OUR GUIDE TO PAINTING ON FABRIC

Are you used to painting on canvas and ready to try the new experience of painting on fabric to personalise your clothes, a piece of fabric, a tote bag or canvas shoes? Before diving into the world of painting on fabric, there are some techniques you should master to properly and permanently fix your painting on fabric.

What is the best paint for painting on fabric? What are the techniques you should know? Follow our practical guide and master painting on fabric!

Painting on fabric is a great way of expressing your creativity while at the same time giving a second life to fabrics that you no longer use or that you’d like to customise. By doing a DIY craft activity that involves painting on fabric you’re exploring a new creative world: you can personalise clothes, bags, curtains or any other textiles with your own designs.

There is a wide variety of techniques when it comes to painting on fabric:

Directly applying paint: for this technique you’ll need a special fabric paint that can be directly applied to your textile surfaces with a paintbrush, sponge or other tool. It allows you to reproduce precise details on the fabric.

Stencils: this technique allows you to repeat patterns and motifs uniformly on the fabric.

Screen printing: for this technique you’ll need to use a silk screen or some mesh through which the paint is applied. Screen printing is perfect if you’d like to reproduce with great precision a design several times on an item of clothing or a tote bag.

Tie-dyeing: For tie-dyeing you’ll need to knot or fold your piece of fabric before soaking it in dye. This will result in random and psychedelic patterns.

Air brushing: this is the perfect technique for creating colour gradients or hazy effects on a rigid surface. You’ll need an airbrush for this technique.

Stamping: this technique involves using stamps to apply the paint. Stamps can be handmade for personalised patterns and motifs.

Your choice of paint will depend on the type of fabric you use and the kind of results you’re after. Most water-based paints are appropriate for painting on fabric, though some materials will benefit from specific supplies!
 

● If you’re painting on cotton or linen: you can use most types of fabric paint as these materials are highly absorbent.

● If you’re using a synthetic fabric: select paints that have been specifically designed to adhere to these types of fabric, such as alcohol ink or liquid fabric paint which will penetrate easily into the fabric.

● If you’re painting on silk: choose an acrylic paint that has been specifically designed for silk, which remains liquid without weighing down the fabric.

As with all works of art, the technique used will have an impact on the end result and look of your creation, and painting on fabric is no different.

● If you’re a beginner, opt for paints that are easy-to-use and easy-to-clean, such as water-based paints like gouache.

● While acrylic paint was originally conceived for paper and canvas, it can also be used on fabric if you mix it with a textile medium.

● Fabric spray paint is perfect for quick application and for use in combination with stencils.

● Silk paints are specially formulated for silk and maintain the softness and lightness of the fabric.

💡 Make sure the paint is permanent, won’t wash off and is fade resistant. Some paints will need heat treatment (such as ironing) to fix the colour.

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Prepare your creative accessories

Now your creative workspace is ready, it’s time to get busy!

 

1. Protect your work surface and set up your fabric

Cover the surface you’re working on and wear a smock to protect yourself from stains. Stretch the fabric over a piece of cardboard or a wooden board and fix it by pinning it into place around the back which will give you a smooth surface to paint on.
 

2. Draw the pattern on to a sheet of paper

Start by drawing your pattern onto a sheet of paper then transfer it on to the fabric using a pencil or washable marker which will help guide you while painting.
 

3. Apply paint according to your preferred technique

Paintbrushes, stamps, stencils or sprays: choose a technique and apply the paint carefully. If you use a watercolour-like technique and the paint runs too fast, use a hairdryer to fix it.
 

4. Leave the paint to dry and use a fixative

Leave the painted fabric to dry on the board for at least 24 hours, and avoid washing it for 72 hours following the application of paint. Depending on which type of paint you’ve used you may need to apply a fixative.

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