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Medina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & Classes

Medina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & ClassesMedina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & ClassesMedina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & Classes

Medina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & Classes

Medina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & ClassesMedina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & ClassesMedina Domestic Arts Studio LLC - Textile Art Supplies & Classes
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    • Home
    • Shop
    • Color Instructions Menu
      • How to Use DTF Transfers
      • Animals Gone Zen Videos
      • AGZ Gallery
      • AGZ Quilt Blocks Info
      • Animal Block Instructions
      • Reference & Beginner Info
      • Bees and Other Insects
      • Bird Block Instructions
      • Butterfly Block Downloads
      • Cat Block Instructions
      • Dog Block Instructions
      • Floral Block Downloads
      • Intermediate Class Info
      • Landscape Block Downloads
      • Mandalas
      • Miscellaneous Downloads
      • Ocean Seaside Downloads
      • Sayings Instructions
      • Sewing Related Designs
      • Seasonal & Holiday Blocks
      • Stain Glass Instructions
      • Texas & Rural Blocks
      • Zen By the Sea Blocks
      • Denim Color Instructions
    • How To Videos
    • FAQs for Coloring
    • Classes
    • Gallery
    • About Us
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Color Instructions Menu
    • How to Use DTF Transfers
    • Animals Gone Zen Videos
    • AGZ Gallery
    • AGZ Quilt Blocks Info
    • Animal Block Instructions
    • Reference & Beginner Info
    • Bees and Other Insects
    • Bird Block Instructions
    • Butterfly Block Downloads
    • Cat Block Instructions
    • Dog Block Instructions
    • Floral Block Downloads
    • Intermediate Class Info
    • Landscape Block Downloads
    • Mandalas
    • Miscellaneous Downloads
    • Ocean Seaside Downloads
    • Sayings Instructions
    • Sewing Related Designs
    • Seasonal & Holiday Blocks
    • Stain Glass Instructions
    • Texas & Rural Blocks
    • Zen By the Sea Blocks
    • Denim Color Instructions
  • How To Videos
  • FAQs for Coloring
  • Classes
  • Gallery
  • About Us

Welcome

There's much to see here. So, take your time, look around, and learn all there is to know about coloring on fabric!  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us!

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FAQs For Fabric Coloring

Fabric Painting/Coloring

 

Do you have some basic information for beginners?  Here you go! 

  1.  (see Instructions for using Inktense pencils below.)
  2. Cotton thread will only absorb so much color at one time. If you  notice that you continue to apply color but it doesn’t deepen, let the  first layer dry then go back over it with a second coat to deepen and  intensify your color.
  3. Although you can wash your painted work; most metallic or glitter  paint used will wash off in the wash (although Jacquard Lumiere metallic  paints seem to be washable).   If your work is to be used as a table  runner or other type of heavy use; spray it with Scotchguard to protect  the paint finish.
  4. Color your lightest areas first then graduate to dark. Start working in the center and work out if possible.
  5. Sometimes it pays to plan ahead – color a paper version first before  jumping in. It is very hard to correct a mistake. It also helps to  create a chip chart on a paper version to remember what color is used on  your project.
  6. Continually stir your paints if mixed with textile medium to keep it  from drying out and blended. Use a drop or two of water to thin but NO  MORE THAN TWO DROPS! Too much water can cause bleeding. You may want to  mix your paints in the Dixie cups provided as they can be saved for a  short while using the lid. However, the paints will eventually dry so  use them within a couple of days after mixing.
  7. Do not use water as a medium nor any kind of alcohol based product.  Both cause bleeding. By the way, Sharpie pens have an alcohol base – do  not use for outlining.
  8. A word about Textile Mediums: There is a variety out there – some  are better than others. I make my own concoction that allows for little  bleeding and is a recipe from Pro Chemicals and Dye. It leaves a soft  feel and goes on smoothly. Liquitex is ok but can get really thick after  sitting for a while. Use a couple of drops of water to thin it out. You  can also use Aloe Vera gel as a fabric medium, especially when using  Inktense or other colored pencils. It is very inexpensive and does a  good job blending colors.
  9. Paint Brushes: the cheaper the better! Usually acrylic/Taklon/Nylon  brushes work well with fabric as long as it is a stiff brush. Watercolor  brushes are too soft.
  10. Finally – there is no right or wrong way to use paints and art supplies to embellish and decorate fabric. ENJOY!!!!!

What kind of coloring tools do you use?

All  kinds!  Here is a list of the various products I use in coloring  fabric.  Note which product needs fabric medium and which does not.   PLEASE ASSUME THAT ALL PRODUCTS NEED TO BE HEAT SET!

Inktense Pencils and Blocks (Needs fabric medium)

Regular coloring pencils (Needs fabric medium)

Fabric markers (Do not need fabric medium)

Watercolors (Needs fabric medium)

Fabric paint (Does not need fabric medium except as a thinner)


Gel Pens (Does NOT need fabric medium - in fact it will ruin the coloration from

gel pens if you coat it with fabric medium)

What are some good websites for purchasing supplies?

