Denim Painting 101: Tips for Painting Details
Welcome to Denim Painting 101! If youāre new here, make sure you check out my other Denim Painting 101 posts for all my tips and tutorials for painting on denim.
One thing that can be tough when painting on denim is getting all the little details. Denim has a rough and bumpy texture, which makes it difficult to paint thin lines.
But donāt worry! This guide should help equip you with the right tools and teach you how to perfect the tiny details.
Make sure to check out the rest of my Denim Painting 101 tutorials at the bottom of this post and follow me on Instagram to see more of my painted jeans. You can also visit my Painted Jeans Collection page to shop all my available painted denim.
1. Use the Right Brushes
You might think that the smallest size brushes are best for the tiny detailsāwrong! The best brushes are size 0 and 1.
Round brushes in sizes 0 and 1 come to a very fine point at the tip and are perfect for creating fine lines. Brand new brushes are best, as the tips have not been worn down and can be made into a very fine point.
A few detail brushes from my favorite brand:
ā¢ Princeton Artist Brush Elite Synthetic Kolinsky
ā¢ Princeton Heritage Golden Taklon Brush Synthetic Sable
ā¢ Princeton Select Artiste Mixed-Media Brush Set (contains size 1 round)
ā¢ Princeton Artist Brush Select Synthetic Brush Round Size 1
2. Wet the Brush
Thoroughly wet your brush in clean, cold water and gently wipe off excess on the edge of the glass.
Wetting the brush will help form it into a nice, fine point to get those perfect details.
3. Wipe on Cloth
Slightly dry the brush on a clean paper towel or soft cloth. Wipe the sides of the brush, rotating after each swipe so you can evenly dry and form the tip.
Do not dab the tip of the brush into the paper towel/cloth as this will mess up the fine point you formed.
4. Swipe Across Paint
Gently swipe the brush across your paint mix with the same technique you used to wipe the brush on the cloth (using the side of the brush and rotating after each swipe to evenly coat the brush with paint while keeping the fine point).
Wipe off excess paint on a clean area of the palette until there is only a small amount of paint left on the tip.
5. Paint onto Denim
Use small, short strokes to create your fine line. Make sure your brush is still formed into a nice point.
Because of denimās sometimes rough texture, it can be hard to paint details. You can achieve details on this type of texture with small paint strokes and lots of patience!
Bonus: Fabric Markers
It is absolutely possible to create fine lines and paint small details just with brushes and paint, but you can also try using fabric markers.
I use small brushes and paint 99% of the time, but I have tested some fabric markers, too!
The fabric markers do not create as fine of lines as a brush in my experience, but may be a good option if you donāt have the patience to use brushes.
Fabric markers I have used:
ā¢ Arteza Fabric Markers set of 30
ā¢ Arteza Black Dual-Tip set of 6
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