Carving graphics on leather

[Dun]

16 minutes ago, Colt W Knight said:

I think you are doing more smooshing than leather tooling. Leather looks to wet when you were tooling. I would suggest looking up some more info on Casing leather

 

Makes sense. This strip of test leather was very dark before casing, so I wasn't really sure when to start tooling since I was trying to use the "the leather is ready for tooling when it is close to original color"
Unless you mean my use of the word "smoosh" earlier? I didn't want to use the phrase "pound into the leather" in case there was confusion on what leather "carving" "tooling" meant. It seamed a better example for how little force is needed. If someone had told me "hit tool with mallet" before I saw it done I would have punched all the way through.

[etchgirl]

4 hours ago, cjartist said:

Your user name is etchgirl.  This looks like you are trying to etch the leather. Perhaps with some type of beveler, or skiver?  It does not look like it follows standard leather carving practices.  That is why it may be worthwhile to answer those questions from above.

Actually i'm using an embosser tool, wet leather(dont know what kind; bought it long time ago), and a dremel

 

[pnj]

 here is a cheap knife (I probably use this one, works fine)

https://www.amazon.com/CONBEE-Carving-Leather-Leathercraft-Working/dp/B01DVJ9E94/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1495681467&sr=8-35&keywords=leather+carving+set

backgrounding tool A104

https://www.amazon.com/Tandy-Leather-Craftool-Background-Stamp/dp/B0042UIO3Y/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1495681972&sr=8-6&keywords=a104+leather+tool

you can do A LOT with just those two tools.

[Beret]

Ditch the dremel and the idea of removing leather - Stick with practicing your tooling basics and go from there. 

 

[etchgirl]

On Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 5:05 PM, Colt W Knight said:

I think you are doing more smooshing than leather tooling. Leather looks to wet when you were tooling. I would suggest looking up some more info on Casing leather

 

Thats what I want my graphic to look like! How do you do that?

 uou do that??

Edited May 25, 2017 by etchgirl

[Mattsbagger]

Try this. 

He has a bunch of videos.

 

[Colt W Knight]

2 hours ago, etchgirl said:

Thats what I want my graphic to look like! How do you do that?

 uou do that??

Exact same steps I laid out earlier. That piece just doesn't have contrasting dye or paint

[etchgirl]

OK. After going to Tandy MULTIPLE times, downloading and looking at MANY videos (especially Bruce Chaney videos), I found out several things: 

1. The leather was wrong. The leather I was using was some type of sealed leather. I remember buying it at Tandy a while back but never used it. I though it was a good piece of leather to use for a cover but not for carving. So,

 

2. I bought some veg tan and recut the cover. Spent all day yesterday carving and stamping into the veg tan and came up with this. I know come of the cuts are messed up, but this is the look I was looking for.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2017 by etchgirl
move text

[immiketoo]

EDIT  Just saw your most recent carving and its pretty good, especially compared to your first effort.  That said, I specialize in carving text and I did a video about it.

 

There is a lot to say about this, and frankly it's too much to type.  Casing is easy, but it has to be right.  Spray your leather or run it under the faucet twice until the surface goes dark.  Wait til it looks its normal color and that will put you in the ballpark.  For the carving, this might help you, if you don't mind taking the time.  http://www.learnleather.com/shop/carving-letters-michael-dale/

[etchgirl]

Thank you for the encouragement!