Traditional Leather Painting Technique

Transform a plain lampshade and papier maché box with this leather-look that only looks expensive. Try the Leather Painting technique from Krylon on any home decor project!

Materials:

• Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint - Equestrian (#53553)
• Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint - Leather Brown (#52501)
• Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint - Gloss Black (#51601)
• Lamp Shade and Papier Maché Box or Project of your choice
• Plastic bag
• Spray bottle of water
• Newspaper
• Disposable rubber gloves
• Disposable plastic tub
• Leather Punch (Optional)
• Leather Lacing (Optional)
• Hot Glue or Wire (Optional)

Surface Preparation:

• When working with unfinished wood, prepare your surface by sanding smooth and wiping clean with a tack cloth. Apply a primer to seal the surface.
• When working with bare metal, be sure surface is free of rust and oil. Apply a primer to seal the surface.
• When working with plastic, glass or ceramic, lightly sand surface with fine grain sandpaper and wipe clean with a tack cloth. This will help the paint to adhere better to these smooth surfaces. Apply a primer to further improve adhesion.

Steps:

1. Place project on newspaper to protect work area.
    
2. Spray 1 coat of Equestrian on project. Let dry.
    
3. Wearing rubber gloves, spray Leather Brown into disposable plastic tub to form a puddle of paint. Also, spray another smaller puddle of Glossy Black into plastic tub. Dip scrunched plastic bag into paint and dab lightly and evenly on entire project until leather effect is achieved. Let dry thoroughly.
    
4. For added protection of your finished project, spray several light coats of Krylon® Crystal Clear as a final step. For projects that will be used outdoors or near a window, use Krylon® UV-Resistant Clear.
    
5. Optional: Lamp Shade – Punch holes in top and bottom of shade. Lace leather through holes and tie together on the inside bottom of shade to end. Repeat lacing on top of shade.
    
6. Optional: Paper Mache Box – Braid leather lacing and tie off each end, to form a handle. Hot glue or wire handle to top of box.
   
    

For more project ideas, please visit www.krylon.com/projects.