Natural printing is one of the simple ways you can print your t-shirt. Unlike most t-shirt printing methods, it uses materials from nature such as leaves as such it preserve the ephemeral beauty of nature. This form of art goes all the way back from Leonardo Da Vinci who perhaps inspired by fossils.
Besides being inexpensive, natural printing has limitless possibilities. Its print can be created by putting paint on nature material such as flower, vegetable, leaves. Here in this tutorial, we are applying the prints onto a t-shirt.
Material required:
- Leaves or any other nature materials that have a texture
- Bath towels
- Newspaper & newsprint
- Assorted Fabric paint
- Cotton T-Shirt
- Straight Pins
- Hand Roller
- Sponge Brush
- Iron
Step 1: Create a work space preferable on a flat table and cover it with newspaper. Lay the printing surface with a layer of bath towels.
Step 2: Place the cotton t-shirt on the towel and secure it with pins
Step 3: Select the nature material that you want to use for your t-shirt eg. Leaf
Step 4: Apply a few thin layer of fabric paint on the leaf
Step 5: Carefully put the leaf with its painted side facing down onto the t-shirt. Cover the leaf with piece of newsprint and use a Hand roller to roll over it gently. Remove the newsprint.
Step 6: Slowly lift the leaf and check the design. Repeat this process until design is complete. Let the paint dry.
Step 7: Cover the design with a piece of cloth and iron the t-shirt to allow the paint to set. Let it dry for 2 days before putting it for a wash
Distributed by Tribune Media Services
