Fabric Painting Techniques

There are many techniques for working on fabric that appeal to all levels of painting skills and interests. The following information will help you prepare your fabric, choose the correct fabric paints, and answer many of your fabric questions.

Choosing your Surface
Fabric surfaces take many forms, such as blank wearable (T-shirts, sweatshirts, vests & dresses), canvas bags, hats, shoes, home decor items and fabric yardage.

Items which have been treated with Scotch guard or wrinkle resist will not accept fabric paints.

Fabric Supply List
Use this checklist to ensure you have everything you need for successful fabric painting.

Fabric Paints: Type of paint chosen and technique will determine your results.
Textile Medium: Used to thin Fabric Paint or mix with Delta Cream coat Acrylic Paint for a flexible, washable fabric paint.
Fabric Brushes: Synthetic brushes in pointed rounds, flats, liners and scrubbers.
Sponges/Stencil Buddy: Use for easy application of fabric paint. Stencil Buddy is the perfect tool for use with Stencil Sponges and liquid paints.
Design: Stencils, patterns, iron-on transfers & worksheets, or drawn freehand.
Shirt board: Wax-coated or plastic-covered, either of which must be large enough to fit the design.
Masking Tape: Holds fabric in place on the shirt board. Straight pins, large clothespins or clips may also be used.
Water Container: For rinsing brushes in clean water.
Palette: Bubble palette, palette paper, foam plate or paper cups are ideal for holding paint while working.
Miscellaneous: Transfer aids, paper towels, scissors, pencil, iron and ironing board.

Fabric Preparation
Always pre-wash your fabric to remove any sizing in the material. Sizing will not allow your paint to penetrate or become permanent. This is not always possible with some home decor items and warbles, such as suit jackets, hats and handbags. However, most fabrics can be painted successfully with Delta Fabric Colours.

Always press your fabric to remove any wrinkles before applying your design.

Transferring a Design
Designs are applied to fabric in a variety of ways. Stencilling your design onto fabric is an easy way of achieving beautiful designs. You may then use stencil brushes or sponges to apply the fabric paint colours.

The iron-on transfer is the oldest and most traditional fabric method for pattern placement. Pre-drawn patterns are easily available in pattern packets and books. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for this type of transfer.

With iron-on transfer pens or pencils, you can create your own iron-on transfers. Turn your pattern over and if the printed design shows through simply retrace the line on the reverse side then transfer to the fabric using an iron. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for transferring. Holding the design up to a window or using a light box will enable you to see the pattern lines more clearly.

Dark fabrics are a little more difficult to transfer patterns. One of the easiest methods is to trace the reverse side of your pattern with white chalk. Position the pattern on your fabric and pin or tape to hold in place. Use a straight edge (example: the side of a credit card) and rub with pressure over the pattern lines. Your chalk lines are then transferred to the surface of the fabric.

Be sure to check under the pattern to see if your chalk lines are showing. If not, retrace the lines with heavier pressure.

You can also draw designs directly onto fabric in a freehand method. This requires a developed skill and is usually done with a disappearing marking pen or permanent marker.



Preparing to Paint
After a design has been placed on your fabric, the item will need to be positioned over a painting board with a non-porous surface. Keep your painting board larger than the design area to prevent having to move the fabric around. Secure fabric on the back with clips or masking tape.

Fabric Brushes
Choosing the right brush will determine your success in working on fabric. A brush that is too stiff can pill and damage the fibres of your fabric. A brush that is too soft will cause frustration with trying to apply your paint.

The most common type of brush designed for fabric is a synthetic or nylon brush. These brushes are specifically designed for use on fabric and come in a variety of styles. Fabric brushes are available in flats angles, pointed rounds, liners and scrubbers.

Flats, angles, pointed rounds and liners are used mainly for brush-on fabric painting. They are used on finer woven or knitted fabrics such as chambray, silk and T-shirt type knits.

To save time when filling in large areas on fabric, special fabric base coaters are available in both 1" flats and rounded styles.
Scrubbers, first designed to scrub acrylic paints into fabric, work wonderfully on heavier-weight fabrics such as canvas, denim and twill. These brushes are also excellent for working on fleece materials like sweatshirts.
Dry brush techniques are best created with an old scrubber brush.
Brush-On Fabric Painting
With brush-on fabric painting, skill levels may vary from simply filling in the various design areas to more advanced levels that require shading, highlighting and blending of colors. Delta offers fabric paints specifically formulated for the brush-on technique. They are non-toxic, washable, and easy to clean up.

The formulas for Fabric Colors were specifically designed for painting on fabric. Like true dyes, they are absorbed into the fibers of your fabric. When dry, they remain as soft and as flexible as the fabric itself. (Most other paints do not absorb into the fibers and instead will lay on the surface of the fabric becoming stiff and brittle.) Fabric Color pigments are in a heat-activated base and heat setting makes the colors permanent, colorfast and extremely durable.

All Fabric Colors brush on smoothly and dry soft and supple. They may be thinned with water or with Textile Medium. Fabric Colors are easily mixed together and have excellent blending qualities. Fabric Colors may be used on all shades of fabric.

