Rune bags & some questions.

[mick86]

Gday. I've made a few bags. On one of them you see a textured finish but that wasn't what I wanted to do. I traced on a celtic design that I was going to punch in however I couldn't get the background tool into the tight corners and it just looked terrible so I used a different background stamp and crushed it all down. Is there a way I can get into the tight corners/spaces? A different tool or technique? Also after putting the texture on, it was all out of wack, no longer symmetrical. Was I too rough? was it too much water? Cheers

[fredk]

For background you do need a range of tools, from very small to the largest which your design can take.

One of the common backgrounders is the simple cross-hatch as on Tandy A104

https://www.tandyleather.eu/en/product/a104-craftool-background-stamp

Although this is very small, it might not be small enough. You can buy these tool very cheaply. Use a dremel type tool, or just a file to shape a backgounder to size and shape that you need

For interlacing; the most important aspect imho is to have the widths of the ribbon the same size throughout. Modern drawings of interlacing are all nice and regular, but the ancients didn't have it that way; so for a 'rustic' / 'ancient' look the design can be a bit uneven

As with all design stamping, but Celtic interlacing patterns especially, work slowly and carefully, taking breaks from it every-so-often

[bullmoosepaddles]

Some of the background stamps are tiny, for projects like yours. Try finding a few of the smaller ones. I know it gets expensive fast. But its hard to drive a nail with a sledgehammer. 

If it matters. Love both of your pieces. The texture looks good for a mistake.

We were asked to make some rune inspired work this past weekend. I started to study a book we bought a while back yesterday. May I ask if the rune pieces are wood or leather? And the size of the pieces?      

Thank you for sharing. 

[Sheilajeanne]

 

7 hours ago, mick86 said:

Also after putting the texture on, it was all out of wack, no longer symmetrical. Was I too rough? was it too much water? Cheers

Wet leather stretches, and it's very common for this to happen when it's being tooled, especially if the piece is on the thin side. The only way to get around it is to fasten it to a non-stretchy backing piece with either rubber cement (which can be peeled off after) or tape.

[fredk]

32 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Wet leather stretches, and it's very common for this to happen when it's being tooled, especially if the piece is on the thin side. The only way to get around it is to fasten it to a non-stretchy backing piece with either rubber cement (which can be peeled off after) or tape.

Also; cut the piece bigger than you need. Allow for the stretch, and then you can cut your required shape out, around your worked area when its completed

btw; for doing fine interlacing patterns I ground the blade of a stubby flat screwdriver. I ground out the middle of the blade to leave two points. I actually made two, slightly different. Then I use this to draw over the wet leather, leaving two tracks. It means my ribbon width is always constant. I've not used them for several (many) years

Edited August 10, 2018 by fredk

[mick86]

21 hours ago, bullmoosepaddles said:

We were asked to make some rune inspired work this past weekend. I started to study a book we bought a while back yesterday. May I ask if the rune pieces are wood or leather? And the size of the pieces?      

Thank you for sharing. 

Thank you for your feedback bullmoosepaddles. I just started learning the runes this year myself. Very interesting stuff. I made the runes from birch wood. They are 9mm to10mm in the round blue bag and 13mm to 14mm in the textured brown bag and both are 3mm thick. I have made bigger ones but wanted some smaller pack ones.

[mick86]

20 hours ago, fredk said:

btw; for doing fine interlacing patterns I ground the blade of a stubby flat screwdriver. I ground out the middle of the blade to leave two points. I actually made two, slightly different. Then I use this to draw over the wet leather, leaving two tracks. It means my ribbon width is always constant. I've not used them for several (many) years

That is a very good idea thank you fredk.

[battlemunky]

I have nothing to add to help with your questions but those are adorable little pouches. I could see those selling well when you are happy with them.

[kiwican]

Very cool for sure

[fredk]

4 hours ago, mick86 said:

That is a very good idea thank you fredk.

I dug through my tools and found the screwdriver interlacing markers.

One makes a square edged lace  the other makes a slightly wider round top lace;

Just a rough drag thru some leather. I don't know if you can make it out the round top shape is to the top of the picture. Proper back-grounding would tidy the lines as well.

And finally; if you're not totally set on using wood for your rune beads ~~ I use 'granite' polymer clay. Polymer clay is also known as FIMO and Sculpey. I use the Tandy Rune letters to impress the letter then I fill the grove with liquid polymer clay mixed with gold paint and gold glitter. The two top beads are FIMO straight from the packet, for the two lower I added white polymer clay to lighten them a bit. I make these for games as well as for necklace beads. They have been mistaken for real granite pebbles.

A block of polymer clay is 2 ounces (58g) and I get between 14 and 18 beads from a block

[kiwican]

I like how you did this. Great job!

[mick86]

16 hours ago, battlemunky said:

I have nothing to add to help with your questions but those are adorable little pouches. I could see those selling well when you are happy with them.

Thank you battlemonkey. Hope to get em looking a bit better than selling em would be great.

7 hours ago, kiwican said:

I like how you did this. Great job!

Thanks kiwican  

[mick86]

14 hours ago, fredk said:

I dug through my tools and found the screwdriver interlacing markers.

One makes a square edged lace  the other makes a slightly wider round top lace;

Just a rough drag thru some leather. I don't know if you can make it out the round top shape is to the top of the picture. Proper back-grounding would tidy the lines as well.

And finally; if you're not totally set on using wood for your rune beads ~~ I use 'granite' polymer clay. Polymer clay is also known as FIMO and Sculpey. I use the Tandy Rune letters to impress the letter then I fill the grove with liquid polymer clay mixed with gold paint and gold glitter. The two top beads are FIMO straight from the packet, for the two lower I added white polymer clay to lighten them a bit. I make these for games as well as for necklace beads. They have been mistaken for real granite pebbles.

A block of polymer clay is 2 ounces (58g) and I get between 14 and 18 beads from a block

They look good fredk. Thank you for taking the time to find them. I may already have a few screwdriver tips like the square one. I didn't know Tandy do rune stamps, definitely be something in the future shopping list. I enjoy making the wood runes but having a mixture or materials is a good idea. I have made a set from bone but will not be doing that again any time soon. Terrible, smelly, dusty stuff to work with.