This weekend my friend Rosalia asked me to show her a technique I use to incorporate scrap fabrics, paint and ink on canvas. Since it was a sleep-over, we stayed up extremely late in her awesome art studio and got creative!
Supply list:
- Fabric scraps and trims
- Canvas size of your choice (4″ x 4″ shown)
- pencil, thin Sharpie or other permanent marker
- sharp scissors for detail cutting
- iron & board for pressing
- HeatnBond and/or ModPodge
- paint brushes, paints & related supplies (paint pallet, water, paper towels)
- To find inspiration ideas for a pet fabric painting click here.
Layout fabrics
Cover all areas with fabric to protect your iron from sticky residue.
Fill in gaps with any fabric of choice. Cut overlap fabrics away.
Place excess fabric scraps over exposed HeatnBond gaps to protect your iron, and make the most of your product yardage.
- Select the perfect scraps for your project.
- Arrange them “puzzle style” on HeatnBond . Example above shows 1 yard of HeatnBond with scraps ironed in place.
- Sketch design on paper & trace onto fabric (with the HeatnBond ironed on back) OR use reverse side of HeatnBond .
Trace desired shapes on reverse side of HeatnBond ( shown on right side in this instance for best fabric pattern placement)
Layout fabrics as desired on canvas.
- Remove backing from top layer only of design. This secures the small scraps to each other before applying to canvas.
- After tacking down design details (cat face with attached details & bow tie), remove backing and iron in place on canvas.
- Once paper is removed from your overall background shapes, a nice template(s) remains for future use- so hold onto those.
- Any edges that are not secure with HeatnBond can be touched up with ModPodge to insure image is flat on canvas.
NOTE: Some fabrics are too thick to adequately secure without use of ModPodge. Avoid stretching canvas with hot iron by applying ModPodge to loose edges or stubborn fabrics.
- Draw on your “whisker shadow dots” and pouty/fun/playful kitty lips with sharpie.
- Select fabulous acrylic paint color as background for painting.
- White acrylic paint and fine paint brush create “purr-fect” ear fur and highlights for eyes, or spectacles.
AFTER: Fabric cat portraits with details and background.
- To protect fabric art, apply one or two coats of ModPodge.
- To find inspiration for your fabric pet portrait painting click here.
- For pet portrait ideas – I love Hanna-Melin’s creative genius. Her cats & dogs with glasses and hats are adorable.
Stephanie Macera 