Fabric paints and dyes allow you to turn your art and creativity into wearable textiles, clothing, upholstery or other home decorations. Moving away from traditional painting on paper and canvas not only broadens your range of skills but offers a whole host of new and exciting possibilities. The majority of fabric painting requires specifically formulated paint made specifically for textiles. There are also a few techniques to be learnt that differentiate painting on paper to painting on fabric. Here’s our 101 guide to fabric paint and dyes.
Tip 1
Always pre-wash your fabrics. This will clear out starches and chemicals that might remain in the fabric which can mess with your paint causing fading or peeling. Once it is washed and dried, you’ll want to iron your fabric. Wrinkles are difficult to paint on, especially on the outer edges. They can affect and ruin your design.
Tip 2
Don’t be impatient when the paint is drying. Paper and canvas painting usually remain untouched following the creation period, whereas fabric can crease and fold if moved. Paint may look dry on the surface, but can be wet underneath if the fabric is thick. Fabric paints can also vary. Some may require you to heat set the paint when finished and some might require a cool rinse once the paint has completely dried.
Tip 3
Practice and experiment. There are lots of different techniques you can experiment with. You can free-paint, use stencils, spray paints, tie dyes, blocking and stamping. If you’re new to fabric painting, the best way to approach the task of finding out what you enjoy is practice, practice, practice. Experiment on scrap fabric and paper. This will give you an indication of what works for you and what doesn’t. Practice doesn’t end there. Even once you’ve gained skills and improved your technique, testing is an ongoing process due to the variation in fabrics, textures and paints you’ll no doubt be using.
Tip 4
Mixing Colours. Unprimed fabric is likely to soak up more paint than you’re used to, so be quite liberal with your paint when creating your colour blend so you don’t run out and have to try your best to match colours. It’s also worth noting that it’s a good idea to load up your brush so your stroke doesn’t dry out too quickly as the fabric absorbs the paint.
These quick tips should help you on your way to becoming a fabric painting god! Whether you’re creating cushions, curtains, t-shirts or towels, get started on the road to fabric painting today by giving us a call or visiting our stores for assistance and advice.