Step Two of Plugging

The next step in the embossing process: the second layer on the plugs. I found that some of these second tier pieces will actually completely overlay some of the ridges I already carved in the first layer.

This is tedious work - for every second layer piece, I first put tracing paper over the original plug and trace the outline of the piece I will cut to go on top. It is glued down and then the scalpel and French edger is used again to achieve the sculpting effect.

For the top layer of leather - the visible piece - I picked a 7 ounce leather, thicker than what Al Stohlman suggests, but I did this on purpose as I do not want all the fine details of the plugs to show. I want to achieve a balance between a feeling of smooth skin and a certain ruggedness, so my plugs are not extremely detailed.

A New Anatomy Study

This is the next big project I am tackling. It is based on a drawing by Hogarth and from the quarter you can get an idea of the scale.

The first step was to get the design down on the leather and cut it with a swivel knife. I then decided to do a full test piece first. In the photo at the top you can see the test piece still damp after I beveled it with the plug in place at the back.

In the next photo you can see the test piece after I applied some dye - it looked fairly good at this stage, but after I darkened the background with a darker brown, the skin tone appeared far too yellow. So in the final project I will use a redder shade of brown for the skin.

I started the plugs for the embossing next. I am doing them in three pieces just to make them easier to handle, because the project is so big and I want to turn the plugs very often as I do the carving.

These photos show the first layer of plugs with most of the contours carved in so that I can get an idea of the size of subsequent pieces that will form a second and even third layer of plugs.

Doing the plugs is the biggest part of the job that takes the most of the accurate work - if you do them well, the covering layer almost tools itself ...!

Looking for Patterns

I am looking for more details, patterns and names for the type of leggings shown in this picture

 

Please email me with any information you might have. [leatherworker at gmail dot com]

Bible Cover for Jacques

My son's birthday and the night before I am still working on his gift! Here the cover has been tooled and the front stitched to the spine - the spine and back was cut from one piece. The stitching was done with the new waxed braided cord that Tandy now sells in a rainbow of wonderful colors!

 

The sun rises on his birthday and the cover is done - I was in bed just after midnight!

 

I put his initials on the spine. The lettering on the front spells "HiStory" - it is a history book, but it is also His Story! This was inspired by a friend, Curt, who showed me his Bible with the same on....

 

On the back I did the woodgrain effect the same as on the cross.

 

Anatomy Study

 

I got a really nice thick piece of leather and it carved like butter! So I looked for a very good subject and found this photo to work from. Unfortunately the detail was not too good and I had great difficulty with the hands. Next time I will take more care to choose my subjects.

The male human body with its angles surfaces and structure is an ideal subject for leather carving.

Hebrew Lettering

 

I made this little sample piece of letters of the new Hebrew alphabet that is now available.

From the top down it reads:
"SHALOM"
"YISRAEL"
"LORD"
"ELOHIYM"
"EMET"
"GOD" "JUDAH"

Armbands

These were a lot of fun! Armbands. I just started stamping them out experimenting with various geometric patterns and then applying the new Eco-Flow Antique Gel and Hi-Liter in as many creative ways as I could dream up and I do not even feel as though I have scratched the surface.

 

 

 

 

A Band for a Hat

Well, you cannot just leave a hat like that - it needs a band! I suppose it's a strap to keep your head from getting swollen.... In any case, I had fun adding this to my hat.

 

I used the same geometric pattern that I used around the brim of the hat. The color difference between the hat and band - made of the same hide - is in the finish: I used Dr Jackson's on the hat and the soon-to-be-discontinued X1 dressing on the band.

 

A Leather Hat

At last I managed to make a hat for myself! I have passed by so many in the store - leather hats - and each time I say "Oh, I can do that!", but of course, I never do! So when a friend sent me a set of patterns, I found a very nice Brazilian tanned, pre-dyed leather (5oz) and went to work on this hat.

 

 

 

True Leather Artistry

When you are involved in leatherwork, you have the rare priveledge of seeing the works of true artists. These are works that you can see has been taken beyond merely a craft. The photos in this entry shows two such works I saw in so many days. The first two is a Bible that someone is going to try to use as inspiration to make his own and he has come to me for some advice.
The first very striking feature of this cover is the writing. I had it under a magnifier and carefully studied it. And I think my friend Larry is right when he says it has been done by swivel knife and then the cuts were opened with a stylus or modeling tool.
The second very nice feature of the cover, is the subtle use of resist and antique finish to give the tree trunks a lighter color and the pool that the lettering were done in.

 

I know I should have photographed it more, but it is awkward in the first place to scrutinise the Bible of someone else when it is obviously a very private and well loved book. So here I will just describe a bit: the zip was installed in the gusset without the ends of the zip being attached or tucked into the spine of the cover. I hope to make a cover like this soon so as to not forget this method of a zippered gusset, so I will show some photos then.

 

This is a still unframed picture done by a very good artist, Uchechi. The silouette work in this picture was done by simple inverted carving and backgrounding of the design. It was then dyed with chocolate brown (very dark) and a bit of airbrushing on the face and hands gave them a bit more of a three dimensional feel. The artis was going to so a few more and I hope to have pics of them soon!