painting fabric?

chewie · #1 08/28/13, 10:12 PM

I have some panels I use to display my artwork at shows. i got some fabric covers for them, and the fella talked me into grey. this was years ago, btw. and i thought i'd learn to like it. nope. hate this color. its basement grey, prison grey, battleship grey, UGLY grey.

so, anyone have experience with some of the spray can fabric paints? these covers slip over panels like pillow cases. then folded up again for storage. i use drapery hooks to hang the work onto the panels. the fabric is crepe, and the hooks don't leave holes or snags. (they hook onto the metal of the panel under the covers). i spray painted a sample piece with a kind of spraypaint that covers, wood, metal, wicker "and more". it covered that small sample perfectly.

I paid dearly for these covers and would live with the grey rather than ruin them with blotched, messy, junky looking paint job. anyone??

mmoetc · #2 08/29/13, 06:08 AM

Dye rather than paint?

unregistered358895 · #3 08/29/13, 06:20 AM

I've never used spray paint for fabric, but I have painted with fabric paint and brushes. I think that (brushed on fabric paint) would make your covers too stiff, and eventually would crack and not look too great.

Does the spray on paint make things stiff? Does it yield well when folded?

I might also look at dying... it can be difficult to get a consistent dye, but it isn't impossible with some practice - depending on the type of fabric, of course.

luvrulz · #4 08/29/13, 06:25 AM

Will the crepe retain the dye though? Could you kind of tie dye or batik them??

Rose1317 · #5 08/29/13, 07:50 AM

You may hate them, but if they visually show off your work, they're doing the job they were made for: being an invisible background letting your art shine.
OTOH, if you can find out the content of the fabric (there's wool crepe, polyester crepe, crepe de chine, etc) you'll know if they can be dyed - in a very large pan or vat to get even saturation - which takes a LOT of dye.
I use Cushing on wool, there are several other good wool dyes out there. For non-natural fibers, there are also dyes - check Dharma Trading.

mmoetc · #6 08/29/13, 09:15 AM

I'd echo Rose's caution. The focus should be on your art not the background. Check out professional gallery walls. All whites or solid neutrals. You don't want your art to clash with the background or blend in to it. If you decide a change is a must you might want to try the color on some old drywall panels and mount your artwork on them in your display to see how it looks. Good luck.

chewie · #7 08/29/13, 12:11 PM

I want to go from this prison wall color to a darker, almost black or solidly black. the maker told me this morning they are crepe, polyester, and are treated with a flame retardant. so dying is probably not going to work. there is a spray paint, 2 in fact, that is labeled for vinyl and fabric, and is claimed to 'stay soft'. i have a yard of scrap of this fabric, i will have to experiment i guess.

i feel the color is so drab that it detracts from my work. a warm grey would've been ok, but this is a cold grey. very dreary and blah. i frame with gold or brown, both would pop with black behind, i work with a lot of color, again, black would be nicer. i think as they are, the panels almost 'swallow' the work, the black would make the work stand out much better.

mmoetc · #8 08/29/13, 12:24 PM

One other factor to consider is that black backgrounds swallow light. You don't say whether you will be using this indoors or out, but if outdoor under a canopy it may well create a cave like atmosphere. It can be difficult for someone walking by in sunlight to discern much looking into dark shade which will only be exacerbated by black backgrounds.

chewie · #9 08/29/13, 06:36 PM

mostly inside but not saying never outside either--it'll be both. i also thought of navy blue. but, at this time its not looking like anything will color these things anyhow. dang. i may be stuck with my prison walls.

chewie · #10 08/30/13, 04:26 PM

after much googling (its hot and i'm lazy today!), i see what you mean. the black, even with a white tent in the sun, kinda has a cave feel to it. scrap the black, and thank you for pointing it out! it works for super loud colored abstracts, but that is not what i do. i do mostly landscapes with some animals, namely horses, tossed in.

as a cheaper solution, i may buy a few sheer panels. i can tack them onto the back, the art can hang directly from the panel itself (so no damage to the sheer) and the sheer would lend a breezy/airy feel/look. for about $12 off ebay. and with the price, i can try out a couple colors. i am a real fan of sage green, which, with the right tone, would enhance my work.

i can even buy 8 sheers and sew them on the short end, and drape them over the panels so both sides are covered. the main reason for anything at all is so what's behind your display isn't distracting, and sun block. sheers would do this job just dandy.

i like this idea best. easy, cheap and i think the effect would be soft and inviting. that would also leave my grey covers as is, as some shows require grey.

i think spray painting my panels themselves is in order, they are older and look shabby, but they are metal/paintable! sprucing those up alone would make my booth look nicer.

thanks for honest opinions, i think i was about to make an expensive mistake!

mmoetc · #11 08/30/13, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewie

after much googling (its hot and i'm lazy today!), i see what you mean. the black, even with a white tent in the sun, kinda has a cave feel to it. scrap the black, and thank you for pointing it out! it works for super loud colored abstracts, but that is not what i do. i do mostly landscapes with some animals, namely horses, tossed in.

as a cheaper solution, i may buy a few sheer panels. i can tack them onto the back, the art can hang directly from the panel itself (so no damage to the sheer) and the sheer would lend a breezy/airy feel/look. for about $12 off ebay. and with the price, i can try out a couple colors. i am a real fan of sage green, which, with the right tone, would enhance my work.

i can even buy 8 sheers and sew them on the short end, and drape them over the panels so both sides are covered. the main reason for anything at all is so what's behind your display isn't distracting, and sun block. sheers would do this job just dandy.

i like this idea best. easy, cheap and i think the effect would be soft and inviting. that would also leave my grey covers as is, as some shows require grey.

i think spray painting my panels themselves is in order, they are older and look shabby, but they are metal/paintable! sprucing those up alone would make my booth look nicer.

thanks for honest opinions, i think i was about to make an expensive mistake!

Good luck.