Painting fabric?
- tattoogoddess
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Painting fabric?
I want to make a 10x10 think like old timey freak show fabric banner/advert. With how the camp is laid out it gives a bit of privacy to the shower/storage area.
What fabric would be best to do this and what paint that will absorb in and not flake off and become moop?
Like this. https://www.google.com/search?q=freak+s ... 5CBdaQse0M:
What fabric would be best to do this and what paint that will absorb in and not flake off and become moop?
Like this. https://www.google.com/search?q=freak+s ... 5CBdaQse0M:
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
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- junglesmacks
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Re: Painting fabric?
Simple cotton blend should work so it's absorbent and sticky for the paint. Acrylic paint a la kindergarten days in the plastic jars should do the trick being as that it stays kind of rubbery.
If you have a JoAnn store by you, a craft specialist could probably show you some cool paints, too.
If you have a JoAnn store by you, a craft specialist could probably show you some cool paints, too.
Savannah wrote:It sounds freaky & wrong, so you need to do it.
- Eric
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Re: Painting fabric?
If it's going to be folded, straight acrylic paint will buckle & shed along the fold lines. Either thin the paint about 1/8th with water so it soaks into the fibers more, or add a fabric medium to the paint (I use the GAC 900 from Golden Paints, you could also use their silk-screen medium which would give you more work time with the paint).
I'd recommend using something heavier than just cotton - "clothing weight" cotton won't hold up to that much painting at that size. You can either get banner material (available at most decent art supplies or some office supply stores), get a cheap grade of canvas fabric (also from an art supply), or look around to see if there's anywhere in your area to get recycled billboard material (that stuff is the bomb!)
15 years of working in art stores, it's like I learned something!
I'd recommend using something heavier than just cotton - "clothing weight" cotton won't hold up to that much painting at that size. You can either get banner material (available at most decent art supplies or some office supply stores), get a cheap grade of canvas fabric (also from an art supply), or look around to see if there's anywhere in your area to get recycled billboard material (that stuff is the bomb!)
15 years of working in art stores, it's like I learned something!

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- junglesmacks
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- Eric
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Re: Painting fabric?
While I love the bowing, the see-saw motion of the gif is going to make me puke.
It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist
Regarding Scammers & Scalpers
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- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Hell were would I start with finding the billboard stuff? 

maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
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Re: Painting fabric?
"Don't buy ur Burn...........Build ur Burn!"
"If I can't find an answer, I'll create one!!!"
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- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
The billboard stuff is heavy and does not hold paint very well. I've tried. We use it for flooring.
A campmate successfully painted heavyweight cotton twill and cotton duck hangings, acrylics mixed with fabric medium. The panels run 3x6 or so, and are rolled rather than folded. We also have a canvas floorcloth which was painted will wall acrylics and craftstore acrylics, lightly coated with polyurethane spray, it holds up very well, no flaking at all. Can be cleaned with a hose at home.
Grommets will be your friend on hanging cloth.
Actually, the nice hangings went to a new home in a couple's split. I miss them.
Colors ate more vivid when not dusty.
A campmate successfully painted heavyweight cotton twill and cotton duck hangings, acrylics mixed with fabric medium. The panels run 3x6 or so, and are rolled rather than folded. We also have a canvas floorcloth which was painted will wall acrylics and craftstore acrylics, lightly coated with polyurethane spray, it holds up very well, no flaking at all. Can be cleaned with a hose at home.
Grommets will be your friend on hanging cloth.
Actually, the nice hangings went to a new home in a couple's split. I miss them.
Colors ate more vivid when not dusty.
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- junglesmacks
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Re: Painting fabric?
I can attest to AntiM's floors cleaning up well from champagne pouring overflows.. 

