and quickly

all over the leather and immediately wipe it off with a

soft cloth, leaving just enough to settle and color the

leather. When it is thoroughly dry, polish with a piece

of soft chamois skin.

THE BEACON HANDICRAFT SERIES

LEATHERCRAFT

for AMATEURS

BY

ELEONOBE E. BANG

1946

I found this old book on line and thought this may fit.

[Dale]

Ahhh....painting functional stuff. Some immediate thoughts are (it's late and I haven't thought any of these through): applying it in thin layer may work, Saddle-lac may work, possibly spray varnish for wood, or just leave it alone....it's going to rub off anyway (is oil more durable than acrylic?).

Oscar,

Interesting thought. I've done similar things with acrylic, but the oil may perform a little differently. I'll keep it in mind.

Dale

[Tina]

Oscar B

Thank You, this is very interesting stuff. I like the look from oil paints much, much more than from acryllics, like soft velvet. Im going to give a practice piece a try and see what happends. I really don't need to thin it out but I guess you take away some of the oil in the paint by doing this.

The info about mixing oil/acryllics make sense...Going to take that to my heart. Normaly if you mix in the same painting you always start out with the acryllic, then the oil, but letaher...Well it can crawl under, I did not think of that. This is why I love this web site:-)

Dale

Because my paint has the consistansy of soft room temperatured butter I can really paint this in very thin layers with out thinning it out. As said above, the benefit might be getting some of the oil out?

Normally oil paint is much more durable than acryllics, and more beautiful, vivid, alive...Hard to put words to. The draw back is the drying time.

You think it's going to rub of anyway? Lets see if this isn't something that can be solved (Detective Tina is on a mission)...Persistence Perseverance Patience :-)

Have a great night all//Tina

[Dale]

Tina,

When I said "thin layer," I was referring to the varnish. I suspect it's possible that a thin layer of varnish (sprayed on, e.g.) will have more flexibility than a heavy layer brushed on. 2-Shews actually used wood lacquer on some of his stuff and said it worked fine.

Dale

[Skipknives]

Hi guys,,i've been following this and wanted to ask if the piece will remain flat,,ie painting on the wall if so it may last for years but if it is on a piece that flexes i would think it would be much shorter. mind you i have only used oils on canvas, wooden panels and canvas board.

to put a finer point on it preping the canvas the medium goes into the weave of the canvas or wood fibers then dries,,,i don't think leather will work that way unless it dosen't flex.

PS: i love the translusents for half tones they give depth to a painting

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/sk...es/SH100195.jpg

they creat the illution of transpairency when painting cloth

Edited January 28, 2008 by Skipknives

[Tina]

Dale,

You think alike:-) I'm thinking of using a spray, one to get it thin, two not to disurb the picture at all.

Hi Skipknives and welcome to the discussion:-)

I have never used a finisher on my oil paintings. I paint layer on layer upon layers (many super thin ones) and at the end there's quite a lot of oil in it and it gives a natural finish if you like. I know I still have paintings that I did decades ago and they are rolled up due to lack of storage space. Every now and again I unroll them and they are just fine, no cracks or nothing. The acryllic paintings with the same age, well, still OK but not as good and small cracks.

Even if the paintings have many layers you can not tell, it looks as it's only one thin layer and all the grain on the canvas is still showing. I think people that paint "impasto" (thick layer in like 3D) might have a problem after some time?

So...My thoughts is to paint very thin and to apply a very thin but durable layer of some finisher. It sounds good, lets see if it's going to work. I'm going to give the lioness plenty of time to dry before spraying any finisher on (IF it's still wet the finisher will go opac) The recommended time for a several layer oil painting is around 6 months, this leather one, well I hope a months or so will do it (???)

Have a fab day every one//Tina

[Tina]

Some updates on this project...

I painted a few leather pieces with oil paint and then added super shene, satin shene and another letaher acryllic I had at home. After letting the pieces be for 8(?) weeks or so they are just fine. I've tried to stress them as much as I can by hand and nothing changes. My conclusion is that this works.

I figured out that the best was to apply very thin layers of oil paint, almost just rubbing it in (still possible to shade and so forth) I did not dilute it with anything, I might try turpentine the next time depending on the piece. As I can see, this paint goes in further into the leather than acryllic (which only sets on the very surface) If it is used on something that is going to get very used/abused close to the body i might not use oil paint, the top finish will probably rubb off and the oil paint smear off?

Well, people, my 2 cents of worth in the subject:-)

[Don101]

great news Tina ass i have loads of oil paints so yet another use for them rather than just the canvas, Don