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Luna Nguyen

The more I work with silk and fabric painting, the more I love it. Not only for its vibrant colors, but also for its feminine with a wide range of products from silk scarves, silk kimono jackets, silk paintings, cotton paintings, linen paintings, to home deco items; as well as its flexibility when it comes to many different painting techniques, for example: using water, salt, sugar, alcohol, ink, dye, paint, dilutant, anti-fusant, or thickener and other tools to create patterns like using needle and threads in Japanese Shibori technique, other techniques such as tie and dye, ice and dye, or adding embroidery.

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The more I work with silk and fabric painting, the more I love it. Not only for its vibrant colors, but also for its feminine with a wide range of products from silk scarves, silk kimono jackets, silk paintings, cotton paintings, linen paintings, to home deco items; as well as its flexibility when it comes to many different painting techniques, for example: using water, salt, sugar, alcohol, ink, dye, paint, dilutant, anti-fusant, or thickener and other tools to create patterns like using needle and threads in Japanese Shibori technique, other techniques such as tie and dye, ice and dye, or adding embroidery.

There are literally hundred of ways to paint on fabrics. And the techniques also various from painting on naturals fibres compare to synthetic ones.

In this online workshop: ”Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric”, I'll guide you to create your beautiful painting on linen fabric using the most simple way of Fabric Painting.

Applying this technique, you'll then be able to paint on all different kind of fabric, from natural (e.g. silk, cotton, linen or wool) to synthetic (e.g. polyester, acrylic, nylon or latex) fabrics which you can find in the market, or may already have at home included your table cloth, tote bag, denim jeans or jacket and so on.

After completing this course, you will make 1 colorful and unique painting for your kitchen. I'm going to use linen but you can choose any fabric of your choice, doesn't matter old or new.

I have break down this course into 10 small videos. In each video/ step, I'll guide you thoroughly from preparing your fabric to creating your own designs, from sketching to painting and mixing colors on fabric.

You'll receive a list of materials required and learn how to choose the paints, how to save cost when starting out this technique.

You'll learn how to paint on fabric and how to fix the colors on the fabric permanently.

You'll also learn how to frame the fabric onto a wooden frame for displaying or to hand on the wall, and a contemporary approach of hand embroidery.

At the end of the course, you can make absolutely endless ideas of products of your choice, on your own, from wearing to decorating, to traditional paintings using this beautiful Fabric Painting techniques.

I'm looking forward to seeing you and exploring this wonderful Art journey together.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Sketch, paint or embroidery on any types of fabric of your choice from natural to synthetic ones.
  • Assemble the stretcher frame, how to stretch the fabric onto the frame.
  • Create your designs on fabric.
  • Painting and mixing colors on fabric.
  • Fixing colors and framing your fabric on a wooden frame.
  • Hand embroidery on the fabric (optional).

Syllabus

Introduction and Preparation
Introduction
List of Materials
Assemble frame and stretch fabric
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Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

