Fabric painting is an easy-going project that allows you to be open with your creativeness and use your own concepts and artistic mind to be in control of your own designs. Before you take on any textiles make sure they are clean and thoroughly washed. Iron out any wrinkles or this could be a decorating disaster and place a piece of card under your chosen material before painting to ensure smooth lines and avoid paint seeping through to the other side.
Best Brushes and Techniques for Fabric Painting
Painting does not start and end with canvas and paper or landscapes and portraits. In fact, you can take your passion for art and your crafting skills anywhere you desire. You can turn a coffee table into a masterpiece, a window into a work of art and even transform clothes into fashionable forms of self-expression with fabric painting. With the thrilling craft of painting on fabric you can give makeovers to your old t-shirts, bags, even furniture fabric like cushions!
Add your individual artistic flair to everyday fashion pieces or add a bespoke design to houseware or objects in your office by painting on fabric. Have you been feeling inspired lately? Take that inspiration and spill it out onto the backpack that’s been sitting in the back of your wardrobe or the t-shirt you were going to take down to the local charity shop.
Fabric painting is the ultimate way to put those well practiced arty skills to the test as well as giving everyday items your own magic touch. A great group activity or simply taking some alone time to unwind, it is something everyone will enjoy. One of the best parts of fabric painting is that you can display your beautiful masterpieces by wearing them, you are the canvas.
Best Brushes for Fabric Painting
One of the first steps in fabric painting is deciding what tools you need which may be a case of digging through your craft box or adding something new to your collection. It is important to know which brushes work best for fabric as material can be a tricky surface to work with. Luckily, some of our Reeves paint brushes are designed to work perfectly with all types of fabric.
Be sure to choose the correct brush for the job as they all have their own individual characteristics that make them useful for achieving specific looks and effects. If you are painting on cotton or linen, you may find larger brushes easier as the material is more durable than the likes of silk where smaller, finer brushes will work better on the smooth and soft surface.
Flat brushes are ideal for filling in large sections of your design whereas round brushes are useful for achieving tiny details and thin strokes. Once you have completed your textile masterpiece, be sure to wipe your brushes off followed by washing them but don’t let them soak for too long as this could damage their delicate bristles.
What Paint to use on Fabric
Reeves oil and acrylic paints pair perfectly with any fabric project big or small. Poster paint can also be used on fabric but beware, it could begin to flake off over time. Our oil paint is the perfect recipe for a fabric showpiece having been used for centuries dating back to the Renaissance when they were used on canvas.
When applied to fabric, oil paint may crack or fade over time. However, its exceptional blending abilities make it wonderful to work with. Prevent chipping or wearing away of your fabric paint by prepping your chosen material with a clear or white gesso primer to seal up and enhance the fabric.
Acrylic paint is a commonly chosen favourite when it comes to funking up your fabrics. At Reeves, we offer this quick dryer in a wide assortment of kaleidoscopic colours that are user friendly for all abilities and fully flexible making it the go to choice for any textile paint. So, pick up your acrylic paint palette and carefully chosen brush and channel your inner fashion designer as you create magnificent works of art on your very own materials.
See How to Transform a Paintbrush into a Work of Art
It’s fun to alter things like mirrors and cigar boxes but have you ever tried to alter a paintbrush? It’s quite possible to do with just a few supplies from Imagine and metal ephemera from a craft store. This paintbrush started out as just a plain inexpensive 2” wooden brush that cost about a dollar. The metal piece in the center is actually a bird mask like the ones doctors wore during the Black Plague many centuries ago. When completed it makes a unique wall hanging or paperweight to lay on a desk or a stack of books. It’s quite a conversation piece!
Skill: Advanced
Time: 3 hours + dry time
Directions
Step 1
Have all materials ready for placement along with gesso, gel mediums, inks, spray bottles and tiny paint brushes. Begin by applying a base coat of gesso and then a coat of Creative Medium Bronze Metallic paste. The depth of color can be adjusted with a baby wipe. When dry the metal ephemera can be attached using a clear gel, like Creative Medium, or even one of the Iridescent Creative Mediums. Dry with a heat tool to speed up the process or allow it to dry overnight. Add as much ephemera as desired while Creative Medium is wet.
