Comparing Damp and Wet Carved Leather

I have a couple of photos of leather that I want to share with you concerning the moisture content of your leather. The first photo shows two pieces of leather with which are carved and each has a line has been beveled. If you look closely at the photo, you will notice some differences besides the color of the leather. Obviously, the one on the right is very wet and the one on the left is much drier. These two pieces of leather are part of the same scrap and if all things were equal should look the same.

I have numbered some points on this photo that I would like you to compare. It may be a little difficult to see because of the not so high quality. I will try to become more acquainted with my camera as I continue making posts on this blog. I tried to place the numbers as close to the points that I want you to consider.

Compare the numbers on the photo with the list below.

1. What I see when I look at this photo comparing the left sample to the right is that the lines on the left are more distinct than they are on the right. This photo does not show a good contrast between the two, but if you look closely, you might be able to see that the lines on the left are a little bit darker
2. Although these lines are not carved exactly the same, they are similar in that they are on the same portion of the pattern. The carved lines are almost equal in the width of the cut and the leather would be easy to stamp with either one. Look at the upper curve of the leaf on the left and compare it to the one on the right. The upper curve on the right-hand one has the peeling effect on it. This comes from carving it too wet
3.  Look at the color of the line on the left and compare it to the one on the right. The color of the beveled line on the left will stay that color when it has completely dried where the one on the right will have a bit of a washed out look. The preferred look for a finished project will be the one on the left. 
4. The same lines have been beveled on both pieces of leather. Do you notice anything different about them?  Look at the color of the line on the left and compare it to the one on the right. The color of the beveled line on the left will stay that color when it has completely dried where the one on the right will have a bit of a washed out look. The preferred look for a finished project will be the one on the left.

4.       When the leather has too much moisture some stamps can have an effect on areas that you do not particularly want them to. If you compare the two pieces, you will notice that the heel or backside of the beveler caused the carved lines to be compressed a little. The one on the left is not too bad, but a portion of the line on the right is almost obliterated. This will make it more difficult to use other stamps in completing the stamping process. One would almost want to use something to open the line up a little more before using other stamps here.

The second photo that I want you to consider is the same two pieces of leather side by side two days later. As I said before, these pieces leather are from the same scrap of leather and were the same color when I started. You might notice that the color of the leather on the right is a little darker. What you cannot see is that there is what I can best describe as a “bubble” effect of the extra moisture. The surface of the leather is a little rougher because the additional water evidently caused the grain to raise a little in some areas. I will not say that this will happen with all leathers, but it did happen here and I have seen it on other projects as well.

Notice the color of the beveled lines. The one on the left has the reddish-brown color still showing because the moisture was still in the flesh portion but not showing in the grain. The beveled line of the example on the right does not have the same color and it is a little washed out due to being too wet. The lines that were transferred from the tracing pattern are a little more pronounced on the left because it was not so wet.

Notice the differences between the two examples.

 

In the next post I will begin showing you how to use some of the leather stamps and I will have photos of what I think is the best way to use a stamp and I will try to show something similar to what I did when I first began carving and stamping leather.

Have fun!