Career center

Learners who complete Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Textile Artist
A textile artist creates original artworks using fabric as their primary medium, employing techniques like painting, dyeing, and embellishment. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course provides the essential skills for an aspiring textile artist. You will master manipulating various fibers—natural and synthetic—and applying diverse painting methods, including using water, salt, and specific textile paints. The course guides you from creating designs and mixing colors to permanently fixing them on fabric, and even framing your finished piece. This hands-on experience, covering material preparation and design execution, empowers you to develop a distinct artistic voice and explore endless creative possibilities in textile art. This particular course offers a robust foundation in both technical application and artistic expression.
Fabric Designer
A fabric designer creates original patterns and prints applied to textiles for fashion, home furnishings, and products. This role merges artistic vision with an understanding of textile properties. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course offers an invaluable hands-on introduction to fundamental fabric design principles. You will gain practical experience in developing designs directly on diverse fabric types, from silk to linen. Learning how various paints and techniques, like tie and dye or Shibori, interact with fibers is crucial. The course also covers color mixing on fabric and permanent color fixation, vital for durable designs. This course is an excellent starting point for translating artistic concepts into tangible textile designs, making you a more informed fabric designer.
Crafts Instructor
A crafts instructor teaches specific artistic or practical skills in various mediums, often in workshops or community centers, requiring mastery and clear communication. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course is exceptionally well-suited for anyone aspiring to become a crafts instructor focused on textile arts. You will gain comprehensive knowledge of fabric painting, including working with diverse materials like silk, cotton, and synthetics. The course systematically covers preparing fabric, assembling frames, creating designs, mixing and applying colors, and incorporating hand embroidery and permanent color fixation. This structured learning, detailing numerous techniques such as Shibori-inspired methods, provides a robust curriculum to confidently guide others through their own fabric painting journey, helping them create endless product ideas.
Surface Pattern Designer
A surface pattern designer develops designs and motifs for application across products, including textiles, wallpaper, and ceramics. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course provides a practical entry point into seeing how patterns translate onto physical materials, specifically fabrics. You will learn to create and apply designs directly on various textile surfaces, from natural fibers to synthetics. The course's emphasis on different painting techniques, such as using water, salt, or thickeners, directly informs the experimentation valued in surface pattern design. Understanding color mixing and the permanence of applications on fabric, as taught here, is essential for producing high-quality and durable designs, whether for direct application or as inspiration for digital patterns.
Embroidery Artist
An embroidery artist creates intricate designs and decorative patterns using needle and thread on fabric, ranging from traditional to contemporary expressions. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course offers a strong foundation for an aspiring embroidery artist, particularly through its dedicated segment on hand embroidery. While the core focus is painting, the course specifically includes "a contemporary approach of hand embroidery" and "Embroidery on fabric" in its syllabus. This integration means you will gain skills in both designing and painting on various fabrics, and enhancing these textile works with stitched details. This dual proficiency allows you to combine vibrant painted backgrounds with textural embroidery, creating rich, multi-dimensional textile art pieces and developing your craft as an embroidery artist.
Art Educator
An art educator inspires and guides students in developing creative skills and understanding various art forms in diverse settings. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course provides an excellent foundation for an aspiring art educator specializing in textile arts. You will acquire a structured approach to teaching fabric painting, from preparing materials and assembling frames to creating designs, mixing colors, and applying various techniques. Practical advice on choosing paints and saving costs, alongside the systematic learning steps, mirrors the pedagogical approach needed for instruction. Understanding how to fix colors permanently and incorporating embroidery, as covered, enables you to teach comprehensive textile art projects and share this wonderful art journey.
Costume Designer
A costume designer creates and selects garments and accessories for performers in theater, film, or TV, requiring understanding of character, history, and practicality. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course offers highly relevant skills for a costume designer. You will gain practical experience transforming plain fabrics into unique costume elements by learning to design, paint, and hand embroider on any fabric type. This mastery of fabric embellishment, including tie and dye or using dilutants for effects, enables customization to match a character's aesthetic. The ability to permanently fix colors, as taught, ensures visual integrity throughout production, making your creations durable and impactful as a costume designer.
Accessory Designer
