Tuesday 8 June 2010

Prepare the surface

More good info from people (thx silver dollar).

Make sure the surface of the leather is free from impurities like grease, as the paint might not take to the surface.

The other thing suggested by several people, was to very lightly (and i mean lightly), rub the area to be painted with a VERY FINE wet and dry paper. The idea being that the paint will sink into the surface and bond to the leather. A bit like a tatoo.

I would practice this on a scrap bit of leather first, to get the technique right.

Friday 4 June 2010

Hurrah!

Got some nice feedback from several artists.

The general consensus is that acrylics are the way ahead in regards to paint.

One person also mentioned that they used a combination of fabric and leather paint, which adds authenticity. You might want to try this method on leather scraps first to get the formula right.

Someone also pointed out that they start with light colour and move to dark, instead of the way I suggested. So I guess it's down to you and you're composition. I suppose it works both ways. I did add shadow to the lighter skin base. But then again, I added highlight to the darker hair and dress. Plus a final highlight to the skin to give it a smooth feel.

happy painting.