Which do I use

[Toastie]

I am going to be starting on a headpiece for a costume for my wife. I have a piece of 4/5 leather I was planning on using and wetforming so it fits better. eh question I have is what is good to use for the black part and then the red part. Will the paint/dye crack over time. What is good to treat it with to keep it in good condition?

[NVLeatherWorx]

How are you going to wet form it?  Are you going to form it on the head of the person who will be wearing it or just on a stationary form (as in your picture)?  Makes a difference if you are creating a wearable item that is intended to give a form fit result.

From the picture it appears to be black with red accents.  I would dye the leather all black (not the on the inside of the headpiece though as it could cause some issues from potential rub off, etc.) and then do the accents with red acrylic leather paint.  Once all of the coloring is done there are several options for sealing it that can be used and all of them will help protect the leather.  Once this piece has been used though you will have to keep it on a form in order to protect it from getting flattened or damaged as that will eventually lead to the finish showing some signs of cracking and damage.  If you keep the leather clean and conditioned there should be no issues with the finishing effects cracking and, if necessary, you can always give the accents a touch-up of red acrylic leather paint as well.

All leather items need to be properly cared for and treated properly as well based on their intended use.  As long as that is followed it should last as long as you want it to.

[Toastie]

What would be be the best way to fit it to her. It is going to be worn every so often when that outfit is worn (For the 501st when we do charity work). I would like it to give a good fit to her

 

For the upkeep should I use mink oil on it, or will neatsfoot oil be better

 

What is good for sealing

[NVLeatherWorx]

The best way to fit it to her if you want it to be a solid fit would be to form it around her head while wet and then let it dry; problem with that is it takes time and I haven't met too many people who are patient enough for that.  The next best method, which is commonly used in Hollywood, is to create a form of the persons head using plaster and then forming the fit to the inside of that casting; issue here is time, patience, and the cost.  The best alternative would be to find a form, much like a practice bust used for training new hair stylists or for storing a wig, and do the best you can with that; issue here is whether or not the form is at least equal to the head size of the person who will be wearing the finished product.  In this case, slightly larger is not a bad thing because you can't stretch it when it is too small.

Neatsfoot oil would be fine to keep it conditioned but use it sparingly as it could break down the form/shape over time.  Make sure that it is Pure Neatsfool Oil though and not a compound of it; compounded versions are darker and will discolor the leather, and they are high in chemical content as well which breaks down the leather over time.

[billybopp]

If you decide to go the head casting route, check out Smooth-On .. there's some expense and a bit of learning involved, but it's a fun process to learn and do.