Need to be able to Draw to Carve?

[dogboy]

Hello,

    Several years ago I had an idea for a very modest cardholder project as a gift for the Wife.  No leatherworking experience whatsoever.  No desire to start a leather-centric business.  Not an artistic bone in my body.  Have some experience with mechanical drawing, but any skill at sketch-type-like expression has always escaped me.

   Bought a few stamping tools, scrap for practice, and some paint.  Watched many project videos on YouTube.  Both inspired (several future projects contemplated) and intimidated.  From what I have seen I believe that I could learn to use stamps at least in a rudimentary fashion, but falter in my resolve when confronted with skilled swivel knife use in particular when applied after stamping for freehand embellishment.   

    As a matter of curiosity and perhaps in the hope of overcoming my reluctance to begin (and fail?) am wondering if anyone would be willing to share their experience and/or opinion as to whether it is necessary to be able to draw in order to apply art to leather?  Is the “eye” required to draw also a vital ingredient in the ability  to do more than just copy other person’s patterns?

   All supplies sit still untouched. I can hear them calling, but can’t decide if they are saying “try anyway” or “sell me”.  I am fully cognizant that there are no guarantees, but wonder what the universe might have to say on the matter.

   Thank you for your kind consideration.  Fare well,  dogboy

[chrisash]

I would suggest start with making the object something simple like say a wallet and then later move on to stamping, just one step at a time, you will soon be hooked line and sinker and find out what frustration really means when that staight line of stitching has a slight kink which only you can see

[Northmount]

@dogboy You don't need to be able to draw or sketch.  There are loads of patterns around that you can copy and others that you can purchase.  The majority of the usual tooling process is basically learning the mechanics of the sequence, which side of the line to bevel, etc.  If you are talking about figure carving of animals, scenes, portraits, etc. then that becomes a different story.  You need to have some artistic talents and skills.

There are a number of books available showing how to do tooling and carving.  Also some really good videos on YouTube.  Jim Linnell has a series of lessons at https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube+jim+linnel&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Tom

[DJole]

Not all designs need the ability to draw and sketch. If you can transfer a design that somebody else drew onto the leather, then the expertise comes in figuring out how to replicate that in leather. 
Some people do amazing, nearly photo-realistic work from drawings, using figure carving techniques to blend and shade.
Others of us choose to do things like line drawings (or wood cut block printing), which work well on leather. 
I  have some examples of this on my website:

• Serpent box <http://djole.altervista.org/djole/Publications/Leather/SerpentBox/SerpentBox.htm>
• Boar elbow guards <http://djole.altervista.org/djole/Publications/Leather/BoarElbow/BoarElbow.htm>
• Nativity panel <http://djole.altervista.org/djole/Publications/Leather/NativityPix/LeatherNativity.htm>
• Comet pouch <http://djole.altervista.org/djole/Publications/Leather/Pouch/CometPouch-1.htm>
• Dragon box <http://djole.altervista.org/djole/Publications/Leather/TomsTower/TomDragon.htm>

As you can see, the lines are copied, but then the art is learning how to work those lines into the 3-d medium of leather, to get that dimensional look and feel.

[Rockoboy]

I would suggest starting with something easy and simple, like a drink coaster or a wrist band/cuff etc. You can use almost any small detail for stamping a design or you can trace simple picture onto your leather for a design to carve.

If you cut out 15 or 20 of the same small item, you will become more proficient, not expert but you will learn some things, then do some swivel knife and/or stamping.

If you work on each piece until its finished (or you call it a mistake) after doing all of your pieces, you will learn some things about those processes. You can then move onto edge burnishing and finishing.

Throw none of your first pieces away. Even something that you are entirely unhappy with, can be used to practise edge burnishing, dye colouring, welt making, wet forming or other things.

Even a flat single piece of leather can be stitched or laced for practise or a decorative effect.

The main thing to remember, IMHO, have fun with what you are doing and enjoy the time you spend creating your own personal style.

[dogboy]

Hello,

    Thank y’all kindly for taking the time to offer guidance to a noob.  Info and links were of help.

    Thought it interesting that while chrisash offered understanding related to the OCD that (I suspect) plagues us all and could well cause us to toss failures (out out damned spot!), Rockoboy touched the other end of the spectrum when counseling that one never throw away a mistake because it will most likely be of use down the road, for one arcane purpose or another.

  Off to try my hand.                            Thank you.                                          Fare well, db