Acrylic is one of the most popular mediums used for creating paintings, drawings, and craft projects. It is very easy to work with and can be completed in many different styles depending on how you use it!
Acrylic paint is mixed together before being applied to the surface or materials that will receive the coating. Once dry, acrylic paints are durable and can easily be re-done if needed.
There are two main types of acrylic painting that people typically learn: water soluble and oil-based. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, but overall they both work well.
This article will go into more detail about the process of sealing leather using either type of acrylic paint.
Urethane sealant
For most people, sealing their new bag handle or wallet is as easy as rubbing it against some oil of your choice! But for someone who is more artistic, selinging leather items becomes much more complicated.
For those individuals, special urethane lubricants are needed to properly work on leather. These are usually available at specialty stores or through online vendors that sell canvas bags and wallets.
These liquids are many times mixed together in a bottle, making it hard to tell what each ingredient does. Some say this is because they are marketed as being very expensive products with no clear effectiveness.
Polyurethane sealant
A polyurethane gel is one of the best ways to protect your leather from water or alcohol damage. These are available in liquid form at most stores that sell paint, canvas, or brush covers.
You can use these gels as a protective coating or finishing touch for painted or unpainted surfaces. They will not dissolve away like other painting glues do!
To apply it correctly, let the glue dry slightly first before working with the surface or taping down the surface. Then spread an even layer over the top of the dried up glue and smooth out the edges. Let sit for few minutes until you can work with the protected area.
Polymer sealant
A polymersealant is one of the most important things to have for sealing any kind of surface, including leather. This product can be purchased online or at many specialty stores such as furniture repair shops or paint departments.
A few drops will work wonders! Just make sure you spread it properly all over your material and let dry. You want to slightly press down the liquid so that it seeps into the pores of the leather.
Acrylic paints are usually mixed with a special solvent in a ratio of 1 part paint to 4 parts alcohol. So, if you were trying to seal painted leather, you would need to use an adequate amount of polyester gel (sealing agent) along with alcohol.
The alcohol removes some of the moisture from the skin layer of the leather, which helps the polyester set better.
Buffing paste
A buffing past is one of the most important tools for sealing and protecting your leather surface. Most people begin using a buffing past by trying to apply it onto their new favorite coat or bag before testing it on an area that has no paint on it.
That is not the best way to use this product!
By rolling it on first, you will notice that some of the texture goes away– that’s okay though because the wax layer comes next! If you would like a very fine grainy look, then start applying it more slowly.
As you can see in the picture above, I have used my buffing past to take off some of the soft touch from my wallet. Now it is much thicker and denser which helps preserve its shape longer.
Oil paints
For oil paint applications, your leather surface can be pretreated with either gilding metal or vegetable-based oils. If using gilding powder, make sure it is not gold powder but rather a mix of metals such as aluminum, copper, or silver so that it does not stain darker than the top coat.
For example, if painting dark colors onto lighter shades of leather, use white gilding powder to ensure this does not happen. Make sure to test a small area first to see how it looks!
To apply oils, you will need to let dry completely before applying coats of acrylic gel or sealer over them. Depending on the thickness of the painted layer and the type of oil used, may take several days for all three layers to fully set.
Spray paints
For those who are more experienced in painting, spray paint is another way to cover your surface with beautiful designs. Rather than using a brush or natural bristle brushes, you use an attachment that sprays small drops of paint onto the surface. More advanced users can also add thicker layers of spray paint by holding it closer to the surface being painted as it dries.
Spray paint is very versatile! You can use it to create almost any style pattern or design. Materials such as plastic, leather, wool, and cotton all work well with spray paint. Because it is sprayed rather than poured like traditional liquid acrylics, there are no rules about what colors can be mixed together. That means you really have no limits to how many different patterns you could make!
There are several brands of spray paint that contain special additives to help prevent cracking or matting of the new layer of coating. These additives are called sealants or glazes and they are not expensive. Most people only need a few drops to get good results!
Sealing the newly coated surface will keep the new coat from chipping, flaking, or peeling away. General tips for spraying a surface include applying a thin layer, moving slowly while letting the paint dry, and buffing off the excess spray paint using a soft cloth or piece of paper.