Customizing a t-shirt with a stencil and paint stick to recycle it and give it a second chance is not complicated, and you get such a natural finish that you will hardly believe that you have done it yourself.
I love transforming the standard into unique, I normally customize furniture or objects but this time I wanted customize a t-shirt with stencil and stick paint. In this way I have recycled a simple white t-shirt and I have made it exclusive.
Materials to personalize a t-shirt with stencil and stick paint
In addition to the t-shirt you will need the following materials:
– A stencil template, the one I used has the silhouette of a flamingo.
– Paint stick of different colors.
– Stencil brushes of different sizes.
– Removable or repositionable adhesive spray.
– Baking paper.
The stencil template The one I have used has been custom made to fit the size of the shirt for maximum customization, but you can use an already designed template.
On the other hand the stick painting It consists of refined linseed oil, mixed with pigments and solidified. It is a type of paint that can be used on multiple supports such as fabric, wood, cardboard, canvas, paper, walls, metal, glass or ceramics, making it ideal for painting t-shirts, patchwork fabrics, stencils, furniture decoration, etc. murals with trompe l’oeil, etc.
Customize your shirt step by step
Once we have all the materials, the following must be given Steps:
1º.- So that the stencil template does not move while we are painting, it is convenient spray it with repositionable adhesive spray to fix it on the t-shirt. Once we have finished, we just have to take it off and that’s it.
2º.- Although this type of paint does not drip or drip, it is convenient place a cardboard or cardboard inside the shirt to make sure it doesn’t go through the fabric and stain the back.
3º.- The next step consists of «peeling» the paint bar to remove protective film since they are “self-sealing”, that is, they naturally form an outer layer that prevents them from drying out over time.
Then we have to paint with the bar on a flat surface such as a plastic plate or cardboard to create our color palette and impregnate the stencil brush with it.
4º.- Next, start painting the t-shirt. I used black and beige for the flamingo’s beak, pink tinged with beige for the head and body, and just pink for the legs.
Color blends can be made on the palette or directly on the fabric by layering one color on top of another and blending them with the brush.
Keep in mind that the fabric of the t-shirt is elastic, so I had to paint little by little to not stretch the fabric too much.
5º.- Once I finished painting the flamingo I removed the stencil template and the result was impeccable, the edges had been perfectly defined.
The pasty consistency of this type of paints prevents them from seeping under the stencil, which is why they are ideal for painting over them.
On the other hand, when the fabric you are going to paint is elastic as in this case, I recommend that you go over the result again with the stencil brush but without a template, stretching the fabric with your fingers, so you will cover the gaps or fences that may have been produce.
6º.- To highlight the silhouette of the flamingo I painted the background turquoise using irregular brushstrokes to create a “water” effectas if the flamingo were in a lake.
7º.- Finally, the paint must be allowed to dry about 24 hours before fix it with heat and make it permanent on the fabric. To do this, aluminum foil is placed inside the shirt as this retains the heat of the iron even more (see this post on tricks to iron less), as well as baking paper on the drawing. It is then ironed at medium temperature and without steam.
After all these steps you can wash the shirt, I did it with cold water and a short program together with the rest of the laundry. The print did not fade in the least and I ironed the shirt again, this time with the iron directly on the drawing, without any problem.
What do you think of this idea? recycle and personalize a t-shirt with stencil and stick paint? Stencil templates are ideal for those of us who don’t know how to paint and stick paints stick to the fabric perfectly, so it’s an option I recommend to give your clothes a second life.
If you liked this post, you will find more ideas about personalization, customization and DIY projects at .
