Boriqua Report post Posted February 14, 2019 Haven't posted in forever but have been lurking about. This is a recent project and a good bit of fun. Its about 14" wide by 12 " high and a 3.75" gusset. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 14, 2019 skulls really so no my thing, but this looks purdy good. Toolin', and applique'in', and pipin' .. gittin' ALL fancy over there! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted February 14, 2019 18 minutes ago, JLSleather said: skulls really so no my thing, but this looks purdy good. Toolin', and applique'in', and pipin' .. gittin' ALL fancy over there! Thanks brother! I have to make the time to come around more often. That is also the first piece I did totally with dyes and no stain. So all the shading and highlights were the result of careful painting. It was time consuming but the results were so much more satisfying. I remember how much you love stain .. NOT! It was a commissioned piece and I think AZ is more into Day of the Dead than Mexico. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smartee Report post Posted February 14, 2019 That's awesome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 14, 2019 I don't mind stain, it's just that ant-streak crap i don't have But I DO know that black dye in and around the carvings can be TOUGH! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted February 14, 2019 Seriously, that white is a dye? Where did you get it? The whole piece came out awesome, as well! YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted February 14, 2019 6 minutes ago, YinTx said: Seriously, that white is a dye? Where did you get it? The whole piece came out awesome, as well! YinTx The white is referred to by the manufacturer as Acrylic painters ink. I have used a lot of acrylic in my life.. its just acrylic. What I do is I dilute it way down. My first few passes has almost no pigment but it begins to get into the leather and work like a primer. As I build up I will dilute it less but its always pretty dilute. I havent found a better way to get a good flat finish with acrylic. Each of those white areas has about 6 coats. I could have sprayed it but I would have had to do a lot of masking and I found when I spray the acrylic without doing several passes of really dilute acrylic its not as durable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
battlemunky Report post Posted February 14, 2019 Great looking work @Boriqua! Clean as a whistle! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwican Report post Posted February 15, 2019 A steady hand and good brushs! Great job Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rbarleatherworks Report post Posted February 15, 2019 Wow... Love that bag...Awesome work Question though.... What paint did you use? That white is amazing against the black and with the other colors! And what it the bag made from? And how did you finish it? Tell us all ... lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherAthebyne Report post Posted February 15, 2019 I'm not the only one who constructs bags that way! I was beginning to think I was all alone Anything fancy going on in the interior? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted February 15, 2019 My motorcycle saddle bag on my bike is built in a similar fashion but has wrap around straps. The interior is boring with only a phone pocket at the back. I did dye it though. So except for the black which is just fiebings Pro and the white the prettier bits were done with Tandy ecoflo. I wont use it for large areas but I have come to really like it for painterly stuff.It blends nicely. I start with a 50% dilution for the red using "scarlet red" for the roses then I bleed in my shadows in the bevels and indents by mixing some scarlet red straight with Forest green and then I use 100% scarlet red for the bridge. Its hard to pick up in the photos but edges of petals and where ever I thought appropriate I let the 50% dilution be the highlight by bring the full red up to it from the brownish color. For the leaves I start wtih ecoflo yellow at the highlights, a 50% dilution of the forest green which I use in washes like you might watercolor .. which is basically what this is and then come up from the deepest spots with 100% forest green. At the end I did a touch of Forest green and red in the very deepest recesses but I did it dry brush for just a touch of flavor. Yea .. I got carried away!! The little flower on the chin is washes of diluted violet with washed out yellow highlights. The whole thing is then sealed with a sprayer shooting 50% resolene and water and any exposed edges I treat with a paint brush and supersheen. Here are some color pics if you havent tried this stuff and want to copy. Its not great but .. they client liked it and it was really a bit of fun since I spend most days making holsters. Dont treat it like paint but like water color. Fades and washes until your happy and the best part is since you build it up .. its hard to mess up!! I know everyone says it!! but the pix really dont show off the color shifts well at all. The light and camera just kind of make it one color. Those roses are SOOoo more juicy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rbarleatherworks Report post Posted February 16, 2019 Wow.... Thank you soooo much for sharing your process, I personally haven't done much with color other than to paint a few letters on key chains... you have inspired me !!! And those skulls are sooo cute Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
