Hand Painting on Fabric (part 2)
Using Fabric Paints and Dyes
Is the finished article going to be washed? If the answer is yes, you will need to set the colour as required by the manufacturer.
Fabric ink is usually by heat- an iron is sufficient. Dyes either require steaming or chemicals, refer to the instructions.
Calico, which has a lot of dressing, is a great fabric to use when hand-painting. The dressing in the fabric acts as a resist, inhibiting the colour moving into dry areas. Therefore, do not wash the calico before painting, as the washing removes the dressing.
All creases must be removed from the fabric before starting to paint, otherwise the paint collects along the crease lines and you end up with stripes. Use a damp cloth and a hot iron to remove the creases.
Metallic Paint:
Metallic paint can be used to great effect. It can be wiped across areas to give the appearance of light glinting off water, to give form to animals so they appear rounded rather than flat, to add a richness to your painting etc.
I like to dab a piece of cloth in the metallic paint and pick up a small amount of paint. I then wrap the cloth around my finger, and smear it onto the design. This seems to give a more natural look to the tree trunks and animal bodies etc.