Skirt Making the skirt

[sl tk8456]

Anyone, dying these squares is a hit and miss nightmare. Most have worked ok though

Did anyone use a weak solution bath soak (I think this will be best) and am I right in thinking if we wet/damped the squares first it would help with the blending on the sqaures, 'regardless' of how you put the dye on.

Is that right and has anyone done that?

 

[MaulMaus]

Anyone, dying these squares is a hit and miss nightmare.

Um... yeah... Pretty much!

*Best Captain Jack impersonation* "Welcome to the World of Zamming Luv"

I did use a weak solution when I dyed the squares - though I used an airbrush. I just went over the squares several times. Some more than others to get the variations of color.

 

[MonCal]

I'm working on our new skirt now and am very happy with the dye color I'm achieving.

I first decided on which squares I wanted to be darker and a little more brown. I chose the darker pieces of leather from the row, mixed a bit of the purple dye with more brown and more solvent. Then I dobbed those squares. I'll mix up some more alternate color for the holster and chest and belly leather. Then for the rest of the squares I dobbed a few of the pieces and airbrush the rest using varying consistencies of dye. Once all of the leather is dyed I'll use resolene to finish it.

Oh.. I'm using 6 - 7 oz leather for the skirt, holster, brim

 

[MaulMaus]

That is looking good MonCal!!!

It always amazes me how we each come up with our own ways of making these things... And they almost always turn out looking really good! Mine is usually much more messy though! Maybe I shouldn't mention the lovely Zam purple stain I have in the middle of my garage floor now eh?

 

[MonCal]

So you have a roadkill zam grease stain in your garage now huh?

Here are a couple pics in real light. A word of the wise... USE NATURAL DAY LIGHT when making your colors. Never ever trust your indoor lighting. It's actually better if it's a bit overcast or in the shade.

In my opinion these books are the best for color representation and the dressing the galaxy book is the closest to my neoprene that Yvonne had made. Plus I prefer those colors the best out of all the reference photos

 

[MaulMaus]

A word of the wise... USE NATURAL DAY LIGHT when making your colors. ... It's actually better if it's a bit overcast or in the shade.

Well I'm screwed... :facepalm I live in Arizona... it's spring - almost summer. We don't have shade... we don't have no stinkin overcast skies! :angry Erm.. actually, that's why I was in the garage... when I tipped over the purple dye But I gotta finish up the rest of the squares. I'm like 3 short in each row. :rolleyes

I don't recognize the top left book in the middle picture... I'm shocked I don't know that book... but I don't. What is it called? Yep... I love the Dressing the Galaxy books! Not only for Zam Reference but for all the fantastic costumes!

 

[ItsThatGuy]

Looking great, Cal!

 

[MonCal]

Thanks Tony. I'm very happy with the colors this time.... much closer than our first skirt ....... and you can bet I'm gonna lace it the right way this time

I worked on getting the color for the holster, which turns out to be a 3 stage dying process to get the hi-lights around the raised portions. If I have time tomorrow I'll dye the holster and share the process for that one.

The other book is the chronicles book

 

[sl tk8456]

Now just hear me out here LOL

Looking at Zam's skirt for hours and also reading up on how leather is dyed until I'm blue in the face I think maybe we've been doing it wrong?

I think the leather sheet was stained/smudged/soaked (that's how the side parts of each square look pink/purple)
I think it may have been dyed/soaked and then cut up?
Soaking the leather or making it wet helps the dye to travel throught the leather and help it blend correctly.
That's why each squares tone/half tone etc looks like it 'belongs' to a larger smudge and looks more natural?

What do you think?

Moncal, looking cool. When you dye yourt holster do you make it and then dye it or dye the pieces then make it?

 

[Langsuir666]

Ive tried dyeing the squares as you say, i put some in the water over night but they have dyed really really dark, its hard as the water dilutes the dye but it just acts as something for the leather to float in so the same amount of pure dye still sticks/transfers to the leather.

