Leather University™
How to Paint Leather Step-by-Step
by Dan Concord
Author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques.
Leather University™
Author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques.
Painting leather is a creative and exciting element of leather working. It can be done for functional purposes, such as providing a protective layer over the surface, or for aesthetic reasons, such as adding beautiful colors and designs to the surfaces of leather items. It can also be done purely for artistic reasons using acrylic paints on leather, just like classical artists use oil paints on canvas. Let’s walk through the process now!
The first thing you will want to do is prepare the leather. What exactly does preparing mean?
Paints require a clean surface to adhere nicely to. If the leather is soiled or has been used a lot, a leather cleaner can be used to remove dirt and grime from the surface. At this time, also consider adding a gentle conditioner as long as it won’t gum up the surface.
Something to keep in mind is that paint will cover the leather’s surface, and the conditioner won’t go through the paint, so it can be important to condition it properly before painting it and, of course, allow that conditioner to dry thoroughly so it’s not sticky. It will be much more challenging to condition it from the back and reach the fibers on the top once that paint is on.
Now that the leather is ready, we want to prepare the surface. This is often done by deglazing, which is essentially using a strong solvent to break down anything that may be left on the leather’s surface.
That way, we’re exposing as much bare leather as possible for that paint to adhere to. If you have a piece of leather with a surface coating, like a glossy or water-resistant layer, the deglazer might remove that and any other finishes as well. So be sure you want to do that before you use this, as it will alter that surface.
Deglazer is really meant to get you that bare leather. If you’ve got something that already has a gloss coating or you just want to touch it up, you could probably go over that, depending on the paints you’re using. However, if you’re looking for the nitty-gritty of bare leather painting, this will help get you there.
To begin deglazing, find a well-ventilated area. These solvents can be pretty strong when you’re applying them to leather. As an example, I’m using a bit of aluminum foil to cover the surface and a small sample of leather to start.
Once the leather and surface are prepared, open the jar and use a wool dauber to apply the deglazer. These work well because the wool will stand up well to any solvent in most cases.
Just dab it in the deglazer briefly, put it on the leather, and then give it a little time to evaporate. Again, I recommend doing this outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. That will make the process much easier. It could also dry faster depending on the humidity and temperature.
Now, the leather is ready for paint application. So let’s apply the paint. This can be done with any variety of applicators. Common ones include:
You could also use an air sprayer applicator. Pretty much any way you can apply paint; you can apply leather paints as well. This could be done freehand. You can mask it off with tape or use a template you’ve applied for many creative ways. It’s really up to you.
Most often, you’ll want to use acrylic paints such as Angelus paints for leather. They come in a variety of colors, can be mixed with others, and are an excellent choice for leather paint.
First, open up the jar, dip your applicator into the paint, ensure you get some on the brush or applicator, and simply apply it to your leather. Depending on what you’re trying to do, you may have an angled brush or a round brush. You could create fine lines over a template or use other methods as well.
It’s really up to you in terms of how you’re looking to paint. For example, using a dauber or a cosmetic sponge, you can blot certain areas if you’re looking for texture. It can vary, and your personal style and creativity will be the biggest guides in applying it.
Once the paint is on the leather, allow it time to dry, which will vary based on the temperature and humidity in the room. It should dry relatively quickly, but give it at least a few minutes to be hand dry and a few hours to dry thoroughly. If you have thick paint, give it at least 24 hours to truly dry and cure it throughout.
Once dry, the painted leather will look relatively smooth and clean. The texture of the leather and your brush will likely show through, and depending on the paint you’re using, for example, acrylic-based paint will also add some water-resistant properties.
After allowing the paint to dry for 24 hours or more, the leather can be finished. If it’s done and you like the results, you are finished and nothing else is needed. However, suppose you’d like to add any additional properties or characteristics. In that case, you might want to add another layer of paint or a finish, which could be anything from an antiquing finish to a waterproofing finish.
For example, using an Angelus acrylic finisher essentially provides a matte finish and adds another layer of protection. Some also offer water, scratch, or abrasion resistance. It’s totally up to you and depends on how you want the result to look.
And there you have it. That’s it! The painting is all done. At each step of the process, work to ensure your tools are cleaned properly to help ensure they’ll be performing well for you during the painting and in the future when you might do more painting.
Painting leather can be a lot of fun and easy with just a little preparation and knowledge. If you have any questions, let us know. If you have any experience painting, please share that knowledge with us.
Until next time.
Dan Concord is a professional leather crafter with 15 years of design experience and expertise. He is founder of the successful Liberty Leather Goods studio, and also a published author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques. He lives in the USA.
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