Maintaining Pastel Shades

[LewisLouisaUK]

Hoping someone can help... Or tell me what we're trying to do is impossible! 

We airbrush veg tan leather using Fiebings Spirit (Alcohol) based dye. The colours are built up in different gradients and blends. We then finish with a UV top coat. 

One thing we struggle with is that because the dyes are translucent in nature - when the leather begins to patina and darken, the beautiful pastel shades are lost. For bright and dark colours this isn't so much of a problem - but it does spoil the pastel shades. 

Is there a better dye we could he using to maintain those pastel shades for longer? Should we swap to an oil based? Or should we just move away from offering pastel colours?

Example below of a pastel piece. 

[HaloJones]

Have you tried a white undercoat?

[HaloJones]

Have you tried a white undercoat?

[terrymac]

Angelis leather paints, especially if you are spraying.  Just be sure and get some "2 Thin" from Angelus to thin the paint.  They recommend a 2.: 1, ratio, but I am using more like a 1:1, it seems to spray better.  If you follow directions, this stuff is really tough.  I don't think the oil dyes will work any better for you.

Trying to dye over a white background would be a disaster in IMHO.  It might help if you are using the paints as Angelis recommends this be done with some of their neon colors.

Hope this helps,

Terry

Edited July 3, 2020 by terrymac

[johnv474]

All dyes are translucent and are affected by the color underneath.  As veg tan leather darkens (naturally, with exposure to the sun, etc.), the colors will darken.  This is part of the process of developing a patina.  You can't have something with a true patina that also looks brand new.

If you move to paint aka surface dye, paint is much more opaque and will provide an even coat that will change color much less over time.  However, you can't have something painted and also see through it to the grain of the leather.

If you want to use dyes, try this: To slow the process, dye your work, and then use two coats of diluted Resolene (half water, half Resolene).  Though not explicitly listed as having UV resistance, Resolene protects the colors from fading and the leather from darkening.  It slows this process, but does not stop it.  Resolene can also be sprayed.  In all cases, dilute it first.