Wednesday 18 June 2014

What is the difference between acrylic paint and fabric paint?


There are many people who believe that it is perfectly okay to paint on fabric with a regular acrylic paint, and many more who believe that you should only use fabric paint when working with fabric.
The difference between the two kinds of paints is something that should be considered before making your choice, however, since it will affect how successful your painting is, and what can be done with it afterwards.
Fabric paint, for instance, contains a binding agent that is specifically designed to cling onto fabrics, and will adhere better than acrylic paint will, since it is thicker and more likely to stick only at a surface level.
You can easily turn an acrylic paint into a fabric-suitable paint with special mediums. When mixed equally, the medium adds the adhesive agent that is found in fabric paint to the acrylic, which will allow it to stick more successfully and permanently.
Standard acrylic paint, however, should only be applied to fabric if the fabric does not need to drape, or to be loose at all, such as a curtain, a t-shirt or a flag. Acrylic paint, when dry, will harden and create a layer over the material, so any bending that is done under the paint may cause cracks in the paint over time, whereas fabric paint seeps into the material, leaving it free to move around without cracking or chipping off.
Both types of paint are water resistant once dry, but in order to securely set fabric paint; it is advised that you set it using a source of heat, such as an iron or a blow dryer. Once that is done, washing the fabric will not cause the paint to chip or fade in any way. Acrylic paint, however, even though it is water resistant when dry, is more likely to crack under heat in the washing machine if it hasn't been mixed with the medium mixer mentioned above.
Written by Wesley Geyer
Creative writer 

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