You can use almost any type of fabric with paintstiks, including cotton, rayon, linen, silk and synthetic fibers. You will find that stenciling and other masking techniques work on many fabrics including heavy fabrics, but rubbings are limited to lighter weight fabrics. Heavily textured fabrics will not react the same as smooth fabrics, but that […]

Shiva Paintstiks are “self-sealing,” which means that a protective film forms over the surface of the paintstik when it is not in use. To remove the film, you can peel it away with a paper towel, rub it gently on a rough surface, or carefully pare it away with a knife.

A smooth work surface is helpful when working with paintstiks. Any texture placed under your fabric will show through as you apply paint to your fabric. You may wish to cover your work area with plastic to keep your work surface free from stray paint. Paintstik colors are permanent once they are dry. Wear old […]

There are several ways to apply paintstik color to your fabric, including direct application, masking, rubbing, and stenciling. Direct Application: You can apply paintstik colors directly to fabric as if you were coloring with a crayon. Once the colors are applied, you may wish to use an old toothbrush or a stiff stenciling brush to […]

Paintstik colors are easily removed from your tools and brushes with standard or citrus-based solvents. With a little bit of extra work, they can be cleaned with soap and water.

After applying paintstik color, allow the painted fabric to dry for 3-5 days, and then heat-set to make the colors permanent. To heat-set the color, set your iron to the proper setting for the fabric. Place an old piece of fabric or muslin on your ironing surface, put the fabric paint-side down on the muslin […]