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Most of my original vintage luggage has someone else's initials painted on the top or side (as was custom back in the day).
I have a modern weekender bag (made by a company called FLOTO if anyone is interested) which has a really vintage 'feel' to it (Italian leather crafted - which I just love and gets thrown all over the place! and looks better for it!!).
So I took the plunge and decided to paint my own initials onto the side of it (scary!!! as I didn't want to ruin a bag that I love!). Which I did with white ACRYLIC paint (if you look at old luggage, either white or black was traditional, depending on the background being painted).
Once I marked out the positions of each letter (three letters for my three names), I used a stencil to lightly mark out each letter. I then carefully painted them in with the white paint (acrylic works well with leather - has more movement to it).
Once completed and allowed to dry overnight, I felt, mmmmm...looks too white and too new [huh] Like a Broadway or West End billboard for a theatre production!!!!
So, I got my special crackeline varnish (you pop a base coat of the varnish on top of the letters (thus sealing the paint) and allow that to dry to a tacky finish. Then you pop the top coat on, which drys and cracks leaving fine hairline aged cracks. Small rag with a 'LITTLE' DROP of brown umber oil paint (from an artists' shop). Rub it carefully over each letter so that it gets into the cracks. Then gently rub off, so that some of the paint is left in the cracks and it gives the white paint a very 'antique' look to it.
I have a modern weekender bag (made by a company called FLOTO if anyone is interested) which has a really vintage 'feel' to it (Italian leather crafted - which I just love and gets thrown all over the place! and looks better for it!!).
So I took the plunge and decided to paint my own initials onto the side of it (scary!!! as I didn't want to ruin a bag that I love!). Which I did with white ACRYLIC paint (if you look at old luggage, either white or black was traditional, depending on the background being painted).
Once I marked out the positions of each letter (three letters for my three names), I used a stencil to lightly mark out each letter. I then carefully painted them in with the white paint (acrylic works well with leather - has more movement to it).
Once completed and allowed to dry overnight, I felt, mmmmm...looks too white and too new [huh] Like a Broadway or West End billboard for a theatre production!!!!
So, I got my special crackeline varnish (you pop a base coat of the varnish on top of the letters (thus sealing the paint) and allow that to dry to a tacky finish. Then you pop the top coat on, which drys and cracks leaving fine hairline aged cracks. Small rag with a 'LITTLE' DROP of brown umber oil paint (from an artists' shop). Rub it carefully over each letter so that it gets into the cracks. Then gently rub off, so that some of the paint is left in the cracks and it gives the white paint a very 'antique' look to it.