Step 2
Apply a thin coat of gesso over the entire project, including the metal pieces. Apply small amounts of Delicata ink onto a craft mat. For this project Emerald Green, Sapphire Blue and Golden Glitz Delicata inks were watered down and applied to the brush with a small Sponge Dauber. Spritz the project with water and allow the inks to run together and blend. Allow ink to run off of the project onto the craft mat. Keep applying ink until the desired look is established.
Step 3
Continue to adjust the colors using Delicata inks in Golden Glitz, Dark Brown Shimmer, Rose Gold, Black Shimmer and Bronze Burst. To add to the rusted patina effect, drops of StazOn Emerald City from an inker bottle can be dropped behind the bird mask area and blotted off. To achieve lots of texture a small amount of Finnabair’s Rust Effect Paste can be applied with a tiny paintbrush randomly to background areas and on the wings. A strip of rhinestones can line the bottle edge of the brush and an itty-bitty rhinestone crown can be placed on the bird’s head. Apply both of those items with a strong adhesive. This was not sealed but a spray sealant could be applied. The back of the brush can also be finished and made to look beautiful if desired.
If you enjoyed this tutorial then please share or leave a comment below!
Supplies
Imagine
- Delicata Inkpads – Blue Sapphire, Emerald Green, Golden Glitz, Bronze Burst, Dark Brown Shimmer, Black Shimmer, Rose Gold
- Creative Medium – Bronze Metallic, Clear
- StazOn inker – Emerald City
- Sponge Daubers
- Craft Mat
Other
- Heat tool
- 2” Wooden paint brush
- Baby wipes
- Testors adhesive
- Prima – Finnabair Mechanicals, Metal Wings, rhinestone chain, rhinestone crown
- Finnabair Rust Effect Paste – Red Rust
- Island Beads – Bird head
- White heavy gesso
- Water spray bottle
- Paper towels
- Q-tip swabs
- Paint brushes
Paintbrushes & Applicators for School Art & Crafts
Consortium has all the supplies you need to inspire your children’s creativity.
Shop All
Love it or yourMoney Back
If you don’t love our Consortium Brand quality we’ll give you your money back*
*Terms and conditions apply
Discover more
category
/Art & Craft/Paintbrushes & Applicators 4008 3633 Paintbrushes & Applicators https://www.consortiumeducation.com/art-craft/paintbrushes-applicators 1 3
Shopping list
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is a Shopping List?
A. Shopping Lists allow you to save your favourite products in your My Account area so that you can access quickly time and time again. Shopping Lists can also be great if you want to build an order over time. When you are ready to place your order all the items you need will be in one place and can be added to the basket at the click of a button.
Q. How do I use Shopping Lists?
A. Simply select the Add to List option which can be found next to products. This will add the product to your Shopping List, which can be accessed via the header next to the search bar or found in your My Account area.
Q. Can I share my Shopping List?
A. Yes, you can choose to make your Shopping List private or shared. If you choose to make it shared it will be visible to everyone in your organisation. If you choose to make it shared you can also make it editable by your colleagues, this is handy if you want to create a Shopping List for a whole team or department where each member can add their own required items.
Q. How do I make changes to a Shopping List?
A. You can change the settings on your Shopping List at any time. if you want to make a private list public, update the quantity of a specific item, remove items or simply change the name of the list, follow the steps below:
- Press View next to the name of the Shopping List you wish to make changes to
- Select Manage list
- Make any changes
- Select Update list to save your changes
Q. Can I create multiple Shopping Lists?
A. Yes, you can create as many Shopping Lists as you like.
Need some help with a query or question?
Join the Consortium community and be the first to know about a range of blogs, new products and promotions.
*By providing your details, you agree to receive offers, exclusive content and updates by email; to the sharing of your email address with trusted third parties for the purpose of targeted advertising to you on social media platforms; and to the sharing of your anonymised data with trusted third parties to enable them to target prospective customers for The Consortium, although you will not be contacted directly.. Full details can be found in our privacy policy here and you can unsubscribe at any time.
