This is one of my favorite summer DIYs—hand painted denim! And best of all, I’m going to show you how to create designs that won’t crack or fade, even when you put them through the wash.
You’ll need a denim garment (i.e., jacket, shorts, jeans), acrylic paints, textile medium (found at craft stores), paint brushes, chalk, and masking tape.
Step 1: Prepare your design. I chose to recreate one of my favorite paintings, but what you paint is up to you! Here’s a Pinterest board I created to help get your creative juices flowing.
Using a colored pencil or chalk, lightly sketch your design on your denim garment. You may also want to use masking tape to section off your painting area.
Step 2: Prepare your paints.
Mix your paints with textile medium (one part paint to two parts textile medium). Textile medium turns acrylic paints into washable fabric paints, which is crucial. You want to keep your painting from cracking and fading when you wash it.
Step 3: Begin painting.
Now the fun begins! Using small to medium strokes, paint out your design. Don’t stress about getting it perfect. Haphazard, messier strokes can give your piece a more laid back vibe.
Step 4: Seal the deal.
After the piece has dried overnight, seal your design with heat. Iron it using a medium heat setting. Let it cool down for a few moments, then wash and dry the piece. Et voilà!
