Working on leather, wood, gourd, reed and other miscellaneous surfaces means you should use a paint tested to be effective on such a canvas. Here are some Paints that meet that criteria, even though they were developed originally for fabric or other surfaces. Dharma Fiber reactive dyes can also work, since they work on both protein (leather) and cellulose fibers (wood, reed, gourd). Procion can be painted on or used in a dye bath according to our directions. Obviously with leather, submersion with Soda Ash, salt and dye would probably stiffen it badly, so painting would be better. Wood, reed and gourds can go either way, painting or submersion, as long as they have no finish to inhibit absorption. We have a separate set of instructions for using the dye in this way on these materials.
Always be sure to test any paint or dye you choose before beginning your main project! Remember, these are products developed for fabrics, that can coincidentally be used on other things, and are formulated differently than products specifically made for leather or wood. Testing is really a must!
Pro's:
Best dye for cotton, rayons, linens, hemp and other plant based fibers. Best dye for Tie-Dye and Batik. Vibrant wash fast permanent colors. Easy to use. Does not need hot water. Economical! Con's:
With silks and wools, colors are still vibrant, but shift. Need to use with the proper chemicals. Do not work on synthetics.
Pros: Acid Dyes are the dye of choice for solid color dyeing of silks, wools, alpaca, mohair and other protein fibers, as well as Nylon. Some folks even use them on leather, but test! Excellent prices, bulk pricing, handy 2oz size. 52 beautiful, vibrant, and some very hard to get colors! Can be painted on as well.
Cons: Needs hot, almost simmering, water to use or needs to be steamed. Some colors take more advanced dyeing technique.
Pro's: Best dye for leather very easy to use. Does not need hot water or a fixer. Just apply straight from the bottle and cover with a water resistant finish.
Con's: Only works for leather not recommended for suede.
Pro's:
Great colors, works on almost any non-porous surface, colors leather, translucent on glass
transparent colors Con's:
Cannot use on fabric, it will wash out
Pro's:
It's a somewhat stretchy dimensional fabric paint that can be used on any fabric including Lycra®, nylon and hosiery, comes in lots of tones including glitter, and a line of Puff colors for the 3-D effect. Non-toxic. Glue based so sticks to almost any surface. Kids love it! Con's:
Leaves a bit more texture on the fabric.
Pros:
The shiniest, most luminous metallic colors, the best coverage on dark fabrics, also works great on leather, wood and paper. Cons:
Expensive, but worth it!!
Pros:
Glows well in the dark after exposure to light, sticks to lots of surfaces, water cleanup, non-toxic Cons:
Limited color selection, small sizes, very thin and transparent, so doesn't look like much in the daytime.
Pros:
Very easy to use, sticks to most surfaces. Paints can be mixed to create new colors, looks nice in the light, as well as glowing in the dark, also bright under black light! Cons: colors of the actual glowing (phosphorescent) pigment are limited, so glows mostly green, and some orange and yellow, in the dark
My Palette
