How to Customize a Vintage Bag with @kkderobst

Transylvania (Kidding, New England)

I learned about Angelus when I was gifted a particularly ugly leather bag for Christmas by my father. I had long been painting on my jackets to customize them and wanted to see if I could improve the bag. When searching around an art supply shop I came across a display and picked up a few colors. Then over the years I began customizing more things and relying on their flexible nature. These days I have a nice collection of Angelus products I use to restore and decorate leather objects.

I use Angelus products to customize leather products I find at yard sales, second hand shops, antique malls, on Ebay, etc. I was raised to respect the sacrifice that leather requires and despite being a pescitarian for over 9 years, I often only buy leather goods when there's an option available because they last longer and can be restored easily at home. I love decorating everyday objects to make them more unique, and I've found that Angelus has quickly become one of my favorite brands to do that with. I enjoy that they're not just used on social media as a trendy product, but are implemented as an industry staple.

1. The leather paint, because it works the same as regular acrylic but you can build up color and it retains extreme flexibility

2. The leather dyes, because you can alter the shade of any leather good to create a new backdrop for artwork

3. Mink oil, I don't want to think about how one oils a mink, but it refreshes old leather immediately and I really love how it smells.

4. Leather finishers, they're a must to protect your artwork and seal in your dyes.

5. Deodorizer, a great deal of items come from 2nd hand places and you have to get rid of the Avon perfume funk.

6. The 2-Thin Medium is excellent to produce glazing techniques.

In a stereotypical way, I should say to never stop practicing your art. In a practical sense, I would recommend newer creatives to learn how to draw without erasing. You can get your ideas out quickly with confident strokes without back tracking to erase every 5 seconds. Learn by copying down images in a pen, then draw from your mind once you learn spatial awareness on your surface. I would not nearly be as productive as an artist if I drew everything out perfectly with graphite and an eraser.