MikamiTeru5 Shirt Painting Tutorial
Last year, for Otakon, I desperately needed a god tier John Egbert shirt. Despite having gotten one from a friend, the color of that shirt didn’t seem right. So I picked up a trick to make my own. This technique has proven useful for this Otakon in making my Trickster!Eridan Ampora shirt. Here’s how I did it. The pictures above go in order with the steps.
Materials:
Iron
Ironing board
Flat object (cardboard is easiest)
Fabric medium and paint of choice
Shirt of choice
Angled brush
Small bowl
Measuring tool (tablespoon, cup, etc.)
Reynolds freezer paper
Scissors
Step 1:
Mix your paint and medium in the small bowl according to the directions on the medium’s bottle. I use Folk Art brand and they suggested two parts medium to one part paint.
Step 2:
Cut a piece of Reynolds freezer paper, got mine at the grocery, the size you need and trace or draw out your design WAX COATED SIDE DOWN. I repeat: draw on the side /without/ the wax coating. Once drawn, cut out the design as if it were a stencil. I made two separate ones for my project.
Step 3:
Place the stencil on the shirt on an ironing board. Make sure the shirt is smooth and flat and that you center your design wether it be by eye or with a ruler. No one will really notice of your design is ¾ inches more to the left. Iron your design in place, being careful of edges that the iron may bend upwards. Be slow and thorough to make sure the edges adhere to the shirt to make a crisp line.
Step 4:
Place your flat object INSIDE of the shirt because the paint will bleed through to the back of your shirt if you do not have a barrier between the front and back. There are shirt forms made for painting on clothing but it is 20$ for that piece of cardboard when you can really just cut a piece off of a box around the house.
Step 5:
Paint your stencil. I suggest painting from the edge inward to get the cleanest lines. If your paint is lighter than the shirt, you will need multiple coats, letting each coat dry.
If you are painting the Aquarius symbol, as I have, I suggest doing one line first. Then let it dry completely and repeat the steps for that second line.
Step 6:
Use your angled brush to sharpen points, smooth out curves, and define lines. It will not come out perfectly at first. There will be some bumps in the stencil where it has risen from the paint’s moisture.
Step 7:
After you complete your design, let it dry completely for a few hours and decide wether or not you need extra coats. These shirts are washer and dryer safe and your design will last.
If you put more than 2 coats, there is a possibility for slight cracking, but that was after several conventions and lots of washing.
I hope this was helpful to the crafty cosplayers in need!~
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