Anna's Art Class: Fun with Bleach.

Today I am going to teach you how to decorate a T shirt with bleach.

What you’ll need:

1)      A shirt

2)      Bleach

3)      A spray bottle

4)      Water

5)      Tape

6)      Newspaper

7)      Cardboard

8)      Stencil [see step two]

Step One: If your shirt is brand new, wash it. You don’t necessarily have to. I don’t usually do it, but the design will take better to fabric that hasn't been pre-shrunk. I have read that 100% cotton is the most ideal, but 50% will work as well.

Step Two: Prepare your stencil. You can free draw or use a stencil. If using a stencil you can print one out from the computer and cut one out or just buy a pre-made one. I recommend you do not use plain paper as a stencil template. On my first try I did that and the bleach bled through. The design will not be as precise and you have to be quick about pulling back the stencil. Opt for cardstock, folder or a more durable material.

Tip: A crafting knife is much easier than using a pair of scissors and I use it for all of my projects.

Step Three: Slip the cardboard in the bottom opening of the shirt. This is to prevent the bleach from bleeding through the front of the shirt.

Step Four: Tape the stencil onto the shirt. Cover the rest of the exposed shirt with newspapers or cardboard. Newspapers will bleed through as well so if you’re looking for a more precise design, opt for cardboard instead.

Step Five: Fill your spray bottle with a cup of water and a cup of bleach and mix it. You could probably use less especially if your design is small. Just remember to add the same amount of water as you do bleach. Another option is using a bleach pen which is better for free drawing a design.

Step Six: Spray your design. If you’re using paper, pull it off as soon as you have sprayed it because it WILL bleed through and make your design look splotchy.

Step Seven: Remove any cardboard and newspaper you have on your shirt and rinse it in the sink or the washing machine (with no soap). This is to stop the bleaching process. Then, toss it in the dryer to set the design.

Step Eight (Optional): You can decorate the finished product any way you like. You can layer fabric paint over the bleach, or on any other part of the shirt. You can iron on letters or designs. You can even sew on a patch or add some rhinestones.

Always use a scrap piece of fabric to try it out before you jump head first into the project! Also, I forgot to mention that you may want to tie a handkerchief around your mouth or use a medical or gas mask if you can’t stand the smell of bleach, are using a large amount or are going to spend more than a half hour on the project. My attempt took me only about ten minutes (for bleaching) because I had a fairly small design. Also as an extra precaution, use gloves if you know that you’re going to get messy and an apron is always recommended! You do not want to get bleach on your nice shirt because it will not come out! You can do the project anywhere depending on the amount of bleach you’re going to use. A bigger project should be done somewhere where you don’t mind the bleach smell lingering for a bit (it shouldn’t be much of a problem because we diluted it though.) Bleach is also used to make a stellar galaxy design, so keep your eyes peeled for that tutorial!

If you get more bleach on your shirt then you wanted, no need to worry. Work with it. I cut out the same stencil I had originally and placed it over the "blob" I was left with. I filled it in with white fabric paint and used the bleach as a background. 

This is the final product. I didn't intend for the random bleach spots but it makes the design stick out. I used bright fabric paint colors to draw attention away from the spotty background. What do you think?

Thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments below what you think. Also, follow us on tumblr!