How to make a Wrinkled Leather Journal Cover

[gigi]

I was wondering what are the materials and what is the technique used to make something like this. Any ideas?  (the example photos are from Pinterest)

Thank you!

[bikermutt07]

I don't know, but I would like to find out.

[ENC]

I meet a lady selling masks like this at a street fair and asked if she was willing to share her basic methods. She said she soaked the leather in watered down white glue and then stretched and pinched the folds. It sounds like free hand wet forming with the glue as a stiffener when it drys. The leather looked like it was mostly embossed splits,  under 3.5 -4 oz, and factory dyed.

Ray

[mikesc]

The glue is PVA ( polyvinyl acetate )..or "wood glue"..or the sort of glue that you use in school..proportions are 10% to 15% in water..and then "play"..air dry , or you can accelerate the drying by using a hair dryer, but not too hot, and move it around, don't make "hot spots".( they'll crack )..Works best on thin veg tan, will also work on thin chrome tan, just not quite so well as on the thin veg tan..France has been full of this stuff for the last 50 years or so, ( mainly making "Tuareg heads", put a cheap face mask onto a"board, , put leather soaked in PVA solution over it, "smoosh", "squish", "pinch", "stretch" the leather around to make a "Tuareg" headdress effect..dry..

Voila!!...

The countries on the other side of the "Med" from here made loads of "tourist souvenirs" based on this method..and it became a "craft technique "here..you can use the "technique" to make "deaths head" book covers or bags, or "whatever"..and you can mold over any object...The solution is "milky" but dries clear, but a little "shiny"..

Knock yourselves out..:-)..only limit is your imagination..works on scrap pieces too, so you can build sculptures, pictures, flowers, masks, even armour*, whatever.

* if armour is made this way as opposed to "Cuir bouilli".., don't get it wet, unless you also varnished it or waterproofed it in some other way..PVA when "set" is waterproof, but the leather treated this way is only "waterproof" ( actually it will be at best "water resistant" ) if it is totally saturated in the solution..

Edited January 18, 2018 by mikesc

[bikermutt07]

Thanks @mikesc.

[rodneywt1180b]

Thanks!  I've seen pictures of it before and like the look.  If the right project comes along it looks like it will be fun to try.

 

[Mjolnir]

I'm with mutt, I'd love to know.

this is very thin. I think there are stretch marks on the tree limbs. I'm going to try out the glue.

This was maybe stretched to the max over a form, form removed, then folded with a tool. maybe back filled to hold the shape?

There are always several ways to get where you are going.

Just saw mIkesc post. Awesome!

Edited January 18, 2018 by Mjolnir
ps

[Matt S]

1 hour ago, mikesc said:

..."Tuareg heads"...

Thanks Mike, my grandad had one of these on his wall when I was being dragged up. He told me how it was made and in my 7-year-old wisdom didn't believe him, but I never knew what to call it!

[mikesc]

Yes..you can "back fill" to help hold the shape..the "cheap and cheerful" way is to back fill" with sawdust mixed with the same wood glue( make a thick paste and fill all relief areas from the back until level )..if you are making lots of the same thing you make a mold ,"neg", of the shape you want to back fill, then you cast the shape and include it behind the leather prior to "smooshing"..some people use plaster to make the shapes, but you could use polyester resin ( it is lighter than plaster ) or even "papier maché, which is lighter again..You can make your "neg" molds from plaster, or silicone rubber, ( can be used very many times ) or just plasticine or sculptors clay ( can be used a few times if repaired between each time by placing it over a "pos" shape..When making molds in anything other than silicone ( or even latex if you are not allergic ) watch out for "undercuts" which make de-molding a PITA.

Oh..and if you do use a mold..spray it lightly with cooking oil to make it easier to take the leather off, else it will stick, you are using glue after all and the flesh side of even chrome tan plus glue will stick to plaster..you can also wax the plaster a little first..as in rub with a white candle and heat with a hair drier to make the wax even..only a little wax will do ya, just want to make the "form" non absorbent.

Edited January 18, 2018 by mikesc

[mikesc]

Search "Tuareg leather masks" ( be warned, most of the images that google has for it on page one are badly done and ugly as crap ) or ( for more about "Tuareg" )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people
Scroll down the page to see the image of a "Tuareg"..remind you of your Grandfathers wall ? :-)

[Jake907]

Thanks @mikesc I too have seen these types of things online and wondered how they were made, makes me want to try it now.

[gigi]

Thank you so much for the answers! I had no idea how those are made, I just thought it's a slow acting glue, to give time for shaping. I am going to try with different types of leather and post the results here. 

[veedub3]

Someone asked about doing this a couple of years ago and I posted this link that shows you how, but I can't for the life of me find anything on this site so here it is again.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Sculpted-Leather-Tech-Cases/

 

Karina

 

[gigi]

Thank you! 

[kiwican]

Nice