Fabric Selection

For best results with Genkem Fabric Paints, 100% pure, natural fabrics like calico, cotton, silk or linen should be used.

Synthetics and synthetic mixes take paint differently and the results are unpredictable, although new products like an anti-bleed agent can be added to normal paint, making it possible to achieve good results.

For the sun or salt technique, polyester rich fabric makes for quicker, better results.

Select fabric with it's final function in mind, for instance, thin silk is not ideal for upholstery, and heavy calico will make an uncomfortable scarf.

Preparing the Fabric

Wash and iron all fabrics, even pre-shrunk, to remove all starch and protective substances before painting.

Do not use a fabric softener.

Some fabrics shrink, so always wash before cutting or painting.

Design Transfer

Tape the pattern / design onto a light-box or window and trace with a soft pencil, fabric marker or dressmaker's carbon.

Alternatively make a photocopy of your design and transfer it with thinners onto your cloth using the following method.

- place photocopy face down onto fabric
  Genkem Guide to Fabric Painting Page 2 of 4

- soak cotton-wool in thinners and saturate back of photocopy by dabbing thinners   onto it

- rub back of soaked photocopy with back of plastic spoon, giving special attention to   lines
- lift sides of photocopy to check the lines on the fabric - if the image is too light,   apply more thinners and rub again
- remove photocopy and allow to dry

Paints

Genkem Fabric Paint is an all purpose acrylic paint, available in a variety of primary colours, white, black and a clear base.

Colours
When used on coloured fabric, the colour of the fabric will show through, resulting in a third colour.

Clear Base
Genkem Fabric Paints also have a "clear base". It is the basis of coloured fabric paint and appears white and has no colour when painted onto fabric.

This clear base can be used to make coloured fabric paint lighter. The more clear base added, the lighter or more transparent the coloured paint will become.

White
White paint is mostly used as a highlighter. When applied through a bottle with a spout, it will produce a pure white line.

Applicators

Brushes
Flat or round hog hair brushes work well for general painting, while thinner brushes are needed for finer work.

Sponges
High density sponges are ideal for shading large areas, applying paint to stamps or painting wide stripes. Textured sponges like sea sponges are great for achieving special effects.

Stamps
These are ideal tools if you're not confident about drawing. One can put
together one's own design by using different stamps. Reverse stamping, by stamping with a dry stamp into paint whilst still wet, ie. removing paint, adds dimension and depth to one's work.

Scraping Tools
These add visual texture by taking paint off with various tools like brush handles, tile adhesive applicators, cotton reels, scouring pads, wire, tins - the list is endless.

Finishing

Outlining
This should only be done when work is completely dry.

Fill spout bottles with any colour to make ones own liners. Liners in tubes are also available, but try it on a scrap of fabric first to see if it is compatible with the project being worked on. Some liners puff when ironed whilst other may have a plastic finish which will melt and smudge when ironed.

A water-colour pencil or textile pen can also be used to outline or shade.

Heat Fixing
This is necessary with most paints. The longer one leaves a finished article to dry before "fixing" it, the better. This will keep it's colour and last longer.

Heat fix as follows:

- Tumble dry for 45 minutes on the hottest setting if using cotton or linen
- Iron on reverse side for 3 - 4 minutes on cotton setting
- Preheat oven to 130° C.
- Fold cloth inwards and place on an oven pan in centre of oven
- Switch off and leave article in oven for half an hour.
- If cloth is large, unfold fabric and fold differently
- Repeat

Genkem Guide to Fabric Painting Page 4 of 4

Note

- Do not use microwave oven to fix.

- Always pay special attention to instructions

- A water resistant coating can be painted onto fabric to seal it and make it water   resistant.
This is ideal for soft furnishings, children's items and tableware.

Acknowledgements

Information supplied courtesy of Talking Threads.