ALWAYS iron your fabric before using it even if it doesn't look like it needs it. Otherwise you will notice small imperfections as you are putting it in a box to be sent out. >.<
Detail on the fringe. This was made for the Avatar: The Last Airbender Swap. Yarn colors and symbols represent air bending, earth bending, swamp bending, fire bending, and water bending.. and some metal bending if you wanted to stretch your imagination
Detail on the hinge opening. I used folded signatures instead of single pieces of paper to make the book sturdier.
I looked up a faux leather painting technique online. The video tutorials on wall painting were the most helpful. I no longer have the link to credit these helpful people.
Sorry
Step one: Paint your base layer, normally you want this to be your base layer to be darker then the rest. I screwed up and trusted the colors on the label of the paint tubes. :/ Either look inside the cap for a color reference or do a test strip. Paint on evenly and let dry.
Step two: Paint an even layer of paint that is a shade lighter than your original color. Take a plastic bag and crinkle it up. Working from top to bottom layer it over your whole surface. Lightly press down on the bubbles. Leave for a few minutes so your paint isn't very goopy.
Step three: Carefully peel your plastic away by lifting it up from a top corner and peel it down without letting it sag down into the painted surface again. If there are smudges you don't like or lines that are too crisp for your liking then dab it with a wet paper towel or cloth to soften the look of the area.
Detail shot
You can paint on a third color if you like. When I painted the insides and edges black I took advantage of the paint overlap and brushed it towards the center with a dry paper towel.
Did a touch up of the inside covers after stitching it together. Not a good idea..got paint on the signatures. Oops.
Cogs are hard to do without a stencil. I don't recommend free handing it
My partner likes steampunk so I decided to include some steampunk details. This is the first book I've don of this type. I look forward to doing more.
