REDESCOBRINDO ART Your Art Stop

Leather Carving Book

How do I market my hand tooled custom leather projects?

I am 52 years old and have recently (1 yr ago) been disabled. I’ve taught myself how to tool leather and make projects of any kind.

Serendipity has some good suggestions

I would add advertising or checking with your locale scrapbook shops, Journal and stationary shops.
Shoe/leather repair stores(this is where I found a card for a leather crafter). Check with your locale woodworker shops. Car shops, Motorcycle shops.
Offer a class at your library
.Example
“Caring for your leather items.” This is a good way to get your name out in the community.
Check with your locale community centers, library senior centers, parks recreation centers for space.
Street fairs are not to bad. These types of shows can be tiring so I had to know my limits. Take someone with me and be willing to call it a day.

Hook up with biker(motorcycle) blessings. Shows. +leather clothing suppliers/shops.
Networking is going to be your best asset. When you can get someone to assist in developing a website.

Think of Finding a SBA volunteer to assist you in marketing.
I would keep exploring all your avenues.

The market for disabled artisans is pretty good these days and many communities have meetings, galleries and shops to hook up with for marketing your wares.

Take photographs of your work get feed back from your customers and put into a portfolio. Use this to assist you.
Get some cards made up. I still have my leather seamstress addy for my motorcycle riding clothing after 11yrs. I carry a business card portfolio so I don’t lose my favorite connections.
I know a business card is a good advertisement. Carry yours with you at all times. Never know when a possible customer will be about.

If your locale library is doing a display on leather/or book making get involved.
Don’t forget your senior citizens centers.
Our hospitals has display cases and many disabled or seniors use them for a business advertisement leaving examples of there work on display. (including veterans hospital)
Disabled and seniors also hold classes at our collages here which they use for advertisement .
Example: Weaver holds a class in basic weaving.
A dulcimer maker holds classes in basic playing of the instrument.

In all the places I mentioned ask to be able to advertise leaving business cards in those places. bring your own card holder.. perhaps something you design yourself out of leather.

I don’t know if any of these will apply for you I do hope this gives you some practical ideas.
My own marketing experiences have all been locale sometimes a city over and have served me well.

Some of these strategies may not work for you some will.

Creating Leather Artwork …SOLD…

Leather Tooling and Carving $7.37 Concise, extremely clear introduction to the art of leathercraft. Learn to make fine leather handbags, belts, watchbands, billfolds and more. Complete description of tools and techniques, profusely illustrated with photographs and diagrams. An enjoyable craft that anyone can learn. 148 photographs and diagrams….

The Restoration Of Leather Bindings $39.00 Fourth edition, revised and expanded from the 1998 edition. A welcome new addition in this book is a full-color section for the identification of leather and marbled papers. From the author of HISTORY OF ENGLISH CRAFT BOOKBINDING TECHNIQUE (also published by Oak Knoll & The British Library), this classic in the field of bookbinding is a practical guide to the restoration of leather bindings. Revis…

ABC’s of Leatherwork $5.99 Learn to use a swivel knife, stamp, dye, finish, lace handstitch, skive, gouge, set snaps and more. 30 pages. A great addition to your leather-working library at an affordable price….

Leather Tooling and Carving $8.96 This book is in New – Excellent condition

Carving $13.46 This book is in New – Excellent condition

Complete Book of Gourd Carving $16.91 Jim Widess and Ginger Summit, the best-selling authors of The Complete Book of Gourd Craft and Making Gourd Instruments, have done it again: they”ve produced another winner to delight the many crafters who work with gourds. Large, lavish, and astonishingly comprehensive, this breathtaking volume introduces every tool and every technique associated with gourd carving, offers fabulous projects that advance in difficulty, and presents a gallery of works designed to inspire. See how to choose and prepare a gourd, impress the surface with a design, and work with green gourds. The magnificent methods of decorative carving covered include fretwork, engraving, chip carving, carving with gouges, relief carving, inlay, and deep relief or sculptural carving. Throughout, color photographs of exquisite carved gourds present crafts styles from countries around the world. A Selection of the Crafters Choice Book Club.

The Book of Wood Carving $7.3 Nationally famous teacher and craftsman Charles Marshall Sayers carefully guides the reader through the fundamentals of wood carving. Beginning with tools and materials and how to use them, the book covers incised, relief, and other carving methods–and provides 34 illustrated designs for over 34 projects for the student to create while learning.

The Improved Housewife, Or, Book of Receipts with Engravings for Marketing and Carving $16.44 The Improved Housewife, Or, Book of Receipts with Engravings for Marketing and Carving

Carving and Serving $6.49 Published in 1891 by Mrs. D. A. Lincoln, author of The Boston Cook Book, this volume concentrates on meat, providing recipes and instructions for the proper prepartion, carving, and serving of all types of meat and meat products.

Wood-Carving $20 The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Wood-carving; Crafts

Leathermaking: Skin, Leather, Tanning, Leather Production Processes, Artificial Leather, Leather Carving, Igualada Leather Museum $19.99 Leathermaking: Skin, Leather, Tanning, Leather Production Processes, Artificial Leather, Leather Carving, Igualada Leather Museum

Carving for Kids $10.54 The simple and beautiful art of woodcarving is adapted for children of all ages in this introduction to coaxing shapes and figures from solid blocks of wood. Requiring only a few tools and some inspiration, the projects in this collection are perfectly suited to building the skills it takes to work with wood. Safety and adult supervision are emphasized, but children will be able to complete the age-appropriate designs all by themselves. The graded projects range from carving a name stamp–for the youngest woodworkers–to carving a face–for teenaged craftspeople. The book also touches on computer-aided pattern-making, teaching children who face learning challenges, and methods for instructing kids of each age group–from elementary through high school. With its quick results and cumulative skill-building, learning to carve fosters hand-eye coordination and confidence as young carvers turn out unique handicrafts.

Wood Carving $19.76 The study of some form of handicraft has of late years become an important element in the training of an art student. It is with the object of assisting such with practical directions, as well as suggesting to more practised carvers considerations of design and treatment, that the present volume has been written. The art of wood-carving, however, lends itself to literary demonstration only in a very limited way, more especially in the condensed form of a text-book, which must be looked upon merely as a temporary guide, of use only until such time as practise and study shall have strengthened the judgment of the student, and enabled him to assimilate the many and involved principles which underlie the development of his craft.

Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons $16.91 Learn to create beautiful lovespoons–hand-carved symbols of love and deep affection that have been popular for centuries. With 3 step-by-step projects and 15 original patterns, this book will help you to enjoy this wonderful craft no matter what your carving skill level. Sections on the history of lovespoon carving, selecting woods, using and maintaining tools, applying long-lasting finishes, and customizing your own designs ensure every aspect of your lovespoon carving project goes smoothly. The fascinating history and romantic symbolism of the lovespoon is further complimented by an inspiring gallery of modern and historical pieces carved in a variety of styles. This is the most thorough and detailed book available on the subject of lovespoon carving.