If you are interested in finding coloring and art supplies check out these websites for additional resources: 

Pro Chemical & Dye: http://prochemicalanddye.net . This company  has it all when it comes to fabric paint and anything to do with  coloring fabric (including all sorts of dyes). Their products are  wonderful and many, many textile artists use their paints and dyes  exclusively. They have a wonderful reference/how to section for painting  and coloring fabrics. I use their products to create my own fabric  medium. 

Jerry’s Artarama: http://www.jerrysartarama.com  One of the best for art supplies – Jacquard fabric paints and textile  mediums; brushes; Derwent Inktense pencils and so much more… 

Dick Blick Art Materials: www.dickblick.com.   Another great source  of art supplies. I research both Jerry’s and Dick’s to see who has the  best sale on Inktense pencils. Dharma Trading Co.: www.dharmatrading.com This website is very focused on fabric painting and dyeing. They have just about any product out there for coloring fabric.

Of course, just about anything can be found on Amazon these days...  and most of the time the prices are competitive.

Michael's and Hobby Lobby have some supplies but their prices tend to be a bit on the high side.  IMHO!  


What books or other videos would you recommend for learning how to fabric paint?

Most of the techniques that I use are from three award winning quilters who use painting techniques in their quilts.  The list below is by no means complete but if you would like to see some beautiful works of quilt art, these ladies have it in spades!  All three have awesome websites with plenty of free videos and other information that you can apply to your own creations! 

Linda M. Poole:  www.lindampoole.com  Linda is another textile artist out there and one of the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure to meet!  When I started to write the instructions for this class I realized she had already written the best book for quilt painting – “Painted Applique – A New Approach”.  You cannot go wrong by purchasing this book if you want to learn how to use painting techniques that look like applique! Irena Bluhm:   www.irenabluhmcreations.com  Irena’s quilts are spectacular!  If you go to her website she has plenty of eye candy to look at as well as YouTube videos that explain her painting technique that primarily uses colored pencils and fabric medium.  Her book “Quilts of a Different Color” is an awesome tool for quilt painting. 

Helen Godden is an award winning Australian quilter who paints most of her quilts.  Her techniques are quite unique as she is one of the few fabric painters that use water!  Check out her wonderful live painting sessions on Facebook or go to her website www.helengodden.com for additional information! Finally, if you are interested in using your embroidery machine to do outline quilt patterns, check out Leah Day.  She uses her sitdown for both free motion quilting and her embroidery machine for quilting quilt as you go.  She has created a series of embroidery patterns called Stitch N’Paint that are specifically designed to be painted once you have stitched them out.  You can find her at www.leahday.com  along with tons of helpful videos. 

 

Using Inktense Pencils on Fabric

Most of the classes I teach involve using Inktense Pencils and fabric medium.  The techniques described below can also be applied to regular colored pencils as well. Be aware that the color in Inktense pencils is much more vivid than colored pencils so if you use colored pencils you may have to color the fabric more heavily.

Derwent Inktense pencils are solidified ink in the lead and when activated with fabric medium permanently color the fabric. (Although permanent, the color needs to be set with an iron to make the ink colorfast. See notes below on washing.)

You will want to put your fabric on a solid surface such as freezer paper, glossy poster board, and foam core.  You can also use a heavy poster board instead of foam core – just be aware that the color can smear underneath on any paper product.

Freezer paper: Can be ironed onto the back of your artwork and will act as a barrier to prevent leaking color from behind. 

Foam core: Another option is to use a piece of foam core shaped for the item. Spray a temporary fixative on the foam core and attach the fabric/artwork to the sprayed foam core or use painter’s tape to hold it down. 

Other Tools: There are a few other tools you will need when you start applying color.


  • Brushes – I like using #2 – #4  round and flat Taklon brushes to apply medium to the color. Cheaper is usually better! Don’t use watercolor brushes as they are too soft. 
  • Paper towel – Always keep some sheets of paper towel around to dab off excess medium before activating the Inktense color. Less medium is better.
  • Paint palettes to hold the medium and mix colors. I use paper plates and Dixie cups for mixing.

Coloring with Derwent Inktense Pencils

· Inktense pencils can be used like colored pencils, but their color becomes very vivid when activated with fabric medium.   But since they are inks, the colors are permanent once dry.  Because the color dries permanently, Inktense allows for over washing or color layering on top of the previous color. However, unlike watercolor, Derwent Inktense color cannot be rewet in order to mix color later on.  If you intend to mix or blend the colors while working with them, it needs to be done before the area you are working in dries.

· Suggestion:  I make color swatch samples on muslin in order to keep track of what each color looks like on fabric.  Draw a rectangle with permanent ink for each Inktense color and label each one.  Color each rectangle with the colors of Inktense pencils chosen.  Leave half of the colored rectangle dry and activate the other half with fabric medium, so there you have a sample of how each pencil looks dry and activated.