An accessory designer specializes in creating items like handbags, scarves, and hats that complement fashion apparel, requiring creativity and material understanding. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course is particularly beneficial for an accessory designer focused on textile-based products. The course explicitly mentions creating "silk scarves" and "home deco items" using fabric painting. You will learn to apply designs and colors to various fabrics, from delicate silk to sturdy cotton, and master how to fix these colors permanently. This hands-on experience allows you to design and produce unique, hand-painted or embroidered accessories that stand out. The ability to customize fabric with vibrant colors and intricate patterns offers a powerful tool for developing distinctive and appealing accessory collections as an accessory designer.
Fashion Designer
A fashion designer conceptualizes and creates clothing and accessories, from initial sketch to finished product, integrating trends, fabric properties, and artistic expression. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course is a valuable asset for aspiring fashion designers, especially those creating unique or custom pieces. The course teaches you to design, paint, and embroider directly on various fabrics, from silk for scarves to cotton for jackets. This hands-on exposure to fabric manipulation and embellishment allows you to understand how color, texture, and pattern interact with garment drape. Learning to fix colors permanently on different fibers is crucial for durable, wearable fashion. This course empowers you to infuse distinct artistic visions into textiles, providing a competitive edge in fashion design.
Visual Artist
A visual artist creates original artwork across diverse mediums for exhibition, sale, or commission, expressing ideas and aesthetics. For a visual artist exploring new mediums or specializing in textile-based art, the "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course offers a compelling pathway. This course helps build a foundation in using fabric as a canvas, teaching you to sketch, paint, and embroider on various textile types. You will learn about the interplay of colors and textures on different fibers, and master techniques like applying water, salt, or alcohol for unique visual effects. The ability to fix colors permanently and frame fabric for display, as covered, empowers you to create durable, stand-alone fabric paintings, expanding your repertoire as a versatile visual artist.
Interior designer
An interior designer plans and creates functional, aesthetically pleasing internal spaces, selecting furnishings, color palettes, and decor. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course offers highly relevant skills for an interior designer incorporating unique, custom textile elements. The course teaches you to transform various fabrics, from linen for paintings to cotton for home deco, by creating designs, painting, and adding embroidery. This mastery allows you to design and produce bespoke cushions, wall hangings, or panels that perfectly complement a room's aesthetic. Understanding how to fix colors permanently on different fabric types ensures longevity. This course empowers you to offer clients truly personalized textile solutions, elevating your interior design offerings with distinct, handcrafted elements.
Prop Maker
A prop maker designs, builds, and acquires functional and decorative objects (props) for film, TV, or theater, often involving customization. The "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course may be helpful for a prop maker, particularly for fabric-based props or set dressing. You will learn to manipulate various fabric types, natural to synthetic, applying paints and techniques like tie and dye to create specific textures or aged effects. The ability to fix colors permanently, as taught, is crucial for props enduring handling and repeated use. Understanding how to assemble and stretch fabric onto frames also provides a practical skill for creating backdrops or framed art needed for a set, enhancing versatility as a prop maker.
Textile Conservator
A textile conservator works to preserve and restore historical and artistic textiles; this role typically requires an advanced degree in art conservation or textile science. While not directly preparing for advanced scientific aspects, the "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course may be useful by offering foundational knowledge of textile materials. You will learn about different fiber types, how various paints and dyes interact with them, and techniques for fixing colors. This practical insight into natural and synthetic fabric properties and color application methods can enhance your appreciation for the complexities of preserving textile artifacts. Understanding textile creation informs your perspective on conservation challenges, helping build an informed approach to long-term care and restoration.
Art Gallery Assistant
An art gallery assistant supports daily operations, including exhibition assistance, inventory, and client communication. While not involved in art creation, the "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course may be useful by deepening your appreciation for textile art. Gaining practical insight into creating fabric paintings, from preparing materials to framing, can enhance your ability to discuss such artworks and understand artists' needs. Understanding the technical aspects of color fixation and fabric display, as taught, provides a more informed perspective when handling and presenting textile artworks. This knowledge allows you to engage more effectively with both artists and collectors within a gallery setting.
Fashion Merchandiser
A fashion merchandiser plans and implements strategies to promote and sell clothing and accessory lines, involving trend forecasting and inventory. While focused on business, the "Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric" course may be useful by providing a tangible appreciation for the textiles forming fashion products. Understanding the properties of different fabrics—natural versus synthetic—and how colors and designs are applied and fixed, as taught, can inform decisions regarding product selection, quality, and marketing. Knowing the intricacies of fabric treatment and embellishment allows you to better communicate the value and uniqueness of textile-based products to consumers and procurement, becoming a more knowledgeable and effective fashion merchandiser.

