History

• Leather painting has been a popular form of native art and expression for centuries. The Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum in India displays leather paintings from the 17th through the 19th centuries. The Native American tribes once used earth pigments to paint on everyday items made of rawhide and leather such as war shirts and tipi covers. French missionaries once used leather paintings to instruct natives after being inspired by the native art. Spanish missionaries in New Mexico used rawhide paintings in the same way. Leather painting has a long history of use throughout the world.
  
  

Function

• Leather painting is often used to create still images. Wall hangings, tapestries and other visual art forms are often created by leather painting. There are rare instances of three-dimensional leather paintings. However, leather does not lend itself well to these types of paintings. Most leather paintings are created with the leather attached to a stable surface.
  
  

Types

• Acrylic leather painting is one of the most common types of this art form. It is painted onto a piece of leather and given a backing of wood or cardboard, then framed without glass. The absence of glass in the frame of a tooled leather piece painted with acrylic prevents mold from forming on the leather.
  
  Gold embossing on leather is also another popular form of leather painting. This process involves thin pieces of leather being applied to the leather and covered in enamel paint. This particular type of leather painting is popular in India.
  
  

Features

• In leather painting, unlike leather dyeing, the paint remains on the surface rather than being absorbed by leather. Because of this feature, leather painting cannot be applied to items such as belts and wallets. These items bend frequently, and the paint would quickly flake off.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Before attempting leather painting, you must adequately prepare the leather. This will determine the long-term adhesion of the paint. Remove any protective coating that is covering the leather. Rub the area where paint will be applied with rubbing alcohol to remove oil from the surface. You may also sand the leather prior to painting with a fine sandpaper if the leather is shiny and/or smooth.