Mixing leather dye

[Tobin]

I'm new to large-scale leathercrafting and could use some help for a kind of superficial detail (it's my first leather armor and I want to get it right, you know?).

I'm looking for two specific colors of dye: a raw sienna and a burnt umber (to use to paint colors, which is what I'm familiar with). Can anyone suggest a similar color to either, or colors to mix to get those two hues? Tandy's catalog doesn't list either color in the brands they carry, but I've got a store nearby if someone can suggest alternatives.

Many thanks in advance for any help,
Tobin

[Sir Anastasia]

Tandy's does have a small color set that has several different brown tones. I recommend getting it and some scraps to see if those are your colors, or play with the tones to get what you want. Then you can but large bottles for your big projects.

-AoC

[Derian]

I'd recommend sticking with spirit based dyes also.

[varadin]

I'd recommend sticking with spirit based dyes also.

Ive always had better luck with these as well. One of the guys at tandy tells me im dead wrong and the water based dies are the way to go.

Personally ive found that the water based stuff almost fades instantly with how we use our leather.

[Derian]

Yeah, I've heard a lot of people swear by the water based dyes as well, but I think you're right; they're not building armor with it.

[Tobin]

Thanks everyone!

[Iorek]

Just to add my $.02 I had purchased the black water based dye and after 2-3 coats it gave my leather a dark turquoise color. water based dyes are crap unless you buy the 3 in1 bottles of eco-flo, in which case it's like dye-ing your leather with paste and of course it costs more money.