Use of mediums:  In order to get the brilliant colors from an Inktense pencil, you must use a wet medium to activate it.  Water is not a good medium for activation on fabric as it bleeds into the fabric very easily.  You must use textile medium to prevent bleeding.

Textile medium – A word about Textile Mediums: There is a variety out there – some are better than others. I make my own blend from ProChem’s online recipe that allows for little bleeding.  It leaves a soft feel and goes on smoothly. Liquitex is ok but can get really thick after sitting for a while. Use a couple of drops of water to thin it out. You can also use Clear Aloe Vera gel.  You need one that is 100% Aloe Vera and colorless.  It is brushed on and acts as a wet medium to activate the color.  You must, however, be careful to use it sparingly also.  If you have puddles of it, when it dries, it can flake off with the color.

All mediums should be heat set.  The Aloe Vera gel should be washed out after it is heat set.  The acrylic textile medium will, depending on how viscous the medium is, slightly change the hand of the fabric.  I tend to use the fabric medium as I can control the color blending a bit more dependably.

Inktense Pencils Coloring Methods  (There are videos on my website that go in to more detail on the following methods. You can find the videos at www.medinadomarts.com or on YouTube.com under Medina Domestic Arts Studio - (1393) Medina Domestic Arts Studio - YouTube  )


Dry on Dry Method.- Using the Inktense pencils similarly to coloring with a colored pencil. Start coloring lightly making sure not to press too hard which leaves harsh streak marks. After coloring, brush the fabric medium lightly over the colored areas working from light to dark. If there are distinct colors wash your brush out in between colors so as not to mix them on your fabric. If the color is too light you can go over the wet area with the pencil again to deep the color.  Note that  the Inktense color looks very different when it is applied dry as compared to when it has been activated with a wet medium. Use your fabric sample colored earlier to give you a better idea of what the color will look like with the fabric medium.

Wet on Dry Method – A very intense color can be created by wetting the medium prior to applying to dry fabric. 

  • Wet a brush with the medium of choice and rub it along the tip of the pencil and then apply to dry fabric.  This method allows you to see what the color Is going to be right away and the color is usually very strong.
  • The pencil itself can also be dipped into the medium and applied directly onto the fabric.  Again, the color will be very strong. You can blend the color down with additional medium.
  • Both of the wet on dry methods will leave a coating of medium on the lead. Use a paper towel to wipe the tip of   the pencil clean. If the medium dries on the pencil sharpen it to remove medium.

Wet/Dry on Wet – one can also wet the fabric prior to applying either dry or wet color with a brush and then apply the color with a brush into the medium, allowing for nice blends. 

FAQs About Direct to Film Transfers (DTF)

Please reach us at Medinadomarts@aol.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

 

DTF, or Direct-to-Film, is an innovative printing technique that transfers vibrant designs onto a specialized film. This film is then heat-pressed onto various materials, allowing for seamless reproduction of vibrant colors and intricate details.

Unlike HTV, DTF prints don't require time-consuming weeding. Applying DTF prints to apparel takes just seconds, significantly speeding up production times and boosting business growth.

DTF prints work well with a wide range of materials, including cotton, polyester, and blends. By adopting DTF printing, businesses gain the ability to create retail-quality products at premium price points and in high production volumes. This opens up new levels of growth and profitability for your business..


There are detailed pdf instructions available in the Color Instructions Section for download.   The instructions below are from Jiffy.com website:

 

Recommended Equipment:

For the best results, we strongly recommend using a commercial heat press for DTF transfers.

Pre-Press Steps:

  • Pre-press your garment for 5-10s to eliminate moisture and wrinkles.
  • If aligning your design with a fold, do this prior to pre-pressing.

DTF Transfer Application Guide:Steps

Material:Cotton or Blends  Temperature Setting:  300°F - 320°F  Press Time:  12-15s


100%  Polyester Temperature Setting: 260°F - 270°  Press time:  10-12s

Cooldown:  Allow to cool completely before peeling

*Re-Press MaterialParchment/Teflon**Re-Press Timez;  5-10s

*Please note: If the image does not transfer completely when peeling, repress with the image in place for 5-10 seconds, let it cool again, and re-peel the film.

**Using parchment for post-press will produce a more matte design. Using teflon for post-press will produce a glossier design.

Care Instructions: Turn the garment inside out. Machine wash cold. No bleach. No softener. Tumble dry low. Do not dry clean or iron.


Yes, you can!  What makes a DTF transfer so easy to color is that there is a slight raised edge to the ink when it is ironed onto your fabric.  This will help keep your coloring inside the line.  If you get some coloring on the ink, just use a Q-tip to wipe off the excess coloring (whether it is paint, ink or fabric medium).  Once you have colored your DTF design, you will need to heat set the color just like an embroidered design.



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