We are going to show you how to create a forest look using fabric dye and fabric paint. This is a great look if you want that jungle feel but you do not want a straight out camouflage look.
Supplies:
- Garment
- Green and brown dyes and
in other colors that you
believe will give you that
forestry or woodsy feel - Rubber gloves
- Apron or old clothes
- Bleach
Directions:
Before you do anything else, check Notes to Remember in the introductory section above.
- Choosing Your Materials
T0 start, you need to choose the dance garment that you want to dye. The next step would be to choose the colors of dye and paint that you wish to use and that you believe will give you that forest or woodsy feeling.
This forest look is not quite a camouflage look but it does appear like you could blend into the jungle. We are going to use a white skirt for this demonstration. We like to use the white base because then you can really get the colors you want.
- Dyeing the Garment
First, dip the skirt into clear water and wring the skirt out. Next, pour a tan or light brown liquid dye in splotches on the skirt. Pour some of the brown dye into your gloved hands and then spread the brown dye onto the skirt. In some cases, rub it over areas rather than pour it on the garment. In other cases, splatter the dye all over the skirt in a very random, sporadic way. Make sure you keep it very unique and individual. There should be no pattern of any kind. Squeeze the skirt together spreading the colors even more.
Then, add spots of green paint. In our demonstration, we used paint because we like the richness of the green. You can go with a darker green, maybe deeper forest green if you like. That works, too. Again, squeeze the bottles of paint into your gloves and rub your gloved hands together. Spread it around by gathering up parts of the skirt and squeezing it into the material. The purpose of mixing the fabric paint with the fabric dye is that it keeps the colors from bleeding together and it gives the colors a different texture. If you use just liquid dye, all of the colors will bleed or blend together and the green will not stand out as much but just mix in with the browns. That would create more of a camouflage look. Next, we are going to go with a darker brown liquid dye. Pour some brown dye into the palms of your gloves and then rub the liquid dye all over the palms and fingers of your gloves. Then, start applying the darker brown liquid dye to the skirt using the fingertips all over the skirt. The next step would be to apply the dye to the skirt using the palms of the gloves and squeezing all over the skirt. If the color still looks too light, add a darker color. Black paint can be used, but you should not put black paint directly onto the skirt. Instead, pour some of the green paint into the palm of your gloves and then add some drops of black paint. Mix it up in the palm of your gloves to create a darker green paint. Repeat this process several times.
Use any colors you like that you believe will give it that woodsy look and start with the lightest colors and then work your way up to the darker colors. Add and mix colors however you wish as you go. Be creative and make it the way you want it.
Remember that the skirt is wet so you will not get definite splotches of color – the dye will definitely blend. And, there you have it – a nice jungle or forest feel.
