Paint A Boys Valentines Day T-Shirt: Holiday Project Number 3

This third in my Paint a Valentine’s Day T-Shirt series is a simple design for a boy. If you’ve seen the first two hubs in this series, you know that the pink heart designs were specifically for baby girls, but boys also like to know they are loved.

Getting the projects done and tucking them into the crammed gift packages so I could mail them early has enabled me to produce this series of hubs on how to paint a t-shirt in time for you to think through your own t-shirts for the upcoming holiday.

A painted t-shirt does not have to be just for Valentine’s Day. I’m hoping to design more holiday shirts throughout this year--we’ll see what happens--but I’m especially looking forward to creating some 4th of July designs.

With so many options, though, I know I’m going to have a tough time making up my mind. The boy’s design will likely be the easiest one for that holiday, but the best part is that painting a t-shirt for each of my grandchildren’s summer package is a way to reach out and give them a long-distance hug.

I’ve been using a combination of fabric art products, particularly FabricMate’s dye markers. They have consistently worked well and I’m hoping to make more use of the experience I’ve gained with them in future t-shirt painting projects.

Those same dye markers were used for this long-sleeved gray t-shirt project. After preparing the shirt for painting (see tips below), and inserting the card stock into the shirt I used a legal sized envelope as a straight edge to line my design up on the front.

It worked perfectly for this child’s t-shirt and I was able to put the quote on just the right angle as well as maintain that angle as I drew it out. I chose a block lettering style because he is an early reader.

Starting in the center, I outlined a heart cut out of paper sized to use for scaling the lettering freehand. Adding the lettering with the black dye marker was easy once the heart was in place on the straight edge.

After the lettering was on in black and dry, the blue dye marker worked well for highlighting the lettering and the red, of course, worked well for the heart. The black marker was used again to insert John 3:16 into the heart using an alternative letter style.

After the basic work was done on the t-shirt I realized that painting an extra outline around the heart and an underline for each word would be a great finishing touch to this Valentine's Day gift for a very dear little boy.

At the back of the neckline another heart outlined in black, then highlighted in red with John 3:16 added in the same alternative lettering worked out nicely. It’s not quite as big as the photo seems to make it look.

• Wash and dry the t-shirt using no fabric softener.

• Slide a piece of card stock paper inside the t-shirt to prevent paints or dyes from bleeding through. Use a piece of cardboard for an adult sized t-shirt.

• Use a straight edge to help keep a slogan in line, especially for an angled design.

• Consider the age and personality of the person the t-shirt is for before deciding on your design.

• Get ideas from a variety of sources, but don’t use another artist’s work. It is unethical and illegal.

• The color black can be indispensable when painting. Using a fine tipped black marker to barely outline small sections of a design can really make it pop. Black usually does the best job of this part of a project.

• Allow paints and/or dyes to dry before adding colors unless you want unexpected blends of color.

• Designs can be created free hand, drawn on by hand, or ironed on with transfer paper.

• It is usually best to start in the center of a design and work your way out within the space allotted.

• Experiment on an old t-shirt before you begin your project.

• Trust your creative instincts and have fun!

• Be sure to take pictures so you can make your own "How To" hub, and let me know so I can link it to one of mine in this little Valentine’s Day series on painted t-shirts.

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