Old Growth – a Felton leather stamping collection

From the Practice Log – an ongoing series of leather stamping studies; this one presses original designs.

A September study. Volume I-B.

Old Growth is a small collection of original stamps drawn for Felton and the redwoods around it. Every design is pressed into leather.

First, we drew the grove plate. FELTON stands above and SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS below; between the two names, a stand of redwoods runs straight past the frame's upper rule, because the tops were never going to fit.

Black-and-white artwork of Felton lettering above redwood trunks and a forest path, designed for leather stamping in the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

The black tag carries the gold.

A leather luggage tag stamped with Felton lettering above redwood trunks and a forest path, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

A leather luggage tag stamped with Felton lettering above redwood trunks and a forest path, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

A leather luggage tag stamped with Felton lettering above redwood trunks and a forest path, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

The same grove sits small in the lower corner of the toiletry bags, in golden tan and in chestnut – bark colors both.

A leather toiletry bag stamped with Felton lettering above redwood trunks and a forest path, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

A leather toiletry bag stamped with Felton lettering above redwood trunks and a forest path, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

Next, we bent Highway 9 twice between the trunks and set it on the keychains – the keys that start the car may as well carry the road.

Black-and-white artwork of Highway 9 winding between trees, designed for leather stamping in the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

Golden tan takes the day drive; the black fob carries the gold for the night one.

A leather keychain stamped with Highway 9 winding between trees, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

A leather keychain stamped with Highway 9 winding between trees, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

Then the journals. A redwood adds one ring a year and keeps every one; the cover carries a cross section of rings with ONE RING A YEAR beneath, pressed small in the lower corner.

Black-and-white artwork of growth rings above ONE RING A YEAR, designed for leather stamping in the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

Looks absolutely gorgeous when stamped onto the leather.

A leather journal stamped with growth rings above ONE RING A YEAR, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

A leather journal stamped with growth rings above ONE RING A YEAR, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

And finally, the steam train, drawn between trunks wider than its boiler, smoke climbing into the canopy. We pressed it at generous size into the golden tan catchall – the tray where pockets empty after a day under the trees.

Black-and-white artwork of a steam train under redwoods, designed for leather stamping in the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

It turned out genuinely beautiful.

A leather catchall tray stamped with a steam train under redwoods, from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

We made this out of love. Leatherius Woodman is on a mission to create and share artifacts of beauty, craft and love – this study is one of them, and we hope the feeling is mutual. Every image is a render – how we prototype before cutting a die.

If you'd like these made real, or anything here changed – say hello through our contact page.

P.S.

An alternate leather luggage tag render with the Felton grove stamp from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.

An alternate leather luggage tag render with the Felton grove stamp from the Old Growth collection of Felton, California.