Not everyone is born with the ability to become Michelangelo but I do believe that everyone is born with the ability to at least become proficient in most arts. The difference between all people are those that are willing to do what it takes to reach that proficiency and those that are not. Niklas Nordin is a perfect example of that. He is a regular guy with a regular job but just so happens to love shoes and shining them. One day shining them became burnishing the toes. Burnishing the toes then became the attempt at re-coloring them and the next thing you know Niklas is a proper patina artist. He did not have special training or learn from a master. He simply learned what he could online and practiced continually on his own shoes, in order to make perfect. �And now he is at the stage where he has people asking him for patinas. And I must say ‘well done’ for that, as it is something to come out of nowhere and turn a passion into a career (not that he will quit the day job) and be regarded for it, having taught yourself. Keep it up Niklas!
He is a post he wrote with a step by step on the art of patina: http://www.skolyx.se/en/content/24-hand-painting-with-leather-dye
Shoes by Yanko
and you can find him on Instagram under @niklasnordin
Niklas has shown an amazingly steep learning curve, for sure. I am really impressed and he will have to handle a pair of mine sooner rather than later!