You know you’re an 80’s kid when the sight of splatter paint makes you nostalgic for a slouch socks and a Debbie Gibson. I love, love, love that splatter paint is a huge trend now and not just on casual or activewear. However, whenever I see something with a splatter paint print, the DIY side of me always says “oh I can make that.” I’ve been saying “I can make that” for well over a year now, and I finally had it with my all-talk ways! For the record, I did make splatter paint leggings for St. Patrick’s Day, but that was a puffy paint project that they wore only once. I didn’t put too much planning or effort into it. Since the girls were done with camp and had a week off before school started, I planned a DIY splatter paint project to fill one of those days. Of course I chose one of the hottest days of the week, but that just meant everything dried a lot faster.
First let’s start with the inspiration:
I was browsing the Gap Factory Outlet this summer and was excited to see splatter paint T’s and a dress for girls. My daughter loved the white with black splatter, but when I stopped in the outlet store at The Mills at Jersey Gardens, they didn’t have her size. It was then that I decided, with 100% certainty, that I would make one for her!
The DIY
I was determined to make a shirt like the one above for my daughters and for me. If I was going to make splatter paint for my girls, I wanted in on the fun! I let the girls pick their colors and then pick their clothing pieces. Big Sis opted for a pair of white jean shorts, and Middle Sis picked a white shirt & black tulle skirt. We stopped at Michael’s for the art supplies and then walked over to Target for the clothing. The steps involved in making splatter paint anything are pretty much what you would think. Follow below for my method. I would love to know your ideas and suggestions too!
Materials:
- Item of clothing that has been pre-washed
- Tulip® Soft® Fabric Paint in your choice of colors (OR any fabric paint) Be careful not to get the dimensional fabric paint, or you will end up with puffy paint finish.
- Paint brushes of varies sizes (depends on how big you want your globs). I picked up the Craft Smart® Craft & Stencil Brush Set and ended up using the smallest tip brushes.
- Disposable cups
- Flattened cardboard boxes (or any flat disposable surface)
Instructions:
- Pre-wash your clothing to give the paint a better chance of adhering to the fabric.
- Lay your item on a flat surface and give yourself enough room for creating a mess. We went outside for this project since there was no way I wanted paint splatter on my walls. I gave the girls a flattened cardboard box placed on a big piece of paper roll.
- Using 1 color at a time, squeeze about a few tablespoons of paint into your cup. Dip the brush in and then flick your wrist to splatter over the clothing. Find a grip on the brush that works best for you and one that creates a decent splatter.
- When you’re pleased with your creation, let clothing dry for a few hours. If you want to cover both sides with paint, just flip it over after waiting a few hours and repeat the steps above.
- Set your paint by ironing over the painted surface. Follow the steps here before you wash.
The finished product
The girls had a lot of fun doing this. Whenever you can “throw” paint on something, it’s a fun day. Below the girls are modeling their creations, and mine is shown with a few outfit pairing suggestions.
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