Coloring a leather jacket is a fun, easy way to customize! Use acrylic paints, spray paint, or even metalized markers to create designs on leather jackets. Ensure the skin/hide is clean, and check your color before starting. Then, paint a design of your choice on the back, sleeves, front, or collar of the jacket!
Method 1: Choosing Paint
- Choose acrylic paints for long-lasting, bold colors. You can paint a leather jacket best with acrylic paint. Avoid oil-based paints, watercolors, and fabric paints since they may not show up on the jacket and will run. In your local craft supply store, you’ll find acrylic paint in various colors.
- If possible, get acrylic paint specially designed for the skin, such as Angelus paint. This will help ensure that the paint stays dry, even if you wear a coat in the rain or need to wipe it with a wet rag to clean it.
- Make sure the paint comes off the jacket! When the jacket is …Dark, choose bright, bright colors. Dark colors will not be visible.Choose any color you like other than pale white or light colors in white.For colors such as red, blue, or pink, avoid painting the same color as the jacket. Choose lighter and lighter colors than the jacket and avoid colors that match the color of the jacket.
- Choose a full-color spray paint or create stencil designs. Spray paint works best on leather jackets. However, as spray paint covers a large area, this option is best for creating an entirely painted look. Or, use spray paint to add a stencil message or design to a large part of a coat, such as the back of a coat.
- For example, spray paint a white leather jacket with gray, orange, or pink paint to change color.
- Or, place stencils on the back of the coat and spray paint on the stencil to create a message or design.
- Create designs on leather with a metallic permanent marker. While other colors of the permanent marker will not show up on a leather jacket, a metallic permanent marker will show up. This is a great way to add bold designs to your jacket and create precision lines. Some people may also find it easier than painting the jacket.
- Try writing a message or drawing a design using gold, copper, or silver permanent marker. Use the metallic marker anywhere on the jacket, such as the back, collar, sleeves, or cuffs.
- Keep in mind that fabric markers will not show up on the leather. Check your local craft supply store for metallic permanent markers.
Method 2: Prepping the Leather
- Wipe the skin with an alcohol pad to clean it. The paint will adhere to the surface of the leather coat better if you remove any hats, oils, or wax without the coat first. Get rid of alcohol or soak a cotton ball with isopropyl alcohol. Use a pad or ball to wipe the surface of the coat where you plan to paint.
- Repeat this a few times to make sure all the stickers are removed.
- Use a piece of fine sandpaper to remove hard pores. If the outside of your coat still looks or feels like it has a cover on it, such as if it has a visible light when the light hits it, then scrape it off with a piece of fine sandpaper. Apply sandpaper to the coat area you want to paint using a small circular motion. Do this for a few minutes and wipe your face with a damp paper towel or cloth.
- Be careful not to damage the skin as you scratch it! Apply gentle pressure and rub only enough area to remove the adhesive.
- Or, place stencils on the back of the coat and spray paint on the stencil to create a message or design.
- Check the paint on the inner flap of the jacket first. Before painting the outside of the coat, check the color of paint you want to apply to the inner flap. This will allow you to see what it looks like before you commit to having it all without a coat.
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- Keep in mind that some paints may react with markings, so check another marker on a dry paint patch inside the coat.
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- Set up your workspace before you start painting with …Cover your work area with a newspaper.Subtract the quarterly amount of each paint color on a paper plate.
Collect your paint brushes, stencils, or any other items you will need to create your own design.
Method 3: Creating Fun Designs
- Create a floral design on a leather jacket to enhance your look. This is a popular way to soften the look of a leather jacket. Paint roses, irises, daisies, moms, or any other flower you want on your jacket! Paint flowers on the back, front, sleeves, or collar. Use stencils or paint flowers in a free jacket.
- Try drawing an old red rose in the middle of your coat.
- Emphasize the message or logo on the back of your coat with a floral border.
- Lubricate the sleeves of your coat with honeysuckle vine.
- Add the name of the band or logo on the back of the coat. This is another popular way to customize a leather jacket. If you have a favorite band, paint the band name or logo on the back of the jacket. Then, add designs to emphasize a word or a logo if you like.
- For example, if your favorite band is Imagine Dragons, paint the band name on the back of the coat, and accentuate it with a lotus flower, as this image often appears in the band’s commercials.
- If you like Misfits, write the word using the group signature font and add a large skull under it.
- Draw a tattoo on your leather jacket. Don’t want to get a real tattoo? Tattoo your leather jacket! Paint a tattoo design on the back, sleeve, or coat collar. This is a great way to show off your style without adding ink to your skin.
- Try painting your coat with an old-fashioned tattoo design, like a “Mama” heart or an anchor.
- Another option is to paint the jacket with something you would like to paint at a certain time. Draw a picture or ask an artist friend to draw it for you, then use the design as a guide to creating the same image on your leather jacket.
- Put a word or phrase on the shirt to make it your own. Paint any letters, words, or phrases on your leather jacket. Paint on the back, sleeves, collar, or front coat. Choose your own words, your name or nickname, or the sentence that is most important to you.
- For example, if your first words are RSJ, add them to one sleeve jacket.
- If your nickname is Jo-Jo, put it on the front lapel of the jacket.
- If you like the saying “Life is short. Always laugh!” write this on the back of your jacket.