Replicating leather sheen

[Monty]

I swear I saw this issue covered in this section in the last three weeks, but was unable to find it again. It had someone's picture of a leather seat bottom, and it looked almost exactly like the seat bottom in my 1:1 Corvette.

Anyway, if I want to obtain that sheen, is it better to start with a gloss paint and spray a dull or semigloss clear coat over it, or start with a flat color and spray with a semigloss clear coat?

Pics of your "solutions" would be appreciated.

[charlie8575]

I just painted the interior for a 1932 Ford roadster and the paint (Rust-Oleum American Accents taupe) was labeled "satin," but it still came out rather glossy. I'm going to hit it with some type of satin clear-coat to tone it down, and some Dullcote for the folded top.

I'd personally recommend trying to use one of the present-generation satin-finish spray cans, such as Krylon or and of the True Value/Do-it Best/Ace sprays out there and see if those are to your liking, and then, if you want a little more sheen in certain areas, buff it with a camera lens-cleaning cloth.

Charlie Larkin

[Matt Bacon]

I use Games Workshop's "Citadel" paints, which are water based acrylics intended for painting wargame miniatures. I think they dry with a perfect semigloss for leather...and if you want something shinier, you can overcoat with one of their washes, which snap out the raised detail as well, and are available to highlight any colour. I'm sure you could spray them, but they brush paint perfectly over primer, without brushmarks. There are stockists all over the UK and US, and in many places worldwide. You can find your nearest using this:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/storelocator/search.jsp

I'll try to get some pictures of my Ferrari California WIP to show what they look like...

bestest,

M.

[MrObsessive]

I've got a simpler trick...........rub your finger on the side of your nose and then rub along the surface of the part you want to have some "sheen". Of course you want to use semi flat paints to do this.

No kidding----it really works!

[weasel]

^^^ use a flat paint, then 'oil' it up!! just the right amount of 'sheen'

[doomcrew]

thats how i do it. using flat paint, and after it has dried, rub you finger on the surface. the oil from your finger tip will add the sheen. to avoid brush strokes showing up, spray on a coat then either spot spray or stipple the paint on for the second coat, this should give a texture but experiment first depending on the paint.

steve

[curt raitz]

I've got a simpler trick...........rub your finger on the side of your nose and then rub along the surface of the part you want to have some "sheen". Of course you want to use semi flat paints to do this.

No kidding----it really works!

WORKS EVERYTIME...

[shucky]

Mark that is a slick looking interior! Is that embossing powder you used for the carpet? It looks great.

[cruz]

I've got a simpler trick...........rub your finger on the side of your nose and then rub along the surface of the part you want to have some "sheen". Of course you want to use semi flat paints to do this.

No kidding----it really works!

So that explains the little green ball I saw under one of your cluth pedals, bugger perhaps????