Denim Painting 101: How To Use Fabric Medium For Painted Denim
Published Nov. 2020 | Updated Oct. 2024
I use fabric medium on every pair of jeans and jacket I paint. This is the secret ingredient to creating painted jeans that will last a long time, survive the washing machine, and not crack.
If you’ve heard of fabric medium and aren’t sure how to use it, have never heard of fabric medium but want to paint on denim, or you have it and use it but aren’t sure why it’s necessary, I’ll explain it all!
Safety Precautions
According to Golden Acrylic, GAC 900 Fabric Medim releases low levels of formaldehyde when heated. If you use an iron or blow dryer, ensure you heat-set it in a well-ventilated area.
Golden Acrylic recommends you use a fan to blow the air outside and have windows open.
If you use a dryer, that is already vented to the outside!
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Fabric Medium FAQs
What is Fabric Medium?
Fabric medium is an acrylic medium that you add to acrylic paint, which turns it into a more flexible and durable fabric paint.
It’s a thick liquid that looks opaque white but mixes into your paint without changing the color and dries completely clear.
Fabric medium reacts with heat to turn into plastic, which makes your painting become permanent on denim.
Why Should I Use Fabric Medium for Painted Jeans?
Fabric medium makes painted denim washable and durable.
It reduces the chances of cracking and peeling.
Heat-setting works even better with fabric medium and is necessary to activate it once the painting is completely dried.
Your painting becomes more durable.
It makes painted areas softer and more flexible.
What Kind of Fabric Medium To Use for Painted Denim?
There is only one brand and type of fabric medium I use: Golden Artist Colors GAC900.
Golden is a professional-level art supplies brand, which makes it one of the highest-quality brands out there. They also make Golden Acrylic paints, which I recommend for denim painting because of their high quality.
It comes in a few different sizes and seems to go out of stock often, so I’ll add a few links below and hope that one of them is in stock for you :)
There are multiple Golden brand mediums, but it is important to get GAC 900, because 900 is specifically made for fabric painting.
If the paint and fabric medium are both high quality, your painted jeans will be too!
How Do You Use Fabric Medium?
I recommend using about 1 part fabric medium to 3 parts acrylic paint.
Use less medium for a more matte finish and stiffer painting.
Use more medium for a shinier, more plastic-like finish and more flexible, durable painting.
Do not use it as a “sealant” over the top of the painting. It is not meant to be used this way — only mixed in with your acrylic paint.
Mix the acrylic paint on your palette until you have the color you want, then add the fabric medium to the mixture before painting it onto denim.
