So about a year ago I did an entry on tools and products to use for fabric painting, and then I decided to participate in WCS and work got really busy and I bought a house and stuff so I’ve had a lot less time to blog. For that I’m very sorry, but I hope that I can start picking it back up again now that life is slowing down just a bit. This is the second installment of the fabric painting series, in this post we’ll cover various techniques you can use to paint custom fabric. Be sure to read Part One here!

There are a lot of options when it comes to fabric painting, and some methods work better for certain applications than others. This is mostly a guide to help you determine which method will work best for your particular project.

Freehand

The freehand method is exactly what it sounds like. You freehand paint your design directly onto your fabric. For this method you can start with no guidelines, or lightly draw in some guides with a fabric pencil (or regular pencil if you are painting with a dark color over your guides). This method works best for more abstract designs, or designs that do not need to look uniform. You can also freehand with fabric paint markers which will offer greater control over just paint and a brush.

Below are some examples of freehand application. The white swirls along Mitsuki’s skirt and the black cross on Haine’s hairbow were both freehanded with a marker. On Vivi the gold details along the bottom of the sarong were painted freehand with gold lumier paint and then outlined with matte black puff paint. Both applied freehand.

Stamps

Stamping involves using a stamp inked with fabric paint and applying that to your fabric. This method is good if you need uniform designs that are not too intricate. Stamping is not a method that will transfer a lot of detail, it’s best for simple shapes. Look for stamps that have good depth and simple designs. Shallow stamps with a lot of detail will not work because the paint just globs into all those details. You can purchase pre made stamps at most craft stores. The foam stamps work really well for fabric stamping. You can also create your own stamp. Thick craft foam, sponges, even vegetables (no joke, this is a classic kid’s craft project) can be used to cut and create stamps. When stamping make sure not to overload your stamp with paint. You can apply your paint to your stamp with a brush, dipping it directly into the paint will cause overloading.

I don’t have any examples of fabric stamping for cosplay personally but Glitzy Geek Girl has some excellent examples of fabric stamping in her Wonder Woman tutorial. She has plenty of progress photos of her process.

Stencil

Stenciling is probably my go to method for most projects. It takes a little time to create your stencil depending on the intricacy of the design, but it creates a clean line and even paint distribution which is perfect for ornate details or specific shapes. There are many different ways to create a stencil. Depending on your design and how many times you want to use the stencil will help you decide which option is best for you. You can use scissors to cut, but for very intricate work I suggest an Xacto blade. Make sure you have a cutting mat!

  • Pre-made Stencils: The craft store has plenty of pre made stencils. These are usually cut out of thin plastic so they will last for many uses. The downside is of course that you only have the selection provided to you and if you need something very unique or specific you probably won’t find it.
  • Tape: Using masking tape is perfect for creating simple straight lines. You can also cover a large section in tape and then use a utility knife to cut out designs, but it can be difficult to transfer a detailed stencil made of tape from your cutting surface to your fabric so it’s best for very simple geometric applications. Tape can also only be used once.
  • Contact Paper: Contact paper is a sticky backed paper. The adhesive is similar to tape, but because it comes in large rolls you can create more intricate designs. It also has a backing you peel off before application making it easier to cut than tape. Contact paper is especially useful because it can last for several uses, so if you have a very repetitive pattern or you need to use your stencil more than once this is a good option.
  • Freezer Paper: Hands down this is the most utilized method in my arsenal. This method uses freezer paper you can buy at any grocery. You cut your design out of the paper, using the waxy side down. Once you cut you iron the paper to your fabric. The wax sticks to the fabric, but not permanently so when the paint is dry you just peal it off. I have an even more detailed tutorial of this method as Part 3!

Below are several examples of stenciling. For James I used a stencil made of masking tape. For Yukari all of the silver painted details on the skirt were created using a freezer paper stencil. For Sonico the black outline of the tiger design was also created using a freezer paper stencil.

Screen Printing

Screen Printing is a method that requires some specific equipment, so it’s not something that a lot of cosplayers have access to. That being said, you can purchase small table top kits from craft stores or amazon for around 100 dollars. Screen printing involves creating a design by pushing ink through a screen. Parts of the screen are made impermeable with emulsion, which is how the deign is created. The biggest benefit of screen printing is that you can cover a lot of ground fairly quickly, which makes it ideal for printing repetitive designs on large quantities of fabric.

This is a very good tutorial video that covers in depth how to screen print at home. As you can see it dose require a lot of equipment, but if you plan to do a lot of textile printing it might be worth the investment to you.