Leatherwork: The Art of Working with Leather

In addition, it is abundantly available in endless variety all over the world. The pelt must be treated to prevent decomposition and stiffening before it becomes workable leather.

In view of these advantages, it is readily seen why leather is widely used for such things as clothing, shelter, upholstery, hangings, harnesses, saddles, receptacles, and bookbindings. Often these objects are decorated to produce works of art.

The leather craftsman first decides what functional object to make- for example, a handbag-and constructs a paper pattern. He then chooses leather to suit the purpose of the bag and the requirements of the pattern. The leather is cut out with shears or knives and is usually lined for increased bulk by laminating two pieces together. The seams are joined by hand or machine sewing or by hand lacing. For handwork, holes are made first with punches or awls. Functional line stitches are set in from the edges of the leather; functional and decorative edge stitches loop over them. Straps of leather, rope, or chain may be stitched or riveted in place.

The bag can be fastened by drawstring or snaps, buckles, or other hardware.

The leather craftsman, especially in the past, may also be an artist who embellishes his work with any of a variety of techniques. He can work the surface of leather that has been dampened for greater flexibility.

For example, he can stamp a clearly depressed image on it with stamping tools, cold or hot, like cattle brands. He can incise designs with pointed instruments or carve away parts of the surface with gouges to build a relief design. He can tool (press) the surface with smooth instruments or emboss it from the back to create relief, texture, and shading. He can also paint, gild, or embroider leather, or decorate it with appliqueed leather pieces or metal plaques or with studs, rivets, or nails, or trim it with knotting, fringe, or braid.

The contemporary leather craftsman may use leather to make pure art objects, especially sculpture. Layers of leather laminated into a solid block are then carved. A leather skin covers a skeletal core or is cemented in sections to fo rm a hollow geometrical solid. Thick leather is wetted and bent or molded into sculptural forms.

In addition, leather is woven with other materials on looms, built into collages and reliefs, and tied into macrame-knotted three-dimensional forms.

It is also used as a painting surface or as a negative, from which sandal soles or other shapes have been decoratively punched or cut.

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