Add A Splash Of Colour To Your Home And Wardrobe With Our Fabric Paint!

If your clothes and home decor are looking a bit old and outdated, some fabric paint can do wonders in breathing new life into them with very little cost. Riot Art & Craft are leading online suppliers of high quality fabric paints, paint brushes and accessories by big brands such as Design Line, Rit and Angelus. We've got everything you need to transform your fabric items into something fun and wildly creative!

Checkout is easy. Just add items to your cart, make a payment and have your products delivered to your door with free postage Australia-wide for orders over $99.

Fabric Paint Explained

Fabric paint is specially formulated to be used on virtually all types of fabric. It's made using a mixture of coloured pigment and binder which glues the paint onto the fabric and makes it suitable for wearing and washing without fading or running.

There are a number of advantages to using fabric paint on fabric. It's safe to be worn, it's affordable, it comes in both opaque and transparent options, it can be textured like our 3D paints by Design Line, and it can be easily applied.

Supplies You Need For Fabric Painting

Paint Brushes:

1. Round Tip Brushes - for filling in designs and creating thin lines
2. Flat Tip or Shader Brushes - for creating shadows and highlights
3. Liner Brushes - for details and very thin lines
4. Foam Brushes - applying the dye in large washes
5. Outliners - used for 3D outlines, especially with liquid embroidery designs
6. Air Brushes - for spray painting techniques
7. Sponges - good fabric paint absorption for covering wide areas and adding texture

Fabric Markers:

Fabric markers are a quick and creative way to add intricate details to your designs. They can be used freehand, with stencils or by adding colour to stamps and pressing down on fabric.

Optional Tools:

For unique fabric designs with interesting effects, try experimenting with a range of different tools to apply colour, including stamps, woodblocks, stencils, dip pens and airbrushes.

Fabric Paint:

The most common type of fabric paint is acrylic fabric paint and textile paint. You can use regular acrylic paint for non-wearable items but should add a clear fabric medium to it to prevent bleeding into fabric.

Fabric paint colours come in bright and vivid, pastels, neon, glitter and metallic. Try our Design Line puff paint for a 3D textural effect or use liquid paint when covering larger surfaces.

Fabric:

The best fabrics to hold fabric paint are 100% natural, including:
1. cotton
2. satin
3. silk
4. rayon
5. linen
6. canvas
7. leather
8. calico

Plastic Palette:

A plastic palette makes it easy to display and mix fabric paint colours for fabric application with paintbrushes, sponges or other tools.

Painting On Coloured Fabrics

To ensure fabric paint shows up on coloured fabric, you can put down a layer of white first and paint your design on top of it. You can also bleach your coloured clothing beforehand to remove the colours. Always pre-wash your wearable items before painting to remove any fabric finishes.

Setting Your Paint

Fabric painting typically requires you to heat set your project to ensure permanency and washability. You can do this by ironing your finished piece after it's dry, typically 24 hours. Run the iron on medium setting (steam off) over the fabric for a few minutes, preferably on the opposite side of the painting.

Which Fabric Is Best?

It's essential that you only use 100% natural fabric to paint on as natural fibres are able to absorb and hold fabric paint much better than synthetic fibres. While cotton fabric is the most common type of fabric used for fabric painting, the options are endless and you can try rayon, calico, canvas, linen, silk and satin to name a few.

Fabric Painting For Beginners

One of the best things about fabric painting is how easy it is to get started! Check out some tutorials on Pinterest or Youtube for plenty of easy techniques that are perfect for beginners, including freehand, dot painting, outliner painting, stencilling and finger painting.

Advanced Painting Techniques

• Spray painting - Use spray paint to fill in stencils or to create a silhouette background.
• Stamping - Use stamps to create simple, fun designs.
• Finger fabric painting - Use your finger to create interesting patterns by dotting, blurring and blending.
• Outline painting - Trace an image onto the fabric using fabric markers.
• Watercolour fabric painting - Thin fabric paint with water to create a beautiful watercolor effect.
• Stencil fabric painting - Stencilling is an easy way to get complex designs with brushes and sponges.
• Batik - Paint wax onto the fabric, crackle it and remove for a truly unique effect.
• Screen Printing - Use ink and mesh to stencil designs onto fabric.
• Tie Dyeing - While not the same as fabric painting, tie dyeing uses fabric dye and water to create beautiful patterns on fabric. Check out our handy tie dye kit by Design Line for an easy way to start!

Fabric Painting Techniques On Clothes

Give new life to an old t-shirt by trying out some simple fabric painting techniques. Start by pre-washing your clothes and don't use a fabric softener. Try out different techniques to create layers and add patterns, including stenciling, sprinkling salt for a crackled effect, batik, stamping and dot painting.

What Your Next Fabric Painting Project Can Be

When it comes to your next DIY fabric painting project, the options are almost endless. Here's some ideas to fire up your imagination:
1. Give old shirts new life
2. Update curtains and upholstery
3. Make a colourful wall hanging
4. Tie dye your pillowcases
5. Try fabric painting a plain pencil case
6. Add a patterned design to a tote bag. Check out our library and shopping bags ready for you to add your creativity to them!

Frequently Asked Questions About Fabric Painting

What Kind Of Paint Can Be Used On Fabric?

Always use a fabric paint that's specially designed to be used on fabric. Unlike regular acrylic paint, it's:
1. Safe to wear
2. Can be washed
3. Doesn't fade in sunlight
4. Soft and brushable on natural fabrics
5. Can be applied using a wide range of techniques

How Can I Permanently Paint On Fabric?

Use a permanent fabric paint that's designed to withstand washing and regular wearing without fading or bleeding, like our high-quality paints by Design Line. Simply:
1. Prewash fabric
2. Insert cardboard between fabric layers to prevent bleeding
3. Shake bottle before use
4. Apply 1-2 coats to fabric with a paint brush
5. Leave to dry flat for 24 hours for permanent results

Which Fabric Is The Best For Fabric Painting?

Always use 100% natural fabrics as the fibres absorb fabric paint more easily. These include:
1. Cotton
2. Rayon
3. Linen
4. Silk
5. Satin
6. Leather
7. Calico
8. Canvas

Remember to pre-wash your fabric to remove any starch additives and iron before application for a smooth surface.

Does Fabric Paint Wash Off?

If you have painted fabric using our permanent range of Design Line fabric paints, it shouldn't wash off! Follow these steps for the best results:
1. Prewash your fabric
2. Paint your design using brushes and accessories
3. Leave to dry completely for 24 hours
4. Heat set it with an iron to make it permanent and washable
5. Wait 72 hours before the first wash