Angelus
Angelus Leather Paint
Angelus is a leather and sneaker paint brand used for customising and restoring footwear, bags and other leather goods. Riot stocks a broad Angelus range in Australia, including acrylic leather paint, leather dye, Preparer and Deglazer, acrylic finishers, Easy Cleaner, fabric additives and the Leather Paint Basics Kit.
The Angelus system: prep, paint and finish
Durable custom work starts with proper surface preparation. Clean the item, remove the existing factory finish where required, then apply several thin coats of paint. Once the paint has dried, you can add an acrylic finisher to adjust the sheen and provide additional protection against minor scratches and scuffs.
Angelus paint is durable when applied correctly, so a finisher is not always essential. It is useful when you want a particular sheen or additional surface protection. For fabric and canvas, mix the paint with Angelus 2-Soft and heat-set it according to the product directions.
New to leather painting? The Angelus Leather Paint Basics Kit includes five 29ml paints in Black, White, Red, Yellow and Blue, five assorted brushes and one 29ml bottle of Leather Preparer and Deglazer. A finisher must be purchased separately if you want one.
Angelus acrylic leather paint
Angelus acrylic leather paint is a flexible, water-based acrylic designed to move with properly prepared leather rather than crack or peel. Most colours in this range come in 29ml bottles. One bottle may cover a pair of sneakers for smaller designs or straightforward colour changes, but coverage depends on the original colour, the shade being applied and the number of coats required.
Core shades in the Angelus acrylic paint range include Black, White and Flat Black for base work, with reds, blues and a Pearlescent and Neon selection for custom artwork. Build colour slowly. Build the colour with thin, even coats, allowing each coat to dry before adding the next. Most colours reach solid coverage in around two to four coats, although light colours over dark leather may need more, and the paint stays flexible where it needs to.
Preparer and Deglazer: why prep decides the finish
Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer #820 in 147ml is the step most beginners skip, then wonder why their paint cracks. It strips the factory finish and surface oils so your first coat has something to hold on to.
Application is simple. Dampen a cotton pad with the Preparer, wipe the panel you plan to paint in light passes, then let the leather dry fully before you open your paint. On smooth leather, patent and anything glossy from the factory, this step isn't optional. Skip it and the paint will lift the first time the shoe creases.
Angelus leather dye vs acrylic paint
Angelus leather dye penetrates absorbent, uncoated smooth leather and permanently changes its colour. It is useful for recolouring suitable leather, particularly when moving from a lighter shade to a darker one. Test an inconspicuous area first. If a drop of water beads on the surface rather than soaking in, the leather has a coating that may prevent the dye from penetrating evenly.
Acrylic paint forms a flexible surface layer, making it suitable for coated leather, artwork, logos and light-over-dark colour changes. Choose based on the leather’s finish and absorbency rather than assuming dye is always better for restoration.
Angelus finishers and sheen levels
An Angelus Acrylic Finisher sets the final sheen and adds protection against minor scratches and scuffs. Current options include #620 Matte for the lowest sheen, #605 Satin for a finish close to a new shoe, #600 Normal for a glossy finish, #615 Satin High Gloss and #610 High Gloss for the most shine.
Once the paint is fully dry, apply one or two thin, even coats and allow each coat to dry before adding another. Let the finished item cure before wearing or handling it heavily.
2-Soft for canvas and fabric shoes
For soft canvas, mesh and other flexible fabrics, mix Angelus acrylic paint with Angelus 2-Soft in a 1:1 ratio. Apply several thin, even coats and heat-set each painted layer according to the product directions. Keep the heat source moving to avoid scorching the fabric.
Using standard Angelus paint without 2-Soft is possible on some canvas surfaces, but the result may feel more like a surface print and can become noticeably stiffer. For wearable fabric projects where softness and flexibility matter, use 2-Soft rather than relying on thin coats alone. For brushes and the rest of the kit, see our sneaker art supplies.
Starter kits or individual colours
First project: The Angelus Leather Paint Basics Kit is the easiest starting point. You get the core colours and bits you need to try a small custom without buying everything separately.
Regular customiser: Three to five 29ml colours in the shades you use most, plus a bottle of Preparer and Deglazer #820 and your preferred Finisher. That covers almost any sneaker job.
Working pro: The full colour range, multiple finishers for different sheens, and Easy Cleaner on hand to tidy custom work between wears.
Why shop Angelus with Riot
- More than 40 years serving Australian art and craft makers.
- House brands stocked alongside Angelus, including Holcroft, Art Star and The Clay Studio.
- Customer support Monday to Friday, aiming to reply within one business day.
- Clear shipping and returns pages so you know what to expect.
FAQs
Do you need to prep leather before Angelus paint?
Yes, on anything with a factory finish. Wipe the area with Angelus Preparer and Deglazer #820 on a cotton pad, then let it dry before painting. This removes the coating and oils that stop paint bonding. On smooth and patent leather it's essential. On raw or already worn leather you can sometimes get away with less, but prep is still the safer bet.
Angelus paint vs Angelus leather dye: which should I use?
Use paint for custom artwork, light-over-dark colour changes or any job where you want colour sitting on top of the leather. Use dye when you want to change the colour from within, usually to restore or darken a leather item. Paint gives you more creative freedom. Dye keeps the natural leather look and feel.
How many coats of Angelus paint do I need?
Usually two to three thin coats for solid coverage. Thin is the key word. One thick coat will crack when the shoe flexes, while several thin coats dry flexible and even. Let each coat dry fully before the next, and expect darker colours over light bases to need fewer coats than light over dark.
How do you make Angelus paint flexible on canvas shoes?
Mix a fabric medium like 2-Soft into your Angelus acrylic before painting canvas or fabric sneakers. This keeps the dried paint soft so it bends with the shoe instead of cracking. If you don't have a fabric medium, build the colour in very thin coats so no single layer gets stiff enough to crack along a crease.
Can you use Angelus on patent leather?
Yes, but prep is non-negotiable. Patent leather is one of the most difficult surfaces to paint because of its glossy synthetic coating. Clean it thoroughly, test the process on a hidden area and follow Angelus’s patent-leather preparation guidance, which may include careful sanding as well as Preparer and Deglazer. Do not assume that wiping the surface until it feels less slick will guarantee adhesion. Apply thin coats and allow the finished paint to cure fully before use.
Do you deliver Angelus across Australia?
Yes. We ship Angelus Australia-wide from our online store, and our team is on support Monday to Friday if you want help choosing the right paint, finisher or sneaker cleaners and conditioners for maintaining your custom work. Check the shipping page for current timeframes and options to your postcode.