Leather Painting Techniques

 

 

Materials made from leather are everywhere. From bags, shoes, jackets, organizers, planners to home decors, leather is a much-coveted piece of item that's quite irresistible and sophisticated.

Because leather is so popular, painting designs and patterns on your leather can be the best way to transform a staple leather item into a statement piece. If you're a designer or artist, it can be easy to personalize any of your leather pieces and make them more  personalised and unique using leather paints. However, if you're not a Pablo Picasso type exactly, there are still leather painting techniques you can adhere to that will help you achieve similarly great-looking results. 

So whether you are a talented artist or think you aren't nearly as artistic enough to make paintings come to life on your leather, acquainting yourself with some leather painting techniques can do wonders.

Now let's get to work and transform the look of your bags, shoes, jackets, wallets, purses, handbags into a unique masterpiece with leather paints - without the fear of ruining it. 

Plan Your Design Beforehand

The truth is that leather can be tricky to paint, so you must plan your design before the actual painting happens. Haste makes waste truly applies to painting on leather, so don't make the mistake of skipping this essential procedure. Failing to plan and hastily painting on your leather can ruin your material at the drop of a hat. 

Test Paint on Scraps of Leather

Once you have a design in mind, test paint it on scraps of leather, faux-leather or other fabrics first. You can also experiment with painting suitable color palettes that will blend seamlessly on your leather and match your design in mind. Test painting can also help gauge the number of coatings you will need to use to achieve the final look.The key to using leather paint is to paint in thin layers and build up gradually. This reduces any risk of cracking or flaking once the paint is dry and the leather bends.

Prep your Surface

Make sure your leather is free from dirt and dust. You can wipe it with Isopropyl alcohol to degrease and clean before you begin paint it.

Leather Painting Techniques

• Stripes or Color Blocking

This first leather painting technique is suitable for beginners and non-artists. All you need to create blocks of color or paint stripes on your leather item is masking tape.

If you've chosen a striped or color blocking type of design, just apply the tape on specific portions of your leather to adhere to your pattern. You are free to determine the width of your stripes or the boundaries between blocks of colors.

When this is done, all you need is to paint on top of your leather, without worrying too much if it'll smear or create wavy lines. Once painting is finished, remove all the tape to find crisp straight lines of stripes or color blocking patterns on your material.

• Freehand Patterns

Freehand patterns could be more nerve-wracking for leather painting beginners, but you can definitely choose the simplest shapes or abstract patterns to put on your leather item. 

To create a very organic look, go for irregular-sized shapes and geometric patterns.

• Pre-traced Design

If you have a great vision for your leather, you can also use pre-traced patterns. This method is great for people who are comfortable with designing as it gives the most creative freedom. 

First, you just need to trace your chosen pattern on your leather using the tracing paper and pencil/graphite technique. 

If you're  happy with the traced design, use the brushes included in the cap of our Artistik set, or you can use any paint brushes that you have on hand l to create the final design..

There are a multitude of ways to personalize, customize, or recreate a staple leather item, transforming it into a statement design piece. 

All you need is a limitless imagination, oh and the skillful use of quality leather paints on your leather.

Although most leather paints are water-proof, in order to get the most longevity and wear out of your new leather creation, you have the option to seal your artwork with a finisher or sealant.