How to Airbrush Cloth

Paint cloth like a pro.

Airbrushing cloth is similar to painting any other material. The only real difference is in the materials and prep work you must do before you begin. Because cloth is flexible, you must use fabric paint (also called textile paint) that is either made for airbrushing or thinned so that it will not clog the airbrush gun. Using these paints and standard airbrush techniques, you will be painting T-shirts, backpacks and any other cloth items in no time.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard
• Masking tape
• Poster board
• Razor blade or scissors
• Airbrush fabric paint
• Airbrush gun with hose
• Compressor

Instructions

Prep Work

1. Stretch the cloth tightly across a piece of stiff corrugated cardboard.

2. Tape the excess fabric to the back of the cardboard.

3. Draw any shapes you wish to incorporate into your design on the poster board.

4. 

   Stencils help to create shapes with smooth edges.

   Cut out the shapes to create a stencil. This is the only way to obtain hard, crisp edges with an airbrush.

5. Thin the fabric paint with water if it is not made to be airbrushed. It should be runny but not so thin it does not provide coverage. Some trial and error will be required depending on the brand of paint you're using.

Airbrushing

1. Connect the airbrush gun to the compressor with a hose.

2. Add the fabric paint to the airbrush paint reservoir.

3. Hold your stencil against the cloth, or tape it down with masking tape.

4. Airbrush over the stencil onto the cloth.

5. Remove the stencil to reveal the shape.

6. Freehand paint any designs or colors you want around or inside the shapes.

Tips & Warnings

• A single action airbrush releases a predetermined amount of paint when you press the trigger.

• A double action airbrush allows you to press the trigger to release air, then pull the trigger back to gradually release paint into the air. This allows much more variety.

References

• How to Airbrush.com: Airbrush Paint
• How to Airbrush.com: Airbrush T-Shirt Design