Savannah wrote:It sounds freaky & wrong, so you need to do it.
- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Ohhhhh that gives me an idea! We were looking into carpet... Now your option seems like a way better idea!! So that ground runner is just canvas and wall/craft aycrlics with the spray over it?
hanks!!
hanks!!
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
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- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
Floorcloth is primed, but you can use canvas, or 12 oz. cotton duck. Floorcloth usually comes precut and preshrunk. Lots of DIY stuff to google. I double primed mine with eggshell wall paint before using the color acrylics. I used rollers, dab technique, and paint stamps. Polyurethane spray topcoat. Grommets mean you can nail it down to the playa.
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- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Best place/price to get floor cloth?
Would these work just the same?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-10-Canvas- ... 257046ce77
Would these work just the same?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-10-Canvas- ... 257046ce77
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
Water resistant? Ask them if they are treated, if so, they'll be paint resistant too.
I did get mine on ebay, but not recently.
I did get mine on ebay, but not recently.
- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
Look for "natural canvas". Here is one example:
http://www.dickblick.com/buy/product/17 ... tml#photos
http://www.dickblick.com/buy/product/17 ... tml#photos
- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Would these work?
https://www.google.com/search?q=basics+ ... MSiA2lM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=basics+ ... MSiA2lM%3A
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
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- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
That's exactly what I used for the details. The base coat is leftover house paint.
Liquitex is cheapest on sale at the big box craft stores, or with a coupon. (Michaels mostly)
Liquitex is cheapest on sale at the big box craft stores, or with a coupon. (Michaels mostly)
- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Hey anti, was looking around and found these at the store do you think these would work? Only 8oz though (like the one ou posted) but 80 bucks cheaper then the 11 or 12 oz
http://www.menards.com/main/paint/drop- ... c-8060.htm
http://www.menards.com/main/paint/drop- ... c-8060.htm
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
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- MacGlenver
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Re: Painting fabric?
We used canvas drop cloths from home depot and painted them with house paint (I think it was exterior paint). It worked great, and didnt flake/crack when loosely folded. We did a double coat. Depending on the size of your project, you can get samples instead of buying a whole can. I think they charged $3 per little sample jar at home depot.
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- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
We need 20x20 so most likely will have to get bigger ones... Maybe menards has bigger samples? Humm. Love getting taxes back! Fun projects!
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
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- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
I think he means sample size paints. I get those for small projects where art acrylics will not be cost effective
The problem with drop cloths is some are treated or coated and do not hold paint well. So you will need to read labels and get touchy feely and experiment.
8 oz would be good for hanging. We use funky old thrift shop curtains.
The problem with drop cloths is some are treated or coated and do not hold paint well. So you will need to read labels and get touchy feely and experiment.
8 oz would be good for hanging. We use funky old thrift shop curtains.
- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Yeah sorry, that's what I ment,paint.
So no go on the 8oz for floors you think?
So no go on the 8oz for floors you think?

maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
Not so much. But that is just an opinion as I haven't tried it myself. Are you looking to do hangi.gs and floors? Maybe do a smaller rug on top of billboard vinyl.
- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
I want to do the whole floor 20x20. Then that "banner/poster/tapestry whatever" for some privacy are
maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus
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- MacGlenver
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Re: Painting fabric?
We bought 8oz canvas drop cloths for ground coverings last year under our 30 foot monkey hut. I installed grommets in 4 corners and staked them down. Despite being pretty tight to the ground, wind got under them and caused them to flap like crazy until we put heavy stuff along the edge. The cloth ended up ripping a decent amount at several of the grommets. The rest of the cloth didnt tear from a good amount of foot traffic, though I wouldnt consider it a really solid solution. It did help to keep the dust down under the hut, and made sitting on the floor more inviting. Not a horrible solution if you're going cheap (like we genearally prefer to), but I'm not sure we will be able to use them more than one additional time.
This is what we bought: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100653615/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=canvas+drop+cloth&storeId=10051
One of our issues may have also been that we didnt use the best grommets in the world on the floor cover. We used the same fabric for a 4'x6' painted sign and the grommets held up well (though we did have additional support lines running along the fabric to disperse the tension).
This is what we bought: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100653615/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=canvas+drop+cloth&storeId=10051
One of our issues may have also been that we didnt use the best grommets in the world on the floor cover. We used the same fabric for a 4'x6' painted sign and the grommets held up well (though we did have additional support lines running along the fabric to disperse the tension).
"just two indecisive cowboys, trying to play a word game." - piehole
"Just apply intelligence and discretion and you should be able to get away with just about anything." - Ugly Dougly
"Just apply intelligence and discretion and you should be able to get away with just about anything." - Ugly Dougly
- AntiM
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Re: Painting fabric?
We use heavy duty military surplus grommets.... actually liberated from active duty grommets.... and the edges as well as the corners need a few. We nail our floor coverings down with landscaper spikes. Basically foot long nails. Handy.
I would go a little heavier for the floor, but lighter weight canvas may work well under the tent area.
I would go a little heavier for the floor, but lighter weight canvas may work well under the tent area.
- tattoogoddess
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Re: Painting fabric?
Found all the stuff I need. Just waiting for taxes to come in. I have decided I'm going to make another 10x10 to stake outside and make it into a twister board. Anyone game? 

maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.
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