Fabric Painting for Beginners

So you want to learn how to paint on fabric? That's really cool and a great decision. There is so much you can do with fabric painting as a craft whether it's for fun or profit.

There was a time when this craft was considered a skill only for the schooled artist or the creative person. Not so, or should I say, not so any more. It is certainly a craft that can easily be developed and in a very short time frame.

There are so many people becoming involved in fabric painting in general but regardless of how many folks enter the field you can develop your own style; it's like having a fingerprint, it's completely yours no matter where you go your style will reflect you.

You can and should put your unique twist to your work. Folks will begin to identify a certain look or style as your distinct signature piece.

Painting on fabrics can reflect realism such as land or seascapes, floral or plant creations, geometric patterns, cartoon characters or a selection of beautiful colors and textures. You can basically apply the paint in any form you like to create artistically pleasing designs.

Once you have practiced and feel comfortable with your new painting skills you may want to try various mediums to paint on. Many people choose tee shirts, but did you know that you can paint on your sweats, bags, purses, dance wear, sneakers, hats, jeans, ribbons, scarves, wall hangings, upholstery, bedding and anything else that would sit still long enough for you to paint it.

Great Benefits

The benefits to fabric painting are also gi-normous (new word- a combination of gigantic and enormous). Consider the benefits of creating a whole new wardrobe for you. Gift giving also becomes more personalized with a signed work of art from you; you may begin to see an increase in friends when word gets out of your new found talent and generosity. Decorating the home and dressing your family really becomes more fun too, for you and the kids. Now you can create the painted outfits with the coordinating sneakers and hats to match.

An important consideration you should keep in mind when painting is the type of fabric you choose to paint on. If it is 100% cotton, then you can count on it shrinking and your design seizing up it. But there is a solution for just about every challenge you will encounter. The solution for this one is to simply pre-wash your fabrics without using softeners or starches and allow the fabric to dry completely. You will need to iron all ridges and creases out of the fabric to have a smooth surface to work on. The easier option is to paint on a pre-shrunk fabric or a cotton blend; you will avoid the shrinking altogether by doing this.

As a beginner, you would also want to paint on light or white fabrics. Your colors come out closer to what is represented in your paint container that way. To be effective with painting on colors take a little more practice and may require a totally different set of paints. For instance if you are painting on black or dark fabrics, you will need to use opaque paints for this to be effective.

The bottom line in painting on fabrics is to have fun, gather all the necessary information and get going. So what are you waiting for? There are many masterpieces inside of you just waiting for the opportunity to come out. Go for it and enjoy!

Teri M. Bethel specializes in creating painted fabrics for designers as well as teaching do-it-yourselfers how to paint fabrics with texture. She is the designer of Teri Monique Handbags, a line of custom made art purses for ladies.

Visit us at: http://www.paintwithtexture.com/fabric-painting/