Tie dye with Acrylic Paint

Tie dye is an old technique involving tying cloth so that dye does not reach every area, resulting in simple or intricate patterns. It allows for a crafter to do more than just dye in solid colors. But did you know you can use acrylic paint to tie dye? It turns out you can! Whether you want something fun to do with kids (at home, school or camp), with your friends, or just to add some splash to your wardrobe, this method is fun and easy, and the materials are easily found. 

Why use acrylic paint?

In the age of various dyes readily available on the market and tie dye kits at the local Walmart (if you live in the United States), why use acrylic paint? In the first place, if you don't live in the United States, dyes for multi-color dying may be harder to find, or you may not know where to find them. In the second place, such dyes may require that the material be prepared with special substances or that the material being dyed be boiled or otherwise heated for dying to take place. In the last place, acrylic paints are not only easy to find, they are a relatively familiar medium for artists, and they are very versatile. In other words, you may already know how to use them and you may already have some in your house.  

Preparing to dye:

If you are working with a garment or cloth that has never been washed, be sure to wash it before dying. New garments and fabrics often have difficulty absorbing dye. You can air dry it or dry it in the dryer. 

While it is drying, prepare your paints. For each color, squeeze acrylic paint into a bottle. Add water. You don't need to fill the bottle, and, unless you are doing many shirts, you really don't need more than about half a cup to a cup of final liquid. I don't have an exact ratio, but the more paint you use, the brighter the color will be. A tablespoon of paint to half a cup of water is about right. Ordinary tap water is fine. Shake the bottle well to mix. You can test your mixture on a piece of old cloth.  You want the mixture to absorb into the cloth (it can take a few seconds to do it, and its should spread just a bit) but not look watery. If it looks watery, you need more paint. If it doesn't absorb into the cloth, you need more water. 

Tying the garment

Next, tye the garment. In this tutorial, I will show you how to do a classic hippie spiral. If you want to try something else, the internet is full of ideas. The tying process is the same whether you dye with dyes or with paint. 

Dying the garment

Lay your garment on the tray or rack (if using a rack, put the rack over a sink, preferably a utility sink or other area that can get stained). I recommend doing this outdoors and wearing old clothes. 

For each color, pour/squirt the paint onto the shirt. Hold the nozzle of the bottle right against the shirt and give the paint time to sink in.  I generally do one color to each section, but you can also mix colors by pouring first one then another on a given section. This is best for colors that are close but not the same, or for primary colors. Make sure to use plenty of paint. You want your garment nice and soaked, but not dripping. Make sure to cover both sides of the garment and the edge. All visible surfaces of the shirt should be covered. 

Once you have added the paint, place your shirt in a ziplock bag. Take notice of the time you bag your shirt. You may want to write the time on your bag. Leave the shirt in its rubber bands for 24 hours. If the shirt is very wet, you may want to take it out of the bag early to start the drying process, but don't undo the rubber bands until the 24 hours are up. 

That's it! Now enjoy your tie dyed garment or fabric! Once you have tried this technique, you will probably want to do it again! It can be quite addictive as you discover the various possibilities.