Proving very very hard to get the color, dilution and time correct. Then when i do get it right i would either have to keep each one the same and do it per square or try to work out how that dilution/mixture relates and transfers to working with a whole hide and find something big enough to put the whole thing in.

 

[Langsuir666]

Rubbish pics but heres an idea of whats comming out - really hit and miss at the moment.

 

[sl tk8456]

Bee that camera has a flower symbol on the left hand side of it
Press that and it allows you to focus on things close up.
Press it again to go really close up.

Apart from that red one they look ace to me!

 

[Langsuir666]

Yeah i couldnt find that button LOL - thanx

I put the red one in to show how varied they are with just a little change in the dye.

I gotta say these look good and i think John may be right, Im experimenting with a blue and purple bath atm

 

[sl tk8456]

............ Im experimenting with a blue and purple bath atm ........

Oh dear. Beats peach anyway

 

[MaulMaus]

Um.... why are you soaking them in water? :confused

I just mixed up my dye solution tested, tested and tested till I got the right color on my leather and then airbrushed the squares. By going over them 1-2-3 times I changed the lightness/darkness of the squares. You can do the same by dunking or using those brushy thingies (Okay... I'm tired... up with a sick kid all night )

I just made the dye mixture really diluted then I could also make some parts of the square darker if I wanted with the airbrush.

Interesting effects though...

 

[sl tk8456]

The skirt panels need to be dyed, front, back and 'sides'
As I looked at the skirt I noticed that the sides were paler than the rest. So I guessed that maybe the leather was dyed as a whole hide and then cut up into the panels.
I thought the only way the edges would be pale and the backs coloured is if the dye soaked through it. I still they think rubbed the dye onto the surface but the leather being wet helps it spread out.

I just thought if we used water it helps the dye to spread evenly (even if you do airbrush people suggest to dampen the leather first to help it spread)
Plus if you have as leather sofa and you want to do home repairs the kit tells you to dampen the leather.

Think of people painting skies with water colours. They put water on first then the paint. Same principle here. Just makes it look more 'naturally' coloured

Just my 2 pence anyway

Hope your nipper gets better

 

[Langsuir666]

Right What ive done here is stick water in a container, add a few drops of each color (ive tried a few combinations). Then the leather is dunked right in straight to the bottom and held there so the little air bubbles come out and it will sink. Ive left some in for about 8 hours and some only for 30 mins Ill post up in a sec some of the effects ive got.

I dont think it would work on a whole hide as it doesnt permeate through the whole of the skin, just the sides back and front but it does create a beautiful soft natural looking finish, i have to say i was dubious because i liked my airbrush squares but if i could get this the right color i think it would look lovely.

Anyone spot the potential danger in this photo, oh yeah

Yeaaaaaah if youre gonna be dying things PURPLE dont put an old glass full of dye next to the blackcurrent cordial, yes i did try and drink some - no i didnt swallow it - luckily LOL

Few more of the testing colors here

 

[sl tk8456]

Nice finish
Buy a cheap plastic washing basin thingy and go nuts Bee.
Get a ratio right with that pipette thing. (lovely word)
Transfer that to the basin, fill it up (add the same amount of drops again) and test one.
If it comes out cool dye lots and lots of em

The 1st purple one on the left (maybe the 3rd one in), the funny shaped one on the bottom and the totally punched one looking totally rocking!

 

[Zam I Am]

No, no, water! Water, when it dries your pieces will make it stiff like a rock! And, always cut first dye afterwards, cause you won't get any on the sides of the squares. Just dye and use denatured alcohol as a solvent! You can buy tons of this at any hardware store.

 

[sl tk8456]

yeah you might be right about the water drying them out, but what if you nourish the leather afterwards with moisturisure. Should help it return to a more flexible thing?

Becky tried to dye more but made the mistake of getting the colour wrong and adding more colour.
Word of warning to anyone trying that...only thing that'll happen is it'll just go a darker colour