Graffiti T-Shirt Crafts

Apply a graffiti design to your T-shirt.

From fraternity and sorority groups to Boy and Girl Scouts, making homemade T-shirts together can be a bonding experience. Use creativity and endless options to create a graffiti look on your T-shirts. Purchase one white T-shirt for each group member or simply make one for yourself. With just a few paint supplies purchased from your local craft store, you or your group will soon be wearing a graffiti T-shirt that will stand out in the crowd.

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Spray and Stencil
- Spray paint over the stencil design to create a unique shirt.
  
  Spray paint is often used to make graffiti in public places. Use fabric spray paint to create a similar look on a T-shirt. Stencil spray paint is recommended for painting on T-shirts. This formula is thicker and will not bleed under the stencil. Lay the T-shirt on a flat surface with a folded newspaper inside to prevent bleeding through. Spray one or two colors in blotches throughout the T-shirt to create a background. With the stencil securely held on the dry T-shirt, spray a third color evenly over the stencil. Borders, patterns and random designs can all be made for your graffiti T-shirt using stencils.
Splatter Paint
- The splatter paint technique creates an interesting design.
  
  Much of graffiti is about color and design. Create a graffiti T-shirt with a distinct style and color scheme that will make the shirt stand out. Pour several colors of fabric paint onto a paper plate. Work with one color at a time, scooping a craft stick into the paint and throwing the paint onto the T-shirt. You can cover the entire shirt with the splatter paint look or use splatter paint for make an image. For example, cover the shirt with paper, leaving a 12-inch circle exposed in the shirt's center. Throw the paint colors onto the circle and paint two eyes and a mouth when completed.
Signature Shirts
- Fabric markers are easy to control and will not fade away in the wash.
  
  Graffiti is often about sending a message or writing your name. The same idea can be applied to a T-shirt. Fabric markers will allow for much more artistic control than paint and is equally as permanent. If working with a group, have all group members lay their own T-shirts flat. The inside of the shirts should be lined with folded newspaper to prevent colors from bleeding through. Groups members sign their name or a favorite quote on each of the other T-shirts.
Urban Background
- A brick wall creates an urban background for a T-shirt.
  
  Graffiti is commonly thought of in urban settings. An urban look can be created for the background of a graffiti T-shirt. Turn the T-shirt sideways. Lay the shirt flat with the side seam in the center. Red, maroon or black fabric markers can be used to draw bricks, One rectangle brick should be drawn just under the sleeve. Add another layer of two bricks under the first one. Continue adding rectangle bricks to each subsequent layer. Rather than a brick wall, a chicken wire fence look can be made using a black marker and drawing square diamonds extending from the side seam.. Spray fabric paint or draw with markers over the urban background.