Learn to Draw Floral Patterns for Leather Tooling

Instructor: Tim Alden
Course Length: 6 Hours | Lessons: 25
Skill Level: Beginner

Learning to draw individual elements is one thing. Knowing how to bring them together into a complete design is where most people get stuck.

In Learn to Draw Floral Patterns for Leather Tooling, Tim Alden breaks the process down in a way that makes it practical and repeatable. You’ll start by learning the core building blocks of floral design — flowers, leaves, scrolls, and fillers — and how each element works within a pattern.

From there, Tim shows how to take those individual pieces and actually build a design that fits a project. You’ll follow along as he fills a rectangular space, a circular space, and an irregular shape, answering the question every beginner runs into: “How do I take what I know and use it on a real piece?”

Along the way, you’ll gain a better understanding of flow, spacing, and composition, so your patterns feel intentional instead of jumbled or disconnected.

This is a beginner-friendly course, and it tackles one of the most important transitions in leather tooling — moving from practicing elements to creating complete, usable designs. By the end, you’ll have the confidence to start drawing patterns that actually fit your projects — not just your practice pages.

About your Instructor:

Tim Alden has been crafting leather since he was nine, continuing a family tradition that began in 1932. Inspired by his great great uncle, Tim now runs Alden’s School of Leather Trades in Burns, Oregon, where he teaches quality leatherwork with a passion for craftsmanship. Outside the shop, he enjoys time with his wife, Michelle, son Wil, working with horses, and helping neighboring ranches.