Hand Painting Fabric

An instant transformation for an old sofa or chair can be brought about by covering it with fabric you have hand painted. You can either paint one piece of fabric to cover the total sofa/chair, or you can use several differently painted fabrics. The overlays of painted fabrics can provide an attractive patchwork effect.

The selection of fabric is just as important as the design. Loose throws take a lot of wear, always buy the best fabric you can afford. The fabric needs to be tightly woven together, the tighter the weave the stronger the fabric. You wouldn't want to spend your time hand painting fabric and have it shortly looking shabby.

Attaching hand painted fabric permanently to a piece of furniture needs a bit more planning. Take your time considering your design, method of painting and the type of fabric you will need. A good quality fabric is a must, one that will wear well and last. Again you don't want to spend your time and money on fabric that will wear out quickly.

Use your imagination when selecting colors for your design. Is your furniture heavy looking with dark wood? Try light colors to lighten the effect. The same principle can work with very modern furniture. Instead of very strong colors on sharp geometric shaped furniture try soft colors and shapes.

There are no longer rules that we need to follow for using color. The field is wide open in regards to color. After saying that ... To a certain degree our environment will determine what colors are most effective.

Color can make or break a good design in a room. None of the colors are seen in isolation, they are observed together with other colors. Before adding a new color or design consider the other colors that are already being used. Different color combinations will effect each other, change the appearance of the room and our reactions.

Strong, bright colors such as lime green, red, yellow or orange can have an exhilarating effect when used with other colors. However, large blocks of these colors can be overpowering. Used in the correct amounts a bright green, red, yellow or orange can create a powerful and exciting environment.

Is your room small with very little natural light? Light pastel shades will tend to give a room depth. Plan carefully when painting fabric, consider the existing environment and color tone. A large bright geometric design in primary colors could look out of place in a pastel room dominated by a realistic floral motif.

Do you want to add a new color into a room? Use shades and tones of one of the existing colors. This can be just as interesting as using many different colors. Are you having trouble deciding what colors to use? Go to Home Depo or another store that has paint and look at their paint chips. This is an easy way to look at the shades and tones of a particular color. Try adding small amounts of other colors to see if they work together.

Neutral colors will be easier to work with. A white or cream room with a pastel or primary color scheme is equally attractive and effective. Each color combination will create a different environment and effect. This is where decisions have to be made regarding personnel taste and what you can live with.

Fabric paint or dye can be used on all fabric types from natural to synthetic. The color range is huge and all colors are inter mixable. So there is an infinite number of hues that can be created.

Fabric paints come in four different finishes, transparent, opaque, fluorescent and pearlized. Each will react differently depending on the fabric and application. Some finishes will sit on top of the cloth and others will become one with the fabric. Test on a piece of scrap fabric to see which effect you prefer.

Fabric paints are very concentrated. Mix small amounts of color at a time until you have a feel for mixing colors. When mixing paint for pastel colors, add a small drop of color to a greater amount of the white color. I always write down the formula that I use when mixing color along with a color swatch.

The amount of paint that you need to mix depends on the project you are doing and the technique you are using. Make sure you mix enough paint to complete your project. It can be very difficult mixing another batch of color when you run out before completing your design. Don't worry about mixing too much paint. It is better to have extra than running out in the middle of your project. Fabric paint keeps a long time. Store left over paint in clean air tight jars. The left over paint will come in handy for other painting fabric projects.

Old, worn or plain colored duvet covers can be given new life by hand painting the fabric.

You will need to be very careful in selecting a design since the duvet cover is already made. The design will need to adapt to the stitched corners or any odd angles.

1. Decide on Your Design.
A very large scale pattern with many shapes fitting together may be too difficult. Think about a textured pattern or a random poke a dot, stripe or dashers. All of these would be successful designs and easy to do.

2. Wash Duvet Or Fabric.
If the duvet is old it needs to be clean before painting over dirt. If the fabric is new the sizing needs to be removed.

3. Prep
First remove the inside padding, then place the duvet on a flat surface. To prevent your paint from seeping through to the other side - place thick pieces of cardboard covered with plain paper. Don't use newspaper, the fabric will pick up the printing. A piece of plastic sheeting between the plain paper and cardboard will be helpful.

4. How To Paint
The best approach would be to paint in sections and keep turning the fabric around. Some parts may be a little more difficult to paint because the duvet is already stitched together. Just keep turning the duvet while painting over seams so that no conspicuous space is seen.

5. Make New Duvet
Of course if you decide to make your own bed duvet, you could paint the fabric before sewing. Now whether you paint the fabric before or after it has been cut to the size you need depends on your design.

6. Dying
You may want to dye the total fabric or bed duvet first. Don't use a color that is too dark. You just want a nice tint to take away the stark whiteness or to freshen up an old bed duvet.

7. Paint Before Or After Cutting
If you want to stencil one or two motifs over the total ground, then painting the fabric first is the way to start. If your design is more complex and you want to make sure the shapes fit together, then paint after cutting.

When painting a design with straight edges such as stripes or geometric patterns:

1. Use masking tape around the edges.
2. Paint inside the tape.
3. Leave the tape on until the paint is completely dry before removing it.
4. Don't use real thin paint.
5. Use a coat of resist.

Practice on a piece of scrap material taping and painting a stripe. If the paint is too thin it will seep under the tape. Practice until you have the right consistency. You can also apply a coat of resist along the edge of the tape to seal it. Make sure you apply the resist in an even line.

Having fuzzy edges can also look good.

1. Paint the lightest color first, then work through to the darkest shade.

2. Work from Top to Bottom. This will help prevent smudging wet paint.

3. If a motif has several colors only paint one color at a time. Wait until the first color is completely dry. This will prevent colors seeping into each other.

4. If your first coat of a color isn't even or a few white spots are showing... Don't paint over the area until the first coat is completely dry. This will prevent uneven coloring when the total project is dry.

5. Don't over load your brush with paint. The paint will drip and leave unwanted blobs.

Mistakes sometimes happen. Don't worry about it. Once the project is completed maybe the mistake can be worked into a new motif. If not, leave it alone. Anyway you are hand painting fabric and these designs are unique. A mistake is not going to spoil the total overall design and effect.

To become a good fabric artist - practice and experiment with different techniques. Start with a simple method and move to more complex methods later. Most of the methods for painting fabric use ordinary household items. Enjoy yourself and experiment.

 

Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth: Stamp, Screen, and Stencil with Everyday Objects



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Transforming Fabric: Thirty Creative Ways to Paint, Dye and Pattern Cloth




Early textile dyers signed oaths that they would not reveal any of the process. Fortunately, author Carolyn Dahl openly shares the secrets of dyeing, painting, and patterning beautiful cloth she has gleaned in art schools. This guide is the next best thing to having a master artist in the studio.

Entertaining stories awaken memories of childhood coloring books, leaf prints, iron-on designs, and the tie-dyed T-shirts most of us experienced at some point in our lives. Readers will be inspired as they follow step-by-step photographs and instructions full of hints and secrets for using luminous color to transform white cloth into artistic masterpieces. Connoisseurs of the decorative arts and those who are merely curious about the fabrics they wear and use in everyday life will find much to interest them.

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