Chrestensen Burghout Designs

"Creating Original Art Through Wood"

About Leather Dyes On Wood
by Sue Chrestensen

I love the colors available in the leather dyes. On this piece I decided that I would sand off much of the color in some areas, using a finishing sander. This resulted in the shading and blended look on the wings and body. On the backer board I used an oil-based cabernet colored stain, then sanded most of it off; then I used the tan leather stain over it. This gave it a richer color than the stain alone. Leather stains are messy so I use puppy training pads, placing the dyed pieces on the puppy pads to dry. Clean up means just throwing away these absorbent plastic backed sheets. When using leather dyes it’s also very important to wear gloves, otherwise your fingers will become quite colorful.

Combining the colors of dye can make them bolder. For instance, red leather dye by itself is vibrant and bright. Letting the red dye settle into the wood and then adding a coat of yellow makes it a totally different shade of red — more realistic, less neon. On a leaf made of pine, I will use the Kelly green dye, let it dry, sand some off around the edges and down the center, and then put on yellow dye. What I’ll get is a highlighted look in the areas I sanded and a lighter green elsewhere. It is very important to first test your colors on a piece of scrap wood to

make sure that it is the color you want.

To get the look of old, weathered barn wood, I put black and navy blue leather dye on a piece of pine, let it dry. Then, using my belt sander, I sand off much of the color, resulting in a weathered look to the wood. Once the dye is dry I wipe off each piece of wood, using a soft cloth, very much like you do with stained wood, which helps remove any dye residue and also further buffs the dye into the wood. You can sand off the color while the dye is still damp or you can wait for it to dry. Experiment with your wood scraps and with different grits of sandpaper, as well machine vs hand sanding.

There are many variables which can produce stunning results that may surprise you. What often makes a piece stand out is that it is not a solid color; that it has something that pulls the eye towards it. Nothing in nature is a solid color — there are variations in the colors, a blending, shading, highlight — the pupil of an eye stands out when it has that dot of white, a small amount of white under the iris of an eye will make it look moist. The same is true when doing the butterfly: blending, shading, taking away color, adding color back in, breathes life into the overall look of your finished piece. The key is to be a bit daring, let your imagination flow, and try different combinations of stains and dyes. It’s OK to leave the wood plain; enjoy the color on its own.

Be aware that various varnishes will change the colors on your piece. Know that ahead of time and plan for the changes. Again, make a test piece. Most importantly, have fun. Use sanding away color as an addition not a deletion of color. It’s all about giving yourself permission to be unique and different and appreciating those differences as they play out in your projects. If you don’t like it, sand it off and do something different; it’s all part of the fun.

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© 2005 - 2007 Sue Chrestensen and Toni Burghout