Sharpie Paint Pens have many different uses. You can use them on various materials, making them a popular option for many crafts. If you want to try them, you’ll want to learn more about how they work!
So, can you use Sharpie Paint Pens on Fabric? Yes, definitely! Sharpie Paint Pens work on plenty of different kinds of fabrics. They come with a quick-drying ink that is also resistant to fading and is even waterproof. You can use them to decorate your fabrics! Plus, they even work on many other materials.
In other words, you can easily use your Sharpie Paint Pens on fabric! They can even show up on darker materials. If you want to understand how to use these paint pens better, make sure to read the rest of this article!
How To Use Sharpie Paint Pens on Fabric
It’s easy to use your Sharpie Paint Pens on fabric! You’ll want to start ironing the material using the proper heat settings. Doing so gives you a flat surface to draw on.
Next, you’ll want to come up with your design. I recommend sketching it out on a piece of paper before attempting to do it on the fabric.
To keep the fabric from bunching up, you’ll want to wrap it around a solid pillow. You can stuff the pillow inside if you’re drawing on a shirt. You want the fabric to be pulled tightly around the pillow to avoid wrinkles.
Next, slide your sketch under the material. If it’s light enough, you should be able to see your design through the fabric. From there, you can trace over it with the paint pens. If the material is too dark, you’ll likely have to eyeball it. Sometimes it helps to go over the sketch with a black Sharpie so that you can see it through the fabric easier.
This Sharpie Paint Pen Set has tons of colors to choose from, and comes with 8 pens!
You’re now ready to fill in the design with color! It helps to use small strokes with the side of the Sharpie Paint Pen’s tip. You can also turn the pen or use the tip to get different thicknesses in your lines.
You can even blend colors with these paint pens, making them exceptionally worthwhile! Start by putting down your first color, then add a second darker color along with the first. Put a lot of pressure in the stroke, then go over the second color with the first again to blend it out.
Since the colors are still wet, you can layer and blend them as you choose. It can take a while to get used to drawing on fabric, so you’ll want to go slow at first! You can also practice scrap material to get more of a feel for it.
Do Sharpie Paint Pens Bleed on Fabric?
Sharpie Paint Pens can easily bleed through the fabric. It helps if you put a piece of scrap fabric between the material you’re working on and your workspace. You may also have some color bleeding after you wash the fabric.
However, there are a few steps that you can take to prevent the paint pens from bleeding through the fabric. Always start by washing the material before you get to decorating. Once it’s dry, you won’t have to worry as much.
Sharpie Paint Pens also work great on a canvas like fabric. I recommend using something like this type of canvas fabric, if you want to prevent bleeding. When you use thinner fabrics it will be more prone to bleeding, as opposed to a thicker canvas like material.
You’ll want to wash materials like cotton more than once before you try to draw on them. Plus, make sure that they’re entirely done in the dryer and cooled first.
Best Fabric for Sharpie Paint Pens
The best fabric for Sharpie Paint Pens would be cotton and canvas. These materials absorb the color quickly, and you can also seal them with clear fabric paint. Plus, they’re usually light in color, so your markers will almost always show vibrantly.
However, you can technically use your Sharpie Paint Pens on any material. You’ll discover some that take the color better than others. For instance, fleece takes two marker passes to show up vibrantly.
Is Sharpie Permanent on Fabric?
Sharpie Paint Pens aren’t permanent on fabric unless you take the time to heat set and seal them with transparent fabric paint. Although these markers aren’t technically for textiles, they still work very well on them!
Overall, while they aren’t permanent, you can still make your designs last an extremely long time on the materials. Make sure that you follow these instructions below for the best results:
After drawing on the fabric, you need to give the Sharpie paint plenty of time to dry. I recommend giving the Sharpie paint 24 hours to dry before moving the material.
Next, you’ll need to heat the design to set it. Place plain printer paper over your image, then iron it on medium heat. Ensure that you iron both sides of the fabric where the design is. Wait for the material to cool completely before touching it.
Finally, you’ll want to add clear fabric paint to seal in your Sharpie. You need to ensure you seal the entire design with the fabric paint. Then, wait for 48 hours before washing the material. The longer you can wait for it to dry, the better!
This method is excellent for keeping the Sharpie paint in place. You shouldn’t have concerns about the ink bleeding when you take all of these steps! It’s worth noting that some fabrics will bleed to matter what, usually if they have loosely woven fibers.
Will Sharpie Paint Pens Stay on Fabric After Washing?
Your Sharpie Paint Pen designs can bleed when you wash them, although they may not come out completely. If you want the design to still look fresh after washing it, you should use the above process to seal it into the fabric.
The fabric paint will trap the marker in the material, making it waterproof. However, you’ll still want to wash the materials gently and only when you have to.
Do You Need Seal Sharpie Paint Pens?
It depends on what type of surface you’re working on. Suppose you want to wash the material like if you put the design on a shirt, you’ll need to seal it. However, you won’t need to seal Sharpie Paint Pens if the design is on something like canvas.
The best varnish to seal your Sharpie Paint Pen project is Liquitex Sealer. This sealer works with most mediums including, acrylic paints, sharpie paint pens, oil paints, and even fabric paints.
You always have different options to choose from for you finish, like glossy, satin, matte, and even glitter. A nice satin gloss will always make your paint project look brand new.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, you can easily use Sharpie Paint Pens on multiple fabric types! These paint pens are wonderfully vibrant and a favorite of many artists. If you want to wash the material later, you’ll need to make sure you seal the design after.
Sharpie Paint Pens can work on many surfaces, so don’t hesitate to experiment. You can try them on wood, fabrics, paper, and more!
Make sure to follow all my tips and recommended products to ensure your Sharpie paint pen project turns out great! Also, don’t forget to check out my other articles for all your painting Q&A’s. Happy painting!
