If you’re interested in lettering, there are a few things you should know. First, lettering is a form of graphic design that uses a variety of different fonts and typefaces to create a cohesive and attractive piece. Second, lettering is an important part of logo design. Third, lettering is a great way to add personality and style to your work. Finally, lettering can be used to create titles, headers, and other text elements.
Embossing is a special way of leather processing where letters and images are applied to it. Leather itself is a very hard-wearing material, but at the same time it always has a spectacular pattern on it. Having mastered the technique of stamping on leather, you can turn ordinary things (purses, notepads, bags, document covers and even clothes) into unique ones. Such items can be proudly worn by yourself or given to your loved ones.
Concept, types and ways
Today, few people can be surprised by products purchased to order and made by hand. Nevertheless, not everyone will dare to do this kind of needlework on their own. The embossing process is rather time-consuming, laborious and requires a fair amount of skill. However, the result in the form of a unique embossed item, made his own hands, is worth the effort, so master classes on leather carving are very popular.
To begin with, it is worth understanding what methods professionals and amateurs use when making convex images on leather.
There are several options for crimping:
- hot/cold;
- foil stamping;
- embossing;
- blint (blind);
- stamping with stamps.
You can buy, order or even make your own clichés from metal blanks. For this ideally suited metals such as copper, brass, magnesium. For stamping a priority to use a natural leather vegetable tanning. But even artificial leather with special branding will do for a beginner. Products with engraving on leather with their own hands are beautiful and of high quality.
Step-by-step production of embossed products
The four basic tools for embossing on leather at home include a rotary knife, stamps (clichés), marker and hammer. The rotary knife has different attachments and allows you to make outlines. Stamps are needed to apply to the drawing the backgrounds, the typical elements of ornamentation. One of the types of stamps of patterns on leather is beveller, which allows you to give the outline of the figure volume and convexity.
To do stamping on leather with your own hands, you should prepare:
- a set of tools for embossing;
- scissors (sharp and heavy);
- wooden board;
- stylus;
- humidifier or plain water;
- a sponge.
As soon as the necessary things are at hand, you can start stamping the product. First, you need to cut a blank out of the leather. On this detail manually or using a printed on paper stencil applied image. If desired, you can make the product perforated on the contour. This is done with a puncher before the main work begins.
To make the material pliable, it is treated with professional moisturizers, but plain water will do. The product is moistened and left to soften for 30 minutes. When the material has regained its original color and softened, you can proceed directly to embossing. The work is done on a wooden board, which is placed under the product. Using the stylus to trace the contours of the image.
Further, with the help of clichés the contours are given a volume, additional ornaments and backgrounds are applied. To do this, place the cliche perpendicular to the skin and hit it with a hammer. If it is soft, then the desired embossing depth is obtained on the first try. It may be necessary to hit the hammer several times.
You should make sure that no nails or foreign objects hit the material – such a defect is practically incorrigible, especially in synthetic leather. To check the strength of your strike, you can use an unnecessary piece of material.
If desired, you can cover it with professional paints – polish, antique, paint with gloss or the effect of aging, a special finishing paint.
Making inscriptions
First, a piece of leather should be softened with a wet sponge. Then you need to apply the desired image with a stylus. The drawing will come through in the form of a faint imprint. Then with a rotary knife carefully cut out the same image outlines on all sides. If the knife cuts through the workpiece, the work can be considered rejected.
To give the image a three-dimensional effect, using a hammer on the same contour, the image is pressed through with stamps with different nozzles. Finally, with a rotary knife all defects are removed. At the end of the work, the figure is covered with a special paint for leather. When the product has dried, it is polished with a soft cloth.