If you do opt for many colors, I recommend starting with the main color first. Follow with adding shadows then highlights. You might want to stretch the shirt a bit to make sure the color is getting into the grooves of the weave. Better penetration means better durability and stronger color. Yes, I said penetration. Stop giggling.
Freehand Acrylic Painting for T-shirts
Introduction: Freehand Acrylic Painting for T-shirts
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I saw lots of instructables for using stencils on shirts. Those are great, but some of us have short attention spans and prefer the instant gratification of seeing the color on the shirt quickly.
Some designs aren’t suitable for stencils.
Don’t tell me you can’t draw or paint freehand. I’m not inclined to believe you. If you don’t like how your first shirt turns out, keep practicing. The thrift store around here sells plain t-shirts for a dollar each. Textile medium costs a dollar at my craft store. The acrylic paint I bought is $5.50 per tube, but they could paint hundreds of t-shirts.
Hopefully at least one of these techniques appeals to some of you and you’re inclined to try liberating yourself from the stencil.
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Step 1: Gather and Prepare the Materials
acrylic paint
textile medium
brushes
waxed paper
cardboard or something else thin and stiff that fits in your t-shirt
tape
water
folded paper towel (or other absorbent material)
t-shirt
water resistant paper plate or other item to use as a palette
If your t-shirt is new, it’s a good idea to wash it. Sometimes new shirts have a substance on them called sizing that hinders paint absorption.
Cut out your cardboard to fit the inside of your shirt. I used some old pizza boxes for mine. Cover the cardboard with waxed paper and tape the waxed paper in place. Slip the covered cardboard inside your shirt (the one you plan to paint, not the one you’re wearing).
Arrange your paint, cup of water, brushes, palette, and textile medium so they’re easy to reach.
My bottle of textile medium says to mix 2 parts medium with 1 part acrylic paint. I estimate. The textile medium makes the acrylic paint more flexible so it doesn’t stiffen the fabric. This makes it resistant to flaking off in some parts; acrylic paint already does a good job of permanently staining shirts. Sometimes I mix the textile medium with the primary colors first. Sometimes I mix it after I’ve mixed a color I want to use. Either way works.
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How to Choose the Best Fabric Paints for Your Project
An expert crafter shares her favorite formulas and tips.
By Kelly Dawson and Kate McGregor Published: Aug 30, 2023
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Carrie Walker
Expert crafter Carrie Waller turns to fabric paints constantly. She reaches for her fabric pen “when the mood strikes” to add a pattern to a pillow or create a canvas wall hanging. She also grabs one when she’s looking to personalize a simple T-shirt—just like she did when she was a kid at art camp.
“I’m constantly looking for ways to quickly and inexpensively update the look of things around my house so that I can save my decor budget for bigger renovations down the line,” Waller says. “With that in mind, fabric paint is my go-to material for quick refreshes.”
For those of us who don’t have quite as much experience as Waller does working with fabric paints, it can be overwhelming to choose the right kind. After all, fabric paints take up entire aisles at the craft store. We asked her to demystify it so you know exactly what you need to buy for your next project.
Fabric Paint Basics
When in doubt, use acrylic fabric paint. Fabric paint, which is also known as textile paint, is most commonly made from an acrylic polymer. This acrylic, which is bonded with a color and then emulsified, makes the paint durable against routine use, multiple washes, and sunlight. While alcohol-based options exist, their finishes will be lighter and more porous than acrylic.
Take note of the fabric paint’s transparency and consistency. Depending on your project, you’ll want to figure out how opaque or transparent you’d like the paint to be, as well as how thick or thin. Darker fabrics usually need a more opaque paint, and most furniture pieces need a thicker finish.
Use liquid fabric paint for larger surfaces. If you’re looking to paint a wide surface, look for liquid acrylic fabric paint. This paint can saturate a large area and comes in various finishes, making it ideal for covering big art canvases and furniture pieces.
Opt for fabric markers for detail work. Fabric markers give you more control over painting a specific area, which is why they’re best for clothing and smaller designs on canvases or household items like accent pillows.
Carrie Walker
Try “puff” paint for a three-dimensional look. This paint dries with a raised finish, so it’s a fun option to try with kids. As with all fabric paints, test out your design before committing it to a final surface—sometimes it’s tough to know how puff paint will look once it has dried.
Set fabric paint with heat. In order for the paint to set permanently into the fabric, it has to be finished with heat. Sometimes you can do this by tossing your item in the dryer; sometimes you need to go over the painted area with a hot clothing iron. Check ahead of time that the fabric you’re using can be treated with heat since this step ensures that your design will last much longer than it would without it.
