ii6 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
Fig. II. Introduces the question of rel-ef. Thuik of your 
leather as a Ijas-rehef in clay. Here you are independent to use 
as much or as little tooling as you Hke — to produce any effect 
you wish. Tooling is a purely technical process depending for 
its individuality entirely upon originality of idea. There is 
among leather workers what is known as the "etiquette of the 
tool"— that is, we leave each other's methods of tooling alone! 
If we see an effective tooling we avoid it and invent another. 
These tools are tiny stamps of different designs which, ham- 
mered into the leather around the design, have the effect of 
raising the figure. A section of a wheel spoke is the best possi- 
ble hanmier for this purpose, the balance being perfect and 
enabling a rapid succession of running blows. Some workers 
use very elaborate tools and a great many of them, while others 
prefer to use as few as possible on account of their rather 
stereotyped effect. The perfection of tooling is shown in the 
old Cordovan leathers, some of the designs being most beautiful. 
Snow crystals, sea weeds and shells, cross-sections of seed-pods, 
and numberless natural forms are all suggestive in designing 
one's own tools. Any die-cutter will make them to order. 
Old illuminated Cordovan leather. 
the apphcation of other materials, and naturally follows, in an 
evolution of process. If, for instance, you should wish to put 
a gold background into your work, you would have to equip 
yourself with varnishes, gold size, a gilder's cushion and 
brushes, and book of gold leaf. This process resembles 
the old process of manuscript illumination. First cover 
the surface to be gilded with a varnish heavy enough to stop 
the pores of the leather. When this is dry, go over it with a 
quick gold-size (procurable at any artist's supply store) and 
when just drj^ enough to still be tacky to the touch, the gold 
may be applied. One has to become skilled with practice 
in order to be an expert gilder and able to handle the gold 
leaf easily. Blow a sheet of it onto your cushion (never touch 
your fingers to it) and after straightening it with a palette knife 
provided with the cushion, cut it into pieces the necessary sizes 
riM.-f knive.s for Fig. I, Tools for Fig. TIT. (iil.ler'.s cushion and brush. 
Fig. III. Shows the use of the modelling tool. This is 
shaped as a bevel, one edge straight and sharp to fit into the 
cut, and the face of the tool smooth, slanting away from the 
straight edge. (See illustration). By drawing this tool heav- 
ily along the cuts, where one part of the design should be made 
to seem to lap over another, the effect of modelling is produced. 
This tool is also used to smooth the rough edges left by the 
background tool. Other modelling tools in various gauge- 
shapes are used on the face of the design to hollow petals, flat 
surfaces, etc., and to round up the design from the wrong side 
of the leather if greater rehef is desired. 
Fig. IV. Shows the finishing touches done with the linife 
after the tooling is complete. It is necessarily free-hand work 
and correspondingly critical, as a weak fine or the least slip 
may ruin your completed work. This knife-work is of especial 
value as giving another opportunity for free-hand work. As 
we progress in one work we become more and more impatient 
of mechanical effects. Never trace these lines on the leather 
before cutting them — use your knife as though it were a pencil. 
So far we have produced our effect simply by the manipu- 
lation of the leather itself. The use of color or metal involves 
Portfolio by the Misses Hipley, 
