• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Painting Denim

kwiteaboy

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2006
Messages
565
Reaction score
1
I was dicking around in Harrods today and saw a pair of Dior jeans that looked like they'd been spraypainted silver. I thought, "I could do that," and got a pair of H&M Raw Sliqs to be painted. The problem is, I don't really know how I'm going to do this. From my rudimentary research, it looks like regular spraypaint won't work because (1) the paint will chip/flake off, (2) I won't be able to wash them, and (3) spraypaint makes fabric incredibly stiff. I found some good fabric paint called "Lumiere" that is supposed to be the best, but even if I had some of that, I wouldn't know what to do with it. Airbrush it? Paint with a stiff brush? Dip it?

Anybody ever done this? Anybody have any other ideas? Obviously, I'll practice on some old jeans first before I try the Sliqs, but if someone could point me in the right direction, that would be awesome.
 

nomovement

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2006
Messages
268
Reaction score
0
I just painted a jacket I got. I just balled out and used spray paint. Its really stiff; but I painted black over black so I can't really tell if its chipping; but I don't think so yet-and thats after the fact that I washed it to get the spray paint stink off. It is also very wind and water resistant. hmm....I don't know about painting some jeans; but I would reccomend using a fabric paint instead of the spray paint becuase the fabric paint is easier to control and we be more economical. When you go to buy your paint, just ask tell the clerks what you're trying to do (you can say you're painting a t-shirt if you're worried about them stealing your idea) and they'll tell you what kind of brush to get. My favorite brush's are the cheap foam wedge brush's that you see on the crafts aisle. I have a bunch of other expensive brushes; but they don't work as well as those cheapies for me. Good luck on your project and I hope you're not really thinking about silver (that screams theatre kid a little too loud for me); but black would be pretty cool.
 

VMan

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Messages
4,996
Reaction score
34
I have a pair of Chucks that I painted black, spraypainted over with metallic silver, then dry-brushed with off-white acrylic. The effect is very cool because the colors peek through in certain areas, and when they get scuffed you'll be able to see the layered effects in the scuffed areas.

I'd try painting the jeans silver (but not perfect 100% coverage) and then dry-brush some black artist's acrylic paint over the silver. I think the effect would be pretty dope when the jeans start to break in.
 

kwiteaboy

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2006
Messages
565
Reaction score
1
Here they are after one coat:

2002752142205549595_rs.jpg
 

nomovement

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2006
Messages
268
Reaction score
0
I know I knocked the silver; but that doesn't mean that those don't look damn good. great job and, oh yeah, what DID you end up using?
 

kwiteaboy

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2006
Messages
565
Reaction score
1
I'm in the process of putting on another coat right now, then I'll take more pics. I just used the Lumiere paint I found and some of the cheap foam wedge brushes. They are not going to be very comfortable for awhile after the second coat, but I've been wearing raw Imperials for the last seven months, so I'm used to it
smile.gif
EDIT: Here's a picture of the back:
2000241962654921733_rs.jpg
 

Augusto86

Sean Penn's Mexican love child
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
6,627
Reaction score
0
WOn't you be leaving little silver flakes everywhere you go, though?
 

kwiteaboy

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2006
Messages
565
Reaction score
1
I don't think it will flake. It's fabric paint, so it's supposed to be flexible.
 

Goblin

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Messages
689
Reaction score
8
Those look really awesome. I think I'd look like a total tool in them, but I'm not so much into the glam thing. They look cool on you, and I'm sure a certain class of young lady will lose their ******* minds over them.

Does the paint stink?
 

kwiteaboy

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2006
Messages
565
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by Goblin
Those look really awesome. I think I'd look like a total tool in them, but I'm not so much into the glam thing. They look cool on you, and I'm sure a certain class of young lady will lose their ******* minds over them.

Does the paint stink?


Hehe..thanks!

I just finished the second coat. The paint smells pretty good, just like house paint, but I've always liked the smell of paint.

This has been a fun project. I don't think I'll need another coat, but I've got another jar of paint left. Any ideas what I should use it on?
 

VMan

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Messages
4,996
Reaction score
34
Originally Posted by kwiteaboy
I've got another jar of paint left. Any ideas what I should use it on?

Paint up some old Chucks with it. Maybe even a thrift-store pair of vintage leather shoes, Dior Homme style (or did Hedi do them in gold?).

Even, a hip-length cotton twill work/military jacket.
 

Goblin

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Messages
689
Reaction score
8
Originally Posted by kwiteaboy
This has been a fun project. I don't think I'll need another coat, but I've got another jar of paint left. Any ideas what I should use it on?
Well, since you like the smell of it ...
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,161
Messages
10,578,989
Members
223,882
Latest member
anykadaimeni
Top