Splash Some Color with DIY Painted Clothes

If you have ever wanted to have the painter aesthetic without devoting your life to art, fear not. Painting your own clothes is fun and simple; it is also a great way to make some of your garments into unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that will really stand out. Splatter-painted clothes in particular have been making rounds in the high fashion world lately with the likes of Maison Margiela and Junya Watanabe at the forefront. However, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to get these looks; you can easily make similar looking effects for a fraction of the price. Here are a few ways of painting that you can try out.

Splatter Painting

This is probably one of the easiest methods because it is difficult to mess it up. All you need are some acrylic paints in the colors of your choice. You don’t have to worry about the paints picking up the color of the fabric either, they will stand out quite well. Acrylic is the best paint for the job since it will never come out no matter how much you wash it, and it is widely available in any arts and crafts store. Fabric paint is another option, although it is not as widely available. You will also need at least one medium paint brush. First, put some of your desired colors in separate containers and add a small amount of water to each one to improve the flow of the paint. Put your piece of clothing on the ground (and make sure the area around it is protected because you will miss), and load up your brush with one color of paint. Now comes the fun part: whip that brush like you are violently casting a spell, or are an overly passionate conductor, or a ninja doing a karate chop -- you get the idea. You will probably get one or two good splats until it's time to reload. Once you think you have enough of a color, wash your brush and move on to the next one. Rinse and repeat until it is splattered to your liking. Leave it to dry for a couple hours, and it is ready to rock.

Drip Painting

If you are a fan of Jackson Pollock, this is the method for you. First, take your acrylic paints of choice and put them in cups, ideally ones with spouts for easy pouring. You will need to water them down a lot more this time so they are at a pourable consistency (more water will make it drip faster). I would also recommend having your garment to be painted at an angle, that way the paint will drip off of it and not pool. The last thing you want is clothing stiffer than cardboard since it is saturated with dried paint. Then, all you have to do is start pouring to your heart’s content. I’d recommend trying to keep a slow and thin stream for the best control. Once you are done, let it dry, and voila: you made modern art.

Just Sort of Paint It

The title is a bit vague, but the idea of this look is to make it look like your clothing was Picasso’s paint palette. This takes a bit more effort and creativity, but you get to use a lot more of your imagination and it is frankly quite fun. Ideally you have at least all of the primary colors, black, and white at your disposal. Take some of each and put them on a palette of your own (a paper plate will do) and try to make some cool color combinations. Then you just start painting on your clothes. Try to include as much variety as you can in shape and color, but also keep in mind the balance of the painting. You essentially want to make it look random, with splotches of all shapes and sizes. A cool method you can do is form a glob of several paint colors onto a palette knife, and then spread it very thin on your clothing, creating a rainbow effect. The world really is your oyster on this one, so try new things and have fun in the process.

A Few Notes Before I Wrap This Baby Up

The best canvas for painting your own clothes is thicker cottons, such as denim. Polyesters and other synthetic fabrics will also usually hold acrylic paint well. If you try to paint on fabric that is too thin, it can weigh down the clothing item and you might be able to feel the texture of the paint on your skin. You can also mix a fabric medium into your paint to get a softer feel and help prevent cracking, although it is not totally necessary. Acrylic paint is also very permanent, so wear clothes you won’t mind possibly getting some paint on. On the bright side, this means your painted clothes are safe to clean in the washer and dryer without worry of losing paint.

Well, that is all you need to know to start painting your very own clothes. Even if you have never painted in your life, these methods are easy ways to make it look like you graduated from art school. So get out there, grab your brushes, and go become a Bob Ross in the making.

Words by Andrew Powers

Photography by Cindy Huang