Reading list

We've selected 20 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Fabric Painting: Paint on any type of fabric.
Comprehensive guide that covers nearly every technique mentioned in the course syllabus, from basic painting to complex resists and stitching. It is particularly useful as a reference tool for learners who want to expand on the course's methods for creating designs on fabric. The author provides detailed instructions on various mediums, making it a perfect supplement for understanding how different paints react with natural and synthetic fibers.
Published within the last five years, this book serves as an excellent practical guide for the color mixing and fixing objectives of the course. It provides precise recipes that help students achieve consistent results, which valuable addition to the course's section on mixing colors on fabric. It is commonly used by hobbyists and professionals alike to ensure permanent, vibrant results on various textile types.
This 2024 publication is the most recent authoritative guide on the subject, offering updated techniques for fixing colors on natural fabrics like linen and cotton. It supplements the course by providing an eco-friendly alternative to the synthetic paints discussed in the videos. The book's focus on fiber science provides excellent prerequisite knowledge for understanding why certain paints work better on specific materials.
This highly regarded academic textbook that provides the professional background knowledge needed to understand the chemistry of dyes and paints. It offers significant depth regarding the differences between natural and synthetic fibers, aligning perfectly with the course's focus on painting on 'any type of fabric.' It is more valuable as a current reference for students looking to turn their fabric painting into a professional practice.
Specifically addresses the course objective of combining painting with hand embroidery. It guides the reader through the process of creating textured, multi-layered artworks, providing more breadth to the 'hand embroidery' and 'framing' modules. It is an excellent resource for students who want to see how the course's basic techniques can be elevated into fine art.
As a classic textbook in the field of textile design, this book offers authoritative background on the history and theory of surface decoration. While it is an older title, its reputation for teaching the principles of design and color application remains unsurpassed in academic institutions. It adds significant theoretical depth to the course's practical sketching and design modules.
Given that the instructor emphasizes her six years of experience with silk, this book is essential for students who wish to specialize in that specific material. It covers the differences between dyes and paints in great detail, which fundamental learning objective of the course. It serves as a valuable reference tool for mastering the 'anti-fusant' and 'thickener' techniques mentioned in the description.
Comprehensive reference tool for the embroidery module of the course, offering a wide range of stitches that can be applied to painted fabric. It is commonly used by industry professionals as a 'stitch dictionary.' By reading this, students can add more complexity and variety to the 'hand embroidery on the fabric' objective.
Acts as a creative workshop in print, mirroring the structure of the online course. It provides additional reading on the properties of different fibers, which helps students choose the right materials for their projects. It is particularly valuable for its focus on experimental techniques that go beyond basic painting.
Is famous for its clear, modern approach to working with natural fibers like the linen used in the course project. It helps students understand the preparation phase ('preparing your fabric') from a more scientific perspective. It popular choice for those wanting to achieve the 'vibrant colors' mentioned in the course using natural sources.
A very recent (2023) publication that explores innovative ways to combine paint and fabric. It adds breadth to the course by introducing mixed-media elements like 'fusible' materials that can be used alongside traditional painting. is ideal for students looking for a more experimental, contemporary approach to textile art.
Focusing on the use of soy milk as a mordant, this book provides a unique, non-toxic way to fix colors on fabric, which primary objective of the course. It is published recently and has gained a high reputation for its minimalist, accessible style. It is particularly useful for students working at home who want to save costs on materials.
This is an essential reference tool for the 'painting and mixing colors' portion of the course. It functions like a color wheel for fabric, showing how different dye and paint concentrations result in varying shades. It is useful for students who want to move beyond the basic mixing taught in the videos to create a professional palette.
Takes the 'hand embroidery' and 'framing' concepts of the course to an advanced level. It teaches how to create structured art on fabric that can be mounted in wooden frames, aligning with the course's final project. It is more valuable as additional reading for those who have mastered the basics and want to explore sculptural textiles.
Reputable resource for understanding color theory specifically as it applies to textiles. It provides background knowledge on how color bleeds and blends on different fabric weights, which is crucial for the 'Painting on fabric' parts 1-4. It is widely used by students in textile design programs.
A very practical, project-based book that mirrors the course's goal of creating a finished product (like a painting for the kitchen). It includes templates and sketches that can help students who struggle with the 'sketching' and 'design' modules. It helpful reference for choosing the right paints for household items like tote bags and denim.
While primarily about texture, this book is an industry-standard reference for understanding how fabric behaves when it is stretched and stitched. It provides essential prerequisite knowledge for the 'Assemble frame and stretch fabric' module. Understanding the physical properties of the cloth will help students prevent warping during the painting process.
Explores the 'hundreds of ways to paint on fabrics' that the instructor mentions in the description. It covers unusual techniques and materials, offering more depth for students who want to experiment after completing the basic course. It is an excellent source of inspiration for the 'contemporary approach' the course advocates.
Is particularly useful for the 'Create design on fabric' objective, as it teaches the principles of repeats and composition. It provides a more professional look at how to organize the sketches and paintings into cohesive patterns. It is highly popular among modern textile artists and makers.

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