Trying my hand at some Don Gonzales style leather work

[YinTx]

As mentioned, these are all Don Gonzales patterns, modified maybe slightly for my purposes.  Took a bit to get accustomed to his style of carving, but I think I did ok with it.  Not so simple as the videos make it out to be, but that's expected.  Took a whole lot longer too.    I don't call me Slow Draw McGraw for nuthin.  

 

YinTx

Edited February 4, 2021 by YinTx

[DustinSmith]

Very nice! His work has always been my inspiration, I love the way the patterns always look so smooth and blend well, did you use an antique or just oil? 

[Woodshed]

Great work all around!

[Crashresq]

Those all look great, love the carved work (not a big fan of the hair on hide stuff, but that's just me).  Something about that third sheath in from the left, really like the looks of that one, carving is fantastic and of course, your stitching is always great.

[Viles]

Purty 

[YinTx]

3 hours ago, DustinSmith said:

Very nice! His work has always been my inspiration, I love the way the patterns always look so smooth and blend well, did you use an antique or just oil? 

Thanks, I've watched him work, and finally decided to give his stuff a go.  I used my own version of antiques on the purses and some of the sheathes, and just some antique gell on a couple of the sheathes.

3 hours ago, Woodshed said:

Great work all around!

Appreciate it!

32 minutes ago, Crashresq said:

Those all look great, love the carved work (not a big fan of the hair on hide stuff, but that's just me).  Something about that third sheath in from the left, really like the looks of that one, carving is fantastic and of course, your stitching is always great.

Hair on was all machine stitched, and wanted to test the market on pricing.  Much faster and easier than tooled!  Thanks for the compliment, I'll put a closer image  of that sheath.

13 minutes ago, Viles said:

Purty 

Thanks!

YinTx

[DustinSmith]

@YinTx Are you using a smooth beveler on those?

[Retswerb]

Really nice work as usual, Yin. Your lines flow very nicely and your color and stitch work are great.

[toxo]

Great work Yin as per, but I think I'm suffering from Sheridan/scroll/flower fatigue.

[Doug61]

Very nice work.

 

Doug

[YinTx]

10 hours ago, DustinSmith said:

@YinTx Are you using a smooth beveler on those?

I did a little bit of experimenting on these, some are smooth bevelers from Barry King, some are textured bevelers from Robert Beard.  I think Don's designs tend to lend themselves to the smooth Barry King bevelers more.  This is also one of the first times I've tooled on thick Hermann Oak leather (for the sheaths, 9-10 oz), which is a totally different feel for me than the thinner leathers (like the purses, at about 5oz).

5 hours ago, Retswerb said:

Really nice work as usual, Yin. Your lines flow very nicely and your color and stitch work are great.

Thank you.  I was really undecided about what colors to use, so you can see a combination of different approaches particularly on the sheaths.  I am still undecided.  We'll see what sells first!  Plus, one vote for the contrast dyed sheath already up above from @Crashresq ....

4 hours ago, toxo said:

Great work Yin as per, but I think I'm suffering from Sheridan/scroll/flower fatigue.

Thanks, perhaps the backside of the purses will be more to your liking...

3 hours ago, Doug61 said:

Very nice work.

 

Doug

Appreciate it!

YinTx

 

[toxo]

34 minutes ago, YinTx said:

 

Thanks, perhaps the backside of the purses will be more to your liking...

 

Yes, better, esp the croc one. I was blown away by that dino skull the other day but God knows how you would get that on a bag.

[YinTx]

49 minutes ago, toxo said:

Yes, better, esp the croc one. I was blown away by that dino skull the other day but God knows how you would get that on a bag.

Bit sneaky but it's actually Ostrich.  Not sure if it is cheaper than croc, but they both have a really prehistoric look to them that appeals to me.  I probably could have spent some more time on the edges of it, etc, maybe next time!

YinTx

[toxo]

Take no notice of me Yin. You're doing good stuff.

[JayEhl]

Watching DG on youtube  was one of my inspirations to get started in my hobby.   I like how he takes time to explain the work as he goes along, not to mention how he positions the camera work and the lighting to capture the work!  

[BruceGibson]

Very nice!

[YinTx]

10 hours ago, toxo said:

Take no notice of me Yin. You're doing good stuff.

Nonsense, I take all kinds of support and critical suggestions!  Thanks for both!

8 hours ago, JayEhl said:

Watching DG on youtube  was one of my inspirations to get started in my hobby.   I like how he takes time to explain the work as he goes along, not to mention how he positions the camera work and the lighting to capture the work!  

He does a lot of great stuff right.  So I finally broke down and spent some money on his patterns as a way of thanks and support and to of course help myself!

4 hours ago, BruceGibson said:

Very nice!

Thank you truly!

YinTx

[kiwican]

18 hours ago, toxo said:

Great work Yin as per, but I think I'm suffering from Sheridan/scroll/flower fatigue.

Agreed..great work Yin. I'm not  a fan of Sheridan but I can certainly appreciate the skill required to do it!

[battlemunky]

Lookin' great Yin! I love doing DG's patterns. I'm not a fan of Sheridan so much but you can't argue with how much you learn while doing it, even screwing it up, which you most certainly are not Sir.

[YinTx]

On 2/5/2021 at 11:21 PM, kiwican said:

Agreed..great work Yin. I'm not  a fan of Sheridan but I can certainly appreciate the skill required to do it!

Thanks.  I like tooling in particular, no style specifically.  I've been trying to study several styles, and perhaps I'll come up with my own variation.  I'm not sure Don's is exactly Sheridan, but it definitely has some elements of it.  I think too much at once is a bit much also, so seeing all these items together is a bit much probably.  Taken individually, I like them.  But to get better, I gotta practice...

On 2/6/2021 at 12:03 PM, battlemunky said:

Lookin' great Yin! I love doing DG's patterns. I'm not a fan of Sheridan so much but you can't argue with how much you learn while doing it, even screwing it up, which you most certainly are not Sir.

Thanks!  I have come to appreciate DG's patterns as well, although I will probably do some modifications for my own preferences.  I think that is a key to leather work, learn and adopt and alter.

YinTx