How to Paint Leather
how to paint leather shoes with acrylic leather paint
Ingredients
- 1 pair Birkenstock sandals or leather item
- Angelus acrylic leather paint in flat black, beige, and bowler brown
- paint brushes
- scrap leather or fabric
Instructions
- Practice your leopard print, you can see my crap first try on the right side. I realized I needed more variance in the two colors.
- Even if you are not painting a design, I would recommend testing the paint on some scrap leather and/or fabric.
- Prep the leather. If you are using something thrifted or used, you may need to gently clean the item first, as you don’t want any dust or dirt on the item before painting. Not all leather feels the same, and some is coated. If your item seems glossy, lightly (very lightly) sand it with fine sandpaper. You want the paint to be able to soak into the leather, not slide off the surface.
- Paint the base layer. I found I needed two coats of paint, so I waited until the first coat was completely dry before adding the second.
- Add the outline layer along with small dots for the leopard print.
- Allow the paint to dry completely before use. I think it’s best to let this dry overnight before wearing them.