JustWakinUp Report post Posted September 27, 2007 Great mask making tutorial Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johanna Report post Posted September 27, 2007 (edited for correction and clarity!) More masks here: http://members.aol.com/mdtiger11/index.html Good find, JustWakingUp! Johanna Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beaverslayer Report post Posted September 27, 2007 Yes she does do some very beautiful work. Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Micah Report post Posted September 27, 2007 I hate it when people make things look easy, LOL! Did you notice how easily (and evenly) the dyes and acrylics brushed on?? guess I just need more experience wonder what sealer she was using. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted September 28, 2007 It looked like acrylic to me. Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Ellis Report post Posted September 28, 2007 chuckle.. the very first thing she does is something I was taught not to do right at the very beginning of my leatherworking studies (I won't say "career" 'cuz I haven't had one :biggrin: She uses Carbon Paper to transfer her design. Works for her, obviously. And then she's going over it with a ball point pen, and getting ink on her hand in the process. I have that problem when I'm tracing designs, but I really want to avoid it when I'm working with the leather... Again - she's doing well enough to be appearing on TV and the end results certainly look good. Goes to show there's more than one way to do pretty much anything. oh, yeah.. I chuckled when I saw her using that v-gouge. Not exactly what it was intended for by the manufacturer, but a use I've been considering myself :biggrin: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Ellis Report post Posted September 28, 2007 I've been a fan of this artist for a long time. Tiger Torre's website is featured on the Teasers page and the address is:http://www.merimask.com/ Good find, JustWakingUp! Johanna Johanna, I think Merimask is not the same person as Tiger. She certainly didn't look like the same person when I met her in Buffalo last winter.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted September 28, 2007 Well, not having anyone around to show me the "proper" (i.e., widely accepted) method of transferring patterns/artwork onto leather, I never knew you weren't supposed to get ink (or graphite) onto the leather. So I print my designs onto transparencies, then turn them over and press the ink directly onto dry leather. Sometimes I think it's good not to come up through traditional ranks to develop your art. You never know what fresh and innovative things may present themselves in the process of independent discovery. I love to learn about other disciplines (such as wood carving, engraving, or linoleum printing) to see what in those areas may be applicable to leather. So go ahead and play with that v-gauge! I may just do the same. Kate chuckle.. the very first thing she does is something I was taught not to do right at the very beginning of my leatherworking studies (I won't say "career" 'cuz I haven't had one :biggrin: She uses Carbon Paper to transfer her design. Works for her, obviously. And then she's going over it with a ball point pen, and getting ink on her hand in the process. I have that problem when I'm tracing designs, but I really want to avoid it when I'm working with the leather... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Ellis Report post Posted September 29, 2007 Hey Kate... My "teacher" says she loves talking to me about what I'm up to because I keep coming up with new ideas for her to try. There are definitely benefits to not being taught the way to do things and figuring out your own. I found it amusing that someone working professionally in the craft was using a technique I had been (somewhat forcefully) steered away from. And the ink on the hands thing... one of those pet peeves, I guess. I've ruined my share of shirts, messed up papers, etc. because I got my hand in the wet ink. And I'm not even a lefty.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Micah Report post Posted September 29, 2007 And I'm not even a lefty.... Hey! I resemble that remark! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leatheroo Report post Posted September 29, 2007 I use a product called Saral transfer paper to transfer designs for my masks and quivers. It looks like carbon paper in that it is coloured on one side, but the package says that it is wax free and after the design is transfered the colour from the paper just brushes away. It comes in graphite, white, blue, yellow and red. It is quite expensive but i have been using the same piece for the last 15 projects and expect to use it for a while yet. It also washes out of material and can be used on ceramic, glass metal etc. I purchased it from an art shop. cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted September 29, 2007 I've never heard of that, leatheroo... is there a web site that shows the product info on that? Since we're talking about transferring artwork onto the leather, the method I use is to print the artwork onto a transparent sheet of acetate ("overhead transparencies" that you can buy at Staples or Office Max) using my inkjet printer, turn it over, and rub the ink right onto dry leather. It's better to apply the design soon after it's printed on the transparency, and once the transparency is in contact with the leather, it must not move or shift around, or you will get smudges. To make this easier, I've been poking some register holes around the perimeter of the design, but the push-pins might work even better - I'll have to try it. The results are very clean, and I only pay about $.60/sheet for the transparencies. Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted September 29, 2007 (edited) That's the spirit, Peter! In my opinion, a given method or technique may be "better" or "worse" depending upon the particular result you are trying to achieve, but when it comes to art, there are no "rules" or "proper ways" of doing anything. There may be methods that other artists use that you may want to learn about and incorporate in your own work, but that doesn't mean you have to do everything the way others do. Being creative means "making something new", which means at some point you have to fearlessly try something that nobody else has thought of trying. Besides, nobody has to know about it until the results are in.... nowhutImean? So rock on, Bro! Kate BTW, I am glad to know that all those messes I made must not have been because I'm a lefty, after all! :biggrin: But nowadays, I use gloves and aprons when I'm messing in the dye. Hey Kate... My "teacher" says she loves talking to me about what I'm up to because I keep coming up with new ideas for her to try. There are definitely benefits to not being taught the way to do things and figuring out your own. I found it amusing that someone working professionally in the craft was using a technique I had been (somewhat forcefully) steered away from. And the ink on the hands thing... one of those pet peeves, I guess. I've ruined my share of shirts, messed up papers, etc. because I got my hand in the wet ink. And I'm not even a lefty.... Edited September 29, 2007 by CitizenKate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted September 29, 2007 Hi Kate, You confessed to me that you use ink on your leather awhile ago and I let it slide. Now you have admitted it to the WHOLE WORLD! The leather police will be showing up at your door today and taking away your license to carve leather. Really though, I agree with you. If it works, go ahead and do it. And anyone that sees your work will have to admit the ink isn't hurting anything. The only thing that I know you are doing wrong is not posting enough pictures of your work! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted September 29, 2007 Kate- I tried that too(acetate direct to dry leather) but found that the ink smeared when I cased the leather. How do keep it from doing that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted September 29, 2007 That's right, folks, I've decided to come out of the closet with my dirty little secret! Ha! Clay, I'm finally going to have some time today to work on that oak leaf tutorial that I promised a couple weeks ago, so you can see what happens to the ink after all the casing, carving, tooling, finishing, etc. Ahhh... a real weekend, finally! How sweet it is! Kate You confessed to me that you use ink on your leather awhile ago and I let it slide. Now you have admitted it to the WHOLE WORLD! The leather police will be showing up at your door today and taking away your license to carve leather. Really though, I agree with you. If it works, go ahead and do it. And anyone that sees your work will have to admit the ink isn't hurting anything. The only thing that I know you are doing wrong is not posting enough pictures of your work! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted September 29, 2007 Luke, My first guess is, maybe different types of printer inks behave differently, but I'm afraid I don't know much about the chemistry composition printer inks. I've got an HP printer that uses Vivera inks, and it has been very stable, even after casing the leather. Maybe some inks require some cure time before casing...? Kate Kate- I tried that too(acetate direct to dry leather) but found that the ink smeared when I cased the leather. How do keep it from doing that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leatheroo Report post Posted September 30, 2007 i found a website for the transfer paper i use www.saralpaper.com/sample.html they have a free sample offer.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
