You can paint on any sheets or comforters that you want, but the paint will adhere better to higher thread counts since there’s more fabric. Running the sheets through the hottest cycles will pre-shrink them before you paint so your designs don’t get distorted if you wash them later on.
If the sheet still has wrinkles, iron them out before you paint. If you don’t have room to spread out the entire sheet, you can fold up the areas of the sheet where you aren’t applying paint to save space.
The cardboard provides a flat painting surface and prevents the paint from bleeding through the sheet.
You can buy textile paints and a palette from your local craft store. If you want to make the colors on your palette lighter, mix them with white paint until you’re happy with the tint. If you want to make your colors darker, combine them with black paint instead.
Keep a few paper towels near the water so you can dry your brushes afterward.
The size of the brush you use depends on how large you want the brushstrokes. Get a brush set from a craft store that has multiple sizes so you can experiment with them. Outline your design with a pencil or chalk before you paint if you want to have a guide to follow. Textile paints are permanent as soon as you apply them to fabric, so be careful not to get any in places where you don’t want paint. Try painting flowers or trees if you want to make a natural feeling backdrop.
You can buy stencils from your local craft store or make your own. Don’t apply the paint in thick layers since it will take longer to dry and the edges may look messy. Painting with a stencil works great if you want to make bed sheet sets with matching designs. Try stenciling letters if you’re making a banner or a backdrop so all of the writing is legible.
You can buy a rubber brayer from a craft store or online. Using a brayer works great if you want to create colored backdrops from your sheets. Try adding horizontal stripes of color going from a dark black shade to a yellow or orange if you want to paint a sunrise or sunset.
Avoid using regular spray paint since it can cause the sheet to stiffen after it dries. Fabric spray paint works great for filling in stencils or making ombre patterns for backdrops.
Sprinkle salt on the paint while it’s still wet to add interesting textures to your design. The salt will absorb some of the water and leave cloudy patterns of paint. Try making clouds on a blue backdrop if you want something that feels relaxing. Use a variety of colors and paint them in random sizes and shapes to make an abstract design.
Don’t use the toothbrush for anything other than painting. This works well if you want to add random designs or accents to your bedsheet.
This method works well if you want to make an interesting pattern for a backdrop. While the sheet soaks in the water, paint will gather in the wrinkles and make them darker.
Check the drying times listed on the paints you used since they may vary.
You don’t have to heat-set pure acrylic paints if you used them. However, if you mixed textile medium with the acrylics, you still need to.
If possible, hand-wash the sheets and hang them on a clothesline to dry. That way you don’t risk ruining them in your machine.
If the colors on your sheets fade, you can always paint over them again.
