Setacolor Transparent - Salt Techniques, Sun Printing, Hand Stamping, Stenciling, and Hand Painting on light colored fabrics

Setacolor Opaque - Hand Stamping, Stenciling, and Hand Painting on dark colored fabrics

Setacolor Pearl - Hand Stamping, Stenciling, and Hand Painting on light and dark colored fabrics, as well as mixing with the Transparent and Opaque colors to add sparkle

Setacolor Fluorescent - Hand Stamping, Stenciling, and Hand Painting on light colored fabrics

Salt Technique with Setacolor Transparent
This technique produces a starburst effect on your fabric.

1. Stretch your fabric in an embroidery hoop, or over artist stretcher bars or a cardboard box. Use masking tape to secure the fabric tightly.

2. Dilute your Setacolor Transparent colors by mixing 2 parts of water to 1 part of Setacolor.

3. Moisten the stretched fabric with water using a foam brush.

4. Apply your diluted colors with foam brushes. Dabbing the color on your fabric creates cloud-like shapes. Long brush strokes produce smooth shapes.

5. While the surface of your cloth is still wet, sprinkle salt over the area you want patterned. Timing is critical. If the cloth is too wet the salt quickly dissolves; if it's too dry, there is not enough moisture to create the bursts of color. The salt attracts the color, making more intense color centers with irregular emanating lines. Your choice of salt determines the type of starburst effect you get: common table salt is fine, Kosher salt is a little bigger, and Ice Melt gives big bursts of color.

6. Allow the fabric to dry. Brush off the salt.

7. Follow the heat setting directions below to permanently fix the color.

Sun Printing with Setacolor Transparent
This very simple process allows you to create images on the your cloth. Use anything that is fairly flat and not too 3-dimensional to crate your images. Favorite objects are pressed leaves, buttons, lace, rice and lentils, just to name a few.

1. Stretch your fabric in an embroidery hoop or over artist stretcher bars or a cardboard box. Use masking tape to secure the fabric tightly.

2. Dilute your Setacolor Transparent colors by mixing them, 2 parts of water to 1 part of Setacolor.

3. Moisten the stretched fabric with water using a foam brush.

4. Apply your diluted colors with foam brushes. Dabbing the color on your fabric creates cloud-like shapes. Long brush strokes produce smooth color.

5. While the surface of your fabric is still wet, gently lay down your objects on the surface.

6. Salt can also be sprinkled on the painted wet fabric.

7. Place your stretched fabric outdoors in the sun or under an infra-red heat lamp, until dry.

8. Once the fabric is dry, remove your objects and brush off the salt. Your fabric is now printed and ready to heat set. Follow the heat setting directions below to permanently fix the color.

Stencilling with Setacolor

1. Cover your work area with plastic or newspaper.

2. Tape your fabric on your work area. Position the stencil carefully on your fabric.

3. Tape the stencil in place, with masking tape, to prevent it from shifting while you are stenciling.

4. Use a foam or plastic plate as your palette. Pour a small amount of each color you want to use, onto your palette.

5. Dip the tip of the stencil brush or sponge into the Setacolor. Do not overload the brush. Dab your brush in an up and down motion to remove any excess color. The brush should be somewhat dry. If there is too much fabric paint on the brush, it may run under the edge of the stencil, creating a blurred image.

6. Holding your brush upright (vertical), use dabbing motions to fill in the exposed area of your stencil. It is best to build color by applying it in several layers. Continue this process until your design is complete. If you are doing repeat patterns, make sure that both the stencil is clean and your fabric is dry, before moving it to another part of the fabric.

7. After stenciling is complete, carefully remove the masking tape from the stencil. Gently lift the stencil from the fabric and let the fabric dry completely.

8. Wash your stencil in plain warm water and blot dry with paper towels. Your brushes or sponges should also be rinsed well in warm water and blotted dry on paper towels. Store your brushes with the bristles facing upwards, in a round container.

Heat setting your fabric
Allow your fabric to dry completely. Then iron the reverse side of the fabric for at least 3 to 4 minutes. Set your iron to the temperature that is best suited for your type of fabric. Use a press cloth between the fabric and your iron.

Washing
It is recommended that you wait at least 48 hours after heat setting before washing or dry cleaning your fabric.