Introduction: Turn Your Old Shirt Into a Rad New Creation

Today I will show YOU how to turn an old shirt into a crazy new hyped up rad piece of ART and in plus you get to show off you work by wearing it!

This is the current technique used by Monkey Business, a small home based compagnie that makes custom shirts and other cool stuff.

They use this technique because it is the simplest way to transmit you art onto fabric.

If you want to see more shirts made by MB, head on over to they're website!
http://www.bananashirts.blogspot.com/

Step 1: Your Image

The fist thing you need is a good image. start off with a nice an simple design (my first was a cloud...). It doesnt have to complicated to be beautiful.

it can be a color image... just turn it black and white, mess around with the contrast a bit until you're happy with it, then print it out on acetate paper (clear plastic paper used for projectors)

In this particular stencil, i wanted it to be big, so i put it on two pages, if your doing a multiple page stencil, make sure you have abit of over lappping room, so that your not lost when positionning the second (or third...) stencil.

Step 2: Cut That Thing OUT!

When your cutting out your stencil, make sure you take your time and make it worth your time. Allways pre plan you bridges (connecters between “islands” and “mainland”). If you rush the job, it will be messy, you will probably cut a bridge or something worst.

Play some music, turn on a TV in the background (dont watch it... watch what your cutting) or turn on the radio. this make your cutting more enjoyable and make time fly by.

Use an Exacto knife, it is the ideal thing to use. but if no exacto knives are near by, and you NEED to cut it out, i guess a VERY sharp knife will do. By the way, an exacto knife costs about 2$, its well worth the money.

Get a cutting board. you do not want to cut yourself or you table... that would be a bad thing to do.

LIGHT!! make sure you are in a well light area so you can see what you are doing. and wear you glasses if you have any, cutting out stencils is tough on you eyes after a while.

its better to cut too little than too big, you can allways make an area larger, but not smaller. what is cut is cut.

Step 3: Before the Paint

Before you take out the brush and paint, take a deep breath. there are some essential steps to do before the moment of truth.

Find shirt. im sure you allready found one, but if you did not, go find one RIGHT NOW!

Good, now iron the shirt. The iron not only flattens the shirt out to make it easier to work with, but it heats up the cloth, and loosens the material up, making it absorb more paint.

Put a piece of cardboard or wood in the shirt. You do not want paint to "break on through to the other side" (DOORS!).

Get some spray on glue, this is not 100% necessairy, but nearly anialates any chance of making mistakes, so if your a nervous one as i am, get the stuff.

place the stencil on the shirt, put some tape around the perimiter of the stencil to avoid heart breaking stains.

Also Make sure to cover your working space in newspaper or garbage bags, to protect them for paint spills.

Step 4: Paint!

Now is the fun bit of the transformation, get out you paint, and mix them untill you find your desired color.

Be sure not to make too complicated mixes because you will need more... and if the colors dont look the same then your shirt looks clumbsy.

I use acrylic paint mixed with Textile Medium, it stays in fine and does not wash out... but if you want to spend a few extra bucks, get the fabric paint. its basically the same thing, your just paying more.

Normally i use a Stecil brush but for this particular shirt, i used my trusty sponge, i find sponges to suck up alot of the paint, but they give a nice even coat.

Do NOT use a wet paintbrush of sponge, the wetness will leak throught the stencil and spread the paint. Trust me i know from experience. So when changing paints, be sure to COMPLEATLY dry your weapon of choice.

Start painting, up and down motions, NOT side to side, if you do side to side, your risking to lift up the edge of the stencil and painting under it...

when your 100% sure that you did not miss a spot, you are now ready for the moment of truth...

Step 5: The Moment of Truth

Gently peel off the stencil, making sure your not ripping it (to use it agin later)

Admire your work, take a quick break, then repeat steps 3 to 5 untill compleat satisfaction.

That is how you stencil on a shirt.

The most important thing to remember is that YOU are the artist, not me. So take risks, learn from your mistakes and have fun with your stencilling.

To tell you the truth, i messed up alot of shirts when i started out, but i used the mistakes to make the shirt look even better.

If you stain your shirt, dont worry, make your shirt a "grungy" shirt, it will make it look more original.

The rest of the picutres are a few shirts ive made in the past...

Thanks for reading my Instructable, If you have ANY question or comment please comment below.

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