Kick'n S Custom Leather Tips: Using the Camouflage Stamp

There are many leather stamps that can be used to enhance the looks of your project. Depending on how they are used, they can either make or break the looks of your work. I promise that I can tell you this from experience because of some of the mistakes that I have made and from looking at the top quality work that others have done. I may have said this previously, but I looked at the excellent work done by others whom I had the joy and honor of knowing, by which to set my standards. In this post, I will attempt to try to let you know how to best use the camouflage stamp and some of the mistakes that can be made with it.

I can remember many years ago when the “camouflage” stamp was called by a different name. It was called a “sunburst” stamp by some because that is what it resembled. With all the lines radiating out from the center, it looked like a sunburst minus the sun. If I did not mention it before, some people have called stamps by different names than what I may call them because of what they do or because of how they look. In other words, I have a tool/stamp that I made from the snap off portion of a concrete snap tie that I call an “undercut” beveller. Others will call it a “lifter” because it is used to lift part of a leaf or a petal to give the design a little more depth or dimension. It does not matter what you call it if it accomplishes the same task for you.

Like cars, camouflage stamps come in various sizes. I have one that I almost need to have a magnifying glass to be able to use it. I have a large one that is easy to see, but difficult to fit on some of the patterns that I use. Both of these stamps were probably unnecessary, but I do use them once or twice over a five-year span, maybe it is ten. That does not really matter in the least though. I have them, so I can use them if I would like or need. (By the way, if you want to accumulate some leather stamps you might want to go to yard, garage, or estate sales because you might be able to find some stamps that you might not need.)

One of the first times that I used a camouflage stamp was to do something similar to what is shown in the photo below. The carved pattern shown below is a whorl or a spiral design that represents or is similar to what may be seen on some plants. Notice how the camouflage stamp is used to give the whorl some dimension to its appearance. It also is used as a “stop” on the innermost end of the carved line. It is hard to tell from this photo, but I attempted to angle the stamp to the left when I did this. If you look closely, you might be able to see that it is a little darker than the right side.

Camouflage stamp used on a whorl

I have to admit, when I struck the stamp for doing this example, I hit it too hard. I free-handed the carved lines, which I know better than to do as well. I really need to trace a pattern onto the leather to carve it better than when I freehand it. Upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the whorl is not properly dimensioned. It is too wide for the stamp that I used and I should not have had the whole stamp showing. The way this whorl was carved it needed a larger camouflage stamp so that a pear shader could be used to continue the effect out into its body. I will try to provide an example of a properly carved and stamped whorl in another post somewhere down the line.

Another use for the camouflage stamp is to add texture to the center of a leaf by spacing it along a line carved in the middle portion of a leaf. I will not say the “center” of a leaf because of the manner in which many patterns are drawn. The line carved in the middle portion, maybe close to the center, or may be a little off-center to give a perspective that you are looking more at the side of the leaf than right down on top of it. The photo below shows how you do not want your camouflage to look on the center of a leaf. The spacing or placement of each stamp is within a reasonable distance, but the point of the left edge of the stamp is visible. To me, this is not how I want my finished project to look. I need to try to have only slightly more than one-half of the stamp showing. How is this accomplished? It can be done by leaning the top of the stamp towards the line more. It might be necessary to lean the top of the stamp past the center of the line to angle it enough to get the proper impression with the stamp.

Camouflage stamp not used in the best manner

Remember, just because a stamp such as the camouflage is a full semi-circle does not mean that you need or want to use the whole thing. It is a little like the story about the woman who made an eighteen inch long rhubarb pie because that is how long the rhubarb stems were. In addition, the right amount of force to use when striking a stamp can be learned with practice. It will take a few times of using a stamp to get the effect you are seeking. Another thing that can affect the way a stamp will appear on the leather is the thickness of the leather you are using. The photo below is somewhat more representative of the way you might want the result to look.

Camouflage Stamp Used in a better Manner

Camouflage stamp used in a little better manner

If you look closely at this photo of the “proper” appearance of the camouflage stamp, you will notice that the fourth one from the bottom has a bit of a problem. I would like to say that I did it on purpose but that was not the case. I got in a hurry to get it done and it did not turn out as I would have had it. Another thing that I want to say before proceeding further with this discussion is that it is not necessary to bevel the side of the line being stamped with the camouflage stamp. I do like to bevel the opposite side of the line though and use a veiner stamp on that side of the line. I will give an example of this in a later post as well.

Another way to use the camouflage stamp is to more or less matte the stem of a flower or leaf. The photo below shows one way in which you can do this. I will say that this may not be the most attractive but it fit my mood at the time. You might like to have the different stages of your stamps deeper or a little more separated by a little more distance than what I have demonstrated in the following photo. The best and most attractive method for placing and the force with which you strike the stamp is all up to you. It is not what I say that is the best practice; it is for you as a leather artist to decide what you like the best. I am only giving you some suggestions to help you be successful

Camouflage used to give a matted effect to a flower stem

You know, when I look at the stem in this photo I think that I would have done it differently. I might have done more stair stepping with the stamp and made the impressions toward the top of the stem a little farther apart and a little deeper. It is more than a little too late to change my mind on what I did here. That is where it is a good idea to have some scrap leather to practice on and learn what works the best for your style of tooling leather.

Because a stamp is generally used on floral patterns does not mean that it always needs to be used that way. Some people would tell you to, “Think outside the box.” I think that it is more appropriate to say to, “Use your God-given creativity.” The photos below are some ways that I have used the camouflage stamp on at least one project in the past.