Shiva Paintstiks on Fabric

There was a question generated on another blog (http://cmguajardo.blogspot.com/ - check it out..VERY cool art!) about using Paintstiks on fabric. Just so happens I work for the company that makes them (I run their art school and gallery). Paintstiks are actual oil paints in the form of a giant crayon. There's virtually no waste - they form a self-sealing skin when exposed to air and you just pinch it off with paper towels when you're ready to use them). And you don't have to use any toxic substances with them - a tiny bit of mineral oil or mineral oil & odorless turp to make them a little more "spreadable" with a brush is all you need. I wrote an article a while back about using Paintstiks in the classroom and the part that deals with using it on fabric is exerpted below. If you have any questions, feel free to post your question!

Selecting & preparing fabric
A. Smooth fabric allows the most even application of color but textured fabric can produce some very cool effects.
B. Natural or synthetic fabrics including leather and suede are acceptable and fabric may be plain, dyed or patterned
B. Do not use a fabric that must be dry-cleaned as Paintstiks will not respond well to that process!
C. Do not use a stain-resistant fabric
D. Wash, dry and iron the fabric according to manufacturer directions. This will remove any sizing, pre-shrink and prepare the fabric for painting
E. If possible, use a piece of foamcore or cardboard slightly larger than the fabric and mount the fabric onto it using tape or stickpins. The fabric should be taut. This is easier than trying to keep the fabric taut “by hand” when applying the paint.
F. If using on a double-layered piece such as a t-shirt, stretch the shirt onto the foamcore or cardboard so only a single layer will be painted (the Paintstik could bleed onto the bottom layer without such a barrier to prevent that).
Techniques to use on fabric
A. Stencilling:
1. Tape the stencil onto the fabric
2. Application of Paintstiks can be
a) direct: Start ON the stencil and use strokes that go INTO the open area of the stencil
Blend strokes with a stiff brush if desired
b) Mixing on the palette
1) Gently remove the skin from the Paintstik color(s) to be used
2) Using the edge of a plastic spoon or a single-edge razor blade, scrape thin curls of Paintstik(s) onto the palette.
3) “Dip” palette knife in mineral or safflower oil and shake off excess, then use the knife to mash and fold the two colors of paint together or make the single color a bit more fluid
4) Use a stiff bristle stenciling brush to apply the paint to the canvas in a “pouncing” or stippling manner
5) Carefully remove stencil and clean before using it in another area
c) Mixing on the Fabric
1) Apply the first Paintstik color directly, using a stippling method or stroked from ON the stencil INTO the open area of the stencil
2) Apply the second Paintstik color in the same manner (generally it is better to apply the darker color first, then the lighter color on top)
3) Blend the colors on the fabric with a stiff bristle
brush or fingers, again stroking from ON the stencil INTO the open area.
A. Rubbing / Textured Surfaces
1. Selecting a textured surface: The raised part of the surface you select must be firm enough and thick enough for the pattern to transfer through your fabric: The thicker the fabric you’re painting on, the more textural the selected items must be. Use something on hand like embossed tiles or make your own interesting surface by using coins, thick twine, buttons, bubble wrap, netting, etc.
2. Secure your fabric by pinning or taping three sides to a backing like foamcore or thick cardboard
3. Slip the textured item under the open edge to the area in which you want the rubbing to be
4. Gently remove the skin from the Paintstik color(s) to be used
5. Apply Paintstik directly to the fabric over the textured item: Start out gently and apply more pressure as needed. Make strokes in one direction for best results.
6. Move the textured item (or a different textured item) to another area and repeat using the same or a different color.
Repeat as necessary to complete your design
B. Masking
1. Method 1:
a) Secure your fabric by pinning or taping it to foamcore or thick cardboard
b) Use masking tape or painting tape to make a pattern image design on the fabric
c) Use one or more Paintstiks to color the area around the tape. Strokes that start ON the tape and move OUT onto the fabric are the best way to insure you won’t
d) Gently remove the tape
2 Method 2:
a) Secure your fabric by pinning or taping it to foamcore or thick cardboard
b) Use masking tape or painting tape to make a pattern design on the fabric
c) Apply Paintstick color(s) ONLY ONTO THE TAPE
d) Using a stiff brush, gently and lightly pull the color from the tape onto the fabric
3. Heat Setting : The paint must be COMPLETELY dry (I usually wait several days after painting)
A. Preheat iron to the highest temperature recommended for the fabric used
B. Place parchment paper on the ironing board
C. Place the painted fabric PAINT SIDE DOWN onto the parchment paper and smooth out
D. Place another piece of parchment paper or a pressing cloth over the back of the fabric
E. Using the iron, press each section of the fabric for 15-20 seconds and LIFT off (do not “iron” or you can smear the image!). Repeat over each section of the fabric until the entire image has been done at least once.
F. Alternative: If working on a large piece, wait at least one week after painting to insure that the paint is completely dry. After that, you can place the fabric in a clothes dryer, set to the highest setting and dry at that setting for 30 minutes.
NOTE: After heat-setting, the fabric is hand- or machine-washable using cold water. Turn the item inside-out if possible when washing. Avoid pouring detergent directly onto the painted surface; line dry or dry on low setting. DO NOT DRY CLEAN FABRIC PAINTED WITH PAINTSTIKS