How to paint on fabric ?
You want to paint on fabric, textile, or any other clothing ? And want to know which paint to use on textile ? Follow all our advice to correctly paint with the right products and get the best result.
What kind of paint to use on fabric ?
When you want to paint on fabric or other kind of textile, it's always better to use high quality paints with good pigments to have beautiful colors over time, even after washing it.
Fabric paints need to be flexible and waterproof so you can wash your clothes with a washing machine or just wear it under the rain.
There are many kind of fabric paint on the market, but most paints needs to be heated with an iron to be permanent. Which makes the process more complicated
Always be careful when using the paint to not cause damage on your own clothes.
How to avoid smudges when painting on fabric ?
Fabric and textile absorb the paint and often create smudges that can completely ruin your customization. That's why it's a good practice to apply a white undercoat before applying your colors.
You have two options that both work depending on what you want to paint :
- If you want to hand paint a draw, then you can apply a white undercoat of standard paint to have more vibrant colors
- If you want to use a stencil on fabric, then we recommend to use a thicker paint like the textile primer to fill the stencil without any smudge.
In both case you can use a paint brush, but the best option is to apply the paint using a stencil sponge.
How to use fabric paint ?
Now that you have your white undercoat, you can apply your paint and all the colors you want for your next masterpiece.
Like for any other surface, it's better to apply thin layers of paint to have a clean result. If you apply too much paint at once, you may have relief on your fabric; of course you can do it if that's something you want.
To have homogeneous colors, apply 2 to 3 coats of paint and make sure you wait enough until each coat is completely dry. It will make the color more vibrant and intense, especially on blue denim or colored fabric.
Once you applied your paint, let it dry naturally for 1 hour before wearing it. Even if the paint is permanent and waterproof, you can apply a finisher to add an additional protection or simply change the sheen of your project.
Use the matte top coat if you want to keep a natural finish, or add some glossy top coat in case you want to have a shiny finish.
What kind of fabric can be painted ?
Fabric is used in almost every clothes but also on canvas, bags and other accessories. There are 3 kind of fabrics, and all of them can be painted with a good fabric paint :
- Natural fibers, such as clothes made with 100% of natural fabrics such as coton, wool, animal or even plant.
- Synthetic fibers are all the fibers made through chemical synthesis are harder to paint as they often contain plastic.
- Semi-synthetic and cellulosic fibers are made of natural and synthetic fibers.