Basic Paintstik Instructions

The following instructions are a summary from the book Paintstiks on Fabric: Simple
Techniques, Fantastic Results, by Shelly Stokes, published by Cedar Canyon Textiles, Inc.
Instructors and shop owners are welcome to share these instructions with students and
customers.

About Fabric
You can use almost any type of fabric with paintstiks, including cotton, rayon, linen, silk and
synthetic fibers. You will find that stenciling and other masking techniques work on many
fabrics including heavy fabrics, but rubbings are limited to lighter weight fabrics. Heavily
textured fabrics will not react the same as smooth fabrics, but that does not mean you can't
use them – just don't expect the same results.
Prewash your fabric to remove any sizing. Use plain detergent. Avoid products that contain
fabric softeners or bleach additives.
One thing to watch for – fabrics that are treated to be "stain-resistant" may also be "paintresistant!"
This is especially important if you are working with pre-made table linens, as many
have special coatings. Always check labels and do a test before you begin a big project.

About Paintstiks
Shiva Paintstiks are "self-sealing," which means that a protective film forms over the surface of
the paintstik when it is not in use. To remove the film, you can peel it away with a paper towel,
rub it gently on a rough surface, or carefully pare it away with a knife.
Preparing to paint
A smooth work surface is helpful when working with paintstiks. Any texture placed under your
fabric will show through as you apply paint to your fabric. You may wish to cover your work area
with plastic to keep your work surface free from stray paint.
Paintstik colors are permanent once they are dry. Wear old clothes or use an apron to prevent
accidental "enhancements" to your wardrobe.
Fabric tends to move as you apply color. You may find it helpful to tape your fabric to your work
surface to prevent shifting while you are working. A Grip-n-Grip mat (silicon sticky mat) is a very
helpful – it prevents your fabric and/or texture tools from moving around as you work.

Applying paintstik color to fabric
There are several ways to apply paintstik color to your fabric, including direct application,
masking, rubbing, and stenciling.

Direct Application: You can apply paintstik colors directly to fabric as if you were coloring with
a crayon. Once the colors are applied, you may wish to use an old toothbrush or a stiff
stenciling brush to smooth and blend the colors.

Rubbing: Place a textured object under your fabric. Then work with the paintstik directly on the
fabric. As you rub the paintstik across the fabric, an image of the textured item under the
fabric will appear. It is not necessary to press hard when making a rubbing – a light touch is
helpful to get a clean image.

Stenciling: Unless you are cutting stencils from freezer paper, you will want to apply the
paintstik color with a stencil brush instead of using the paintstik directly over a stencil. (Direct
application will cause a lot of paint build-up around the edges of the stencil, and generally
create a mess.) Rub the paintstik color on a separate "palette" surface. Load the paint onto a stencil brush.
Place your stencil on top of your fabric, and apply the paint through the openings in the stencil.
It often works better to use a circular "scrubbing" motion than an up-and-down stippling
motion. Add multiple layers of paint to get a solid image.

Masking: Use masking tape, paper, or any other material to cover areas of your fabric while
you apply the paint. For example, lay a grid of masking tape down on your fabric. Apply paintstik
color directly or using a brush, then peel up the tape to expose the grid on your fabric.

Cleaning Up
Paintstik colors are easily removed from your tools and brushes with brush soap, standard
solvents, or citrus-based solvents. With a little bit of extra work, they can be cleaned with soap
and water.

Making the color permanent
After applying paintstik color, allow the painted fabric to dry for 3-5 days, and then heat-set to
make the colors permanent.

To heat-set with an iron, set your iron to the proper setting for the fabric. Place the fabric paintside
down on baking parchment paper or other greaseproof paper and press for 10-15
seconds in each spot. The parchment or newsprint will catch excess oil that remains in the
paint and prevent oil stains and interesting colored patterns from appearing on your ironing
board cover!

To heat-set in a clothes dryer, make sure you have allowed plenty of time for the paint to air
dry. Put the fabric in the dryer for 30-45 minutes at a high temperature.
Warning: Do not attempt to heat-set your painted fabric in the dryer without allowing sufficient
air-drying time. If you must heat-set something quickly, use an iron and put the fabric between
two sheets of baking parchment to contain the oils that have not had a chance to dry.