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SOME   TECHNIQUES

1 Heliography

It is a traditional polynesian process to paint pareus. The idea is to use natural or cardboard cut masks (flowers, leaves, grid, fishes, feathers, and so on).

Soak first the fabrics into a bucket of ink, give it a wring to take off the ink excess, lay it down on grass or linoleum in a sunny place, then arrange the masks as you wish on the wet material. When it gets dry, the masked parts will appear lighter than the rest.

2 Salt effects

Very popular too, this technique is a lot like the former one, but instead of using masks, you scatter the material with coarse salt.
Each piece of salt will make the color shrink all around, which makes beautiful results.
After drying, brush the salt off (you may keep it for the next time) and rince. For the sake of your sewing machine, please do not sew any salt impregnated material !

3 Folding

This is also a traditonal polynesian technique, but a little more difficult because of the risk of spotting when you unfold (It is easier not to do it alone).

First fold the fabrics in your own way, then soak each part of the folded material in a different color (try to harmonize them well), then unfold and lay it down in a sunny place as explained above.

After some training, you may obtain beautiful multicolored pareus.

You may combine heliography, salt effects and folding.

4 Knotting

Make some knots in your way on the fabric, then soak some parts with the colors you choose.
Let it dry completely like this then take off the knots and unfold.

5 The Serti-gutta technique

This is a french technique. The idea is first to tighten the fabric on a frame. Then, you outline some shapes with  a pipette filled with "gutta", a watertight fluid sometimes based on latex, then to spread the colors with a sponge paintbrush inside the shapes. The gutta prevents colors from spreading outside the shapes (beware to have your shapes completely enclosed with gutta).

6 Batik

This is nearly the same process as for the "serti", except that you use wax instead of gutta.
When dried, iron the fabric between two newspaper sheets to eliminate the wax.

7 Stencil

Stick the stencil on the fabric using removable paste. Apply color with a special brush or a slightly impregned paint roller.

8 Carved Plate

This is another traditional ploynesian technique. You need to be two persons for large pieces of fabric.
First of all carve a wooden plate (or buy it). Apply desired color(s) on the emerging shapes with a paint roller. Lay down the fabric on the plate, then use a paint roller to press it on the shapes.
Take the fabric off and let it dry.

Techniques 7 and 8 allow you to repeat the same pattern on several fabric pieces. You may use them after having colored the background with techniques 1 to 4.

9 Screen printing

It is based on the same idea than the stencil , but in a more professional way.
First you prepare a printing screen, made with a tight net stretched on a frame. Several processes, more or less professional, will allow you to make it watertight all over its surface, except for the shapes you want to print.
Then, you place the screen above the fabric, you scrape the ink over the screen, and it gets through the net at the shapes places, printing them down on your fabric.
With this technique more than the others, you can duplicate at will and with a good precision whatever shapes you want, in one or several colors. It is mostly used for T-Shirt printing, but you can use it on any material, if you use the accurate ink.

10 Direct painting

This is the simplest way to paint : just use a paintbrush and draw your designs.

Related product : Paintbrush

General Note

Whatever technique you use, never forget to fix the color after printing and wait 2 days before washing.