Would Like Some Critiquing Please

[Themasonstouch]

Hey guys so I don't usually do these types of forums only because I can't access it from my phone usually but long story short I just started doing leatherwork as we have opened a small tack shop and are pretty active within our local horse community. So..... this was my first leather project which was a set of buckstitched spur straps for my wife. She wanted them dark so we didn't do any paint on the flowers etc and the biggest thing I would like to focus on learning is getting deeper tooling so the designs pop more. These were freehanded and I know many say to use stencils as well but all in all she's happy with them and others around us think they look pretty good. Now Im turning to you guys to see what you think could be done better and maybe how I could achieve the corrections you give. Thanks again!

[Dwight]

The first thing: you can stamp, cut, tool, and beat on black leather till you are purple in the face, . . . and it will never, ever show up as good as a tan color will.

It is just the nature of shadows and shadowing, . . . the difference between black and tan.

For black, . . . you can spray or paint on highlights, . . . edges, . . . stems, . . . leaves, . . . etc, . . . but that is about what you will have to do to get the desired result.

The second thing, . . . I could not tell for sure, . . . but it did not appear that you did much beveling if any , . . . especially around the flower petals. The beveling is one of the tools that makes the image pop up off the leather, . . . and has to be done right, . . . it adds a 3 dimensional depth to the subject.

I'm really not too good at it myself (mainly I DO NOT have the patience) but I use several different beveling tools to lift up one and put down another section of the leather, . . . giving it a much deeper "look" than it really is.

Hope this helps, may God bless,

Dwight

[Themasonstouch]

I stained the leather, the first picture was before it was stained and I have to work on beveling, i didnt bevel at all on those. Thanks for the response!!

[JRedding]

It goes something like this, find or layout a pattern on paper so you're sure it's what you want, carve the borders, trace on the pattern, carve the floral you just traced, flower centers are first, pear shade the flower petals, then bevel the borders then the floral, then background and finish cut, that's an abbreviated version there's a lot of steps like veining, back shadowing, mules foot etc. that can be added in there but that's the shortened version of the steps I do. Even without hands on instruction from someone you can find work done by a good tooler and study it, what tools are used, and how they're used, can get you a long way on your own. Good Luck stick with it

[Themasonstouch]

So this was just messing around a little bit for about an hour. Does this type of tooling look more acceptable? Don't mind the name or outside I was playing to see how evenly I could stamp Im more wondering about the leaves and flower.

[bland]

The link below is some great feedback I received when I started carving. I'm not much better now, due to lack of commitment to practice on my part over the past year. Take the tips and comments others left for me as I see some of the same inexperience in your carving. Hope it helps. Keep practicing.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=59654&hl=bland#entry384928

[doubleh]

The second example is better than the first. Get a copy of Al Stholman's "How To Carve Leather" book. It will tell you everything you need to know to do beautiful work. It's available from S&D Trading Co., Tandy's, and Amazon.

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

All the information you have already gotten from these guys, will get you a long way down the road. one last bit of information and in my opinion very, very, important, case properly. There is a tutorial by Bob Park, on this web sight. It will make your work "pop" and get you where you want to be.

Bob

[dfrensdorff]

I second the advise from Bob.......casing is one of the most important steps, if not the most important, when stamping leather......dyeing, oiling, etc all fall into place if the stamping is executed with properly cased leather.

Edited February 1, 2016 by dfrensdorff

[AfroCrafter]

I third Bob's advice. I spent my first year carving on badly card leather, then I read Bob Park's tutorial and have never looked back. It makes everything just work! You've made a nice start. Well done.

[Quillleather]

Look nice to me