In this first step, we are going to show you how to create a watercolor effect using dye. We are going to use a white skirt in our demonstration since that will make the skirt so much easier to see.
Supplies:
- Dance garment or fabric
- Clothes dye – either powder or
liquid – in three different colors
or three different shades of the
same color and in three
different intensities - Rubber gloves
- Wooden spoon or other
stirring utensil - Apron or old clothes
- Bleach
Directions:
Before you do anything else, check the Notes to Remember in the introductory section above.
- Choosing Your Materials
First of all, choose what garment you want to dye. You could also use a small piece of fabric if you prefer. You will need to determine what colors you want. Those colors will depend on what overall effect you want from your costume.
- Dyeing Your Garment
This method can be done in your sink using both powder dye and liquid dye. Make sure you are wearing gloves and an apron or old clothes that you do not care if the dye spatters on them.
Fill your sink with very hot water and put a small amount of very, very hot water in a small bowl. Mix the powder dye and the very, very hot water in the medium bowl and let it sit. You want to make sure that the powder dye has totally dissolved in the water or you will end up with little specks of dye all over your fabric or garment. Dip your garment or fabric in the water and make sure to dampen it all over but make sure it is not too wet. Wring it out if necessary. You can then hang your garment or fabric over the side of the sink.
Mix the lightest colored dye in the sink of hot water. The hotter the water, the deeper the color will be. You don’t need to use the whole bottle – just enough to get the desired color. It is better to start out using less dye. You can always add more dye if you need to make the color darker. But make sure you take the skirt out of the water before you add more dye. If you put the whole bottle of liquid dye in the water, it will give a darker look to the dye. Put the whole entire garment into the sink and make sure the entire garment is evenly covered. This will give a nice light colored garment. If you decide you need more color, make sure to take the garment out of the sink before you add more dye to the water. You do not want to add more dye while the garment is in the sink or you will end up with the garment looking splotchy. In the case of our demonstration garment, we want it a little darker so we are going to add a little more of the lightest color dye to the water and re-dip the garment.
Next, pour the small bowl of very, very hot water and dissolved dye (the medium colored dye) into the sink and mix it in with the light colored dye that is presently in the sink. This will give it a color that is a little darker. Take the whole garment and dip it into the water. Make sure you only dip about two thirds of the garment into the water. Dip it into the water two or three times each time stopping at the same point. You will notice that the bottom two thirds of the garment will be darker than the top one third. With each step, you will notice that the longer the garment is in the water, the darker the color will be.
The next step is to pour your darkest colored dye into the water but this time, do it while the bottom third of the garment is draped in the water so that you can actually pour the dye onto your garment. You only want the bottom one third of the garment in the water. Again, you will notice that there is another layer. So, you should end up with three distinct layers of color graduating from light on top to dark on the bottom. Remember, if at any stage you want the garment darker, leave it in the mixture a little longer.
Last, pour some of the darker liquid dye directly on the bottom edge of the garment. Rinse the top of the garment. Put one of your gloved hands into the sink and get it wet with some of the dark dye. Twist and squeeze the garment around with your gloved hand getting some of the dye in various spots. You want to spread some of the color around so that you do not end up with an ombre effect. You want to keep going until it gets the watercolor effect you want. You can use as many colors as you want, spread it around with your gloved hand as much as you want. It is totally up to you.
You want to wring the fabric or garment out but make sure the top of the garment is higher than the rest of the garment so that you do not mix the bottom of the garment with the top of the garment. Unwrap the fabric or garment and check it out. This is how you get the watercolor effect.
Look over the garment and if you see any tiny spots. If so, you can rub the tiny spots and they will blend in with the rest of the garment.
