230 
KHRAMIG STUDIO 
LEATHER-(Continued) 
Maude Crigler- 
nderson 
eather Stains. A knowledge of 
water color will greatly aid one 
in staining leather, especially in the 
application of flat washes. Every color 
of stain can be obtained and each made 
darker by adding black, or paler by 
diluting with water. 
Before applying, burn all outlines 
to prevent stain from running and do 
all desired shading, otherwise the point 
will sink through stain and show origi- 
nal color of leather. Fill, but do not 
overload the brush with color. Begin 
at one end of design, carry color rapidly 
from left to right with wave-like motion to prevent hard lines, and con- 
tinue in same manner until entire space is filled. Several washes will 
be necessary to produce even tint. If hard lines remain after several 
applications of color, turn your work and wash in opposite directions. 
For pale tones, dilute with water and secure evenness of tone and desired depth of color with 
successive washes, allowing each wash to dry thoroughly. Color cannot be judged until thoroughly 
dry, as some leather has a blotted appearance when moist. 
For blended grounds, add clear water with brush as tint grows paler. For petals of flowers a 
shaded effect can be obtained by additional washes of color gradually blended by lessening pressure 
of brush or blending with clean brush and water while stain is wet. Stains appear in their true 
colors on white or cream leather only, colored leather beneath the stain will effect final result of 
color. For example, flesh tones are composed of pale yellow stain with a tiny bit of pink, and 
the mixture diluted with water, but should your leather be yellow, omit the yellow stain in flesh 
tint, or if leather be pink, omit the pink stain. Care must be exercised in thoroughly cleaning brush 
after using each color, or work will look muddv. 
Painting and Staining with Oil Colors. For staining use transpar- 
ent colors only, diluted with alcohol or benzine, which are not apt to spread like 
oil. Leather can be painted like canvass, but is not advisable for large spaces 
onaccount of liability to crack. Painted leather can be varnished with any 
good high glaze pyrography varnish. 
LUSTRES. These can be obtained with the oil for mixing in gold, 
silver, green, fire, blue, copper, lemon, dark copper, carmine, violet, lilac 
and steel. They dry quickly after application and require rapid handling. 
Beautiful and striking effects may be obtained with lustres alone, or 
in connection with color. Burned lines or grounds hold lustres as well as 
the leather in its true state. Lustres can be glazed as in 
leather, but large spaces in lustre, especially if glazed, are not 
advisable for articles much handled or pliable, on account of 
liability to craze or scale off. This style of decoration is 
suited to tightly stretched pieces, such as chair bottoms, book '*~~\f 
coverings or wall panels. 