Always remove any excess water in your paintbrush before loading your brush with paint. Not doing so may create a watercolor effect and bleeding.

Fabric Painting Terms

Colorbook Painting: Painting a single color within the lines of a pattern/design.
Shading: Creating depth and dimension by blending a darker shade around the edges of an object.
Highlighting: Creating a look of reflected light and dimension by blending a lighter shade in the center of an object.
Wet-on-Wet: Working two colors together to blend. Bottom color must be moist (or wet) when applying the second color.
Dry Brush: Load your brush with paint, then brush most of it out onto a paper towel, leaving very little in the brush for a subtle textured effect.
Background Effects: Watercolor and salt techniques may be used to create wonderful backgrounds. See "Additional Fabric Techniques" for more information.
Additional Fabric Techniques:


Tie Dye Painting
Original tie dyeing techniques used true dyes and chemicals that have many complex mixing steps. Delta offers advantages over these older methods because Delta Fabric Colors are non-toxic, they do not use harsh chemicals and require no mixing.

Patterns on fabric are created from the way the fabric is tied or folded and then dipped, spritzed or tapped with color. There are several methods with results that vary from a very simple sunburst to more difficult horizontal and vertical designs. 100% cotton and cotton blends are excellent fabric choices.

Watercolor Painting
To create a watercolor effect, your fabric should be damp before applying Delta Fabric Colors, which are usually thinned approx-imately one part paint to two parts water. Additional thinning of paints is required for a very pale or pastel look.

Colors will run together in some areas giving a blended effect, and control of your colors may be difficult. The thinness of the paint and the wetness of the fabric will determine a wide variety of results.

While paints are wet, sprinkle various types of salt over an area. It will draw the paint into the salt, leaving a starburst effect. Kosher, rock, sea and table salts may be used. The larger your salt crystals, the larger your effects will be.

Stamping
This is a technique in which color is placed on a separate object and then pressed onto the fabric leaving an impression. Rubber Stamps are perfect for working on fabric and may be used with Delta Fabric Paint, which you may brush or sponge onto the stamp before applying to the surface.

Sponges are available in a variety of pre-cut shapes and sizes, or you may want to cut your own. The "Miracle Sponge" is very popular for cutting your designs because it is paper thin when dry and easy to cut. When wet, it will grow to full thickness, making it perfect for fabric stamping.

Before applying paint to your sponge, squeeze the sponge in a paper towel to remove excess water. If the sponge is too wet, the color may bleed on your fabric.

When stamping with a sponge, always pour your paint onto a foam plate or palette. Dip your sponge into the paint, making sure the flat side is covered with paint. Blot paint on a paper towel to remove excess paint. Press the sponge onto your fabric with slight pressure. Several impressions may be achieved with one application of paint. An alternative way to apply paint to your sponge is to paint it onto the stamping surface with a flat brush.




Stencilling
Stencilling is a wonderful technique, especially for beginning fabric painters. It is the process of applying paint to the inside opening of a pre-cut design. There are hundreds of stencils available in a wide variety of styles and designs. Simply sponge on Delta Fabric Paint with a Stencil Buddy™ for easy application, or use fabric brushes if you are more comfortable.

Delta Fabric Paints will keep your finished project soft and flexible. Dip small sponge into paint and blot excess paint on paper towel. Paint should be lightly tapped into openings with an up-and-down pouncing motion.

If you choose to use a brush rather than a sponge, after loading your stencil brush, off-load the excess paint onto a paper towel. This will keep excess paint from bleeding under the edges of the stencil.

Embellishing
Embellishing is a wonderful technique that will often take your painted project one step beyond the ordinary. It allows your personal creativity to bloom. Examples of embellishments follow below:

Jewels, Beads, Pearls, Buttons and Charms offer exciting embellishments to your fabric painted piece. Place a small amount of Delta Jewel Glue™ on your fabric and press the embellishment into the glue for permanent application.
Loose Glitters may be added to wet paint or attached with Delta Jewel Glue.
Pre-printed fabric, lace, ribbon, doilies, embroidered patches and sequin designs can become beautiful appliqués. They are available ready to attach using a fabric glue, iron-on bonding webs, or sewing.
Care and Maintenance
Storing your Paint: Keep your fabric colors tightly closed at average room temperature. Extreme heat or freezing temperatures may subject them to break down.

Heat-Setting: Fabric Paints are formulated in a heat-activated base and are made permanent by heat setting. Allow 24 hours for your painted item to dry thoroughly. With the iron on a medium temperature setting and no steam, place a pressing cloth over the painted area and heat-set for approximately 30 seconds. Items not suitable for pressing may be heat-set in your dryer for 20 minutes; inside-out with the recommended heat-setting for the type of fabric you have painted. Heat-set your brush-on paints prior to applying embellishments, as high heat may damage them.

Laundering: Wait at least five days for the paints to cure before washing your painted item and then treat as you would any fine fabric. Turn the garment wrong side out and wash by hand or in the gentle cycle of your machine, using mild soap. Strong detergents are made to remove stains and color from fabrics and should be avoided. Any of the soaps used for washing baby items are best.