Jacquard Lumiere Fabric PaintThe cheapest and the most convenient way to transfer paint to any kind of fabric is by using fabric paints.
It’s substantially more hassle-free and inexpensive than other methods like heat transfers and sublimation.
So, going for fabric paints is the best way to go if you design fabrics as a hobby or recreation.
If you have already realized that and are in the market for fabric paints but can’t decide upon which one to get then don’t worry.
Because we have brought the 8 best fabric paints for creatives and also added a buyer’s guide to help you make your purchase.
Go ahead and give it a read!
Best Fabric Paint
Here is the list of the 8 best fabric paints that you can use to create beautiful designs, patterns, and artwork on your fabric projects.
1. Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow Specialty Paint Set – Best for Light-Colored Fabrics
Jacquard Dy-Na-Flow is an acrylic-based bodiless fabric paint. It has amazing saturation and the colors are superbly vibrant on light-colored fabrics. The way it behaves resembles fabric dye more than fabric paint. It is extremely durable as well, so, it won’t be a problem to wash the fabric you’ve worked on.
Experience
The acrylic fabric paint is very transparent. The feel and consistency of it while painting is similar to watercolors.
It reacts to a porous fabric in a very similar fashion to fabric dye.
Since it’s a bodiless paint it won’t work that well on darker colors. But on light-colored fabrics, the colors were incredibly saturated and vibrant.
On regular t-shirts or garments, the dried result is not very noticeable. It’s very light and transparent. This paint is rather ideal for something like silk since it is also very durable.
It won’t budge at all even after several washes because of the way it is able to penetrate the fabric given how thin it is compared to heavy-body acrylic paint.
Dy-Na-Flow is also perfect for an airbrush system because of how thin it is. Hence, making it versatile in terms of use.
What We Like
- Extremely vibrant and intense colors
- Wash-fast and extremely durable
- Ideal for using in an airbrush system
What We Don’t Like
- Paint is very thin
2. Jacquard Products Textile Color Fabric Paint – Best for Versatility & Beginners
Jacquard’s Textile Color is a renowned fabric paint lineup. Professionals love it because of how well-rounded it is in its performance. It can be used both as thin and thick paint by playing around with additives like water, Color Extender, etc. It’s a good pick for a beginner as well because of how versatile it is and how good it performs.
Experience
It’s a semi-opaque paint that is extremely modular because it can experiment with various additives.
You can make it more transparent by adding water, or you can use any color extender to do the same thing without changing its viscosity.
It performs mediocre on dark-colored fabric but you can also mix some additives to make it thicker and perform better.
On lighter-colored fabric, the colors are well-saturated and vibrant. The thing we love about it is that it doesn’t harden the fabric – remains soft even after drying up the paint.
The best part is that you can also mix Textile Color with other Jacquard paint lines to make something unique that can cater to your needs.
The paint is also very durable and if you paint on garments the design will stay on even after several washes.
It’s a well-rounded good performer and is especially good for new users because of how versatile it.
What We Like
- Semi-opaque paint and can mix well with different kinds of additives
- Extremely durable and wash-fast
- Colors are intense and have high saturation
What We Don’t Like
- Not good for working with textures or to have a raised appearance
3. Jacquard Products Neopaque Acrylic Paint – Best for Dark-Colored Fabrics
Jacquard’s Neopaque fabric paint is one of the best options if you plan to work on dark-colored fabric. It’s fully opaque and has a high pigment count which makes it vibrant and intense even on dark textiles. If you prefer heavy-bodied paint then this one is right up your alley and if you want something slightly thinner, then you can mix it with water.
Experience
The colors have high saturation and that’s why it’s perfect for dark garments or fabric of any sort. It’s highly pigmented giving it a rich color and feel.
Hence, it performs really well with light fabric as well.
Although it is heavier than the Dy-Na-Flow and Textile Color out of the box, it still leaves the fabric soft. It’s easily mixable with water, so, you can get something lighter if you may desire so.
It’s also very durable and once heated, it won’t leave the fabric easily. Because of how thick it is, of course, it is not recommended to use it with an airbrush system.
It can be a little hard to work with heavy-bodied paint so we recommend picking up some other line-up if you are not planning to work with dark fabrics.
What We Like
- Heavy-bodied and has a rich consistency
- Durable and doesn’t wear off after washing
- Colors are vibrant and intense
What We Don’t Like
- Not ideal to use with airbrush systems
4. Dimensional Fabric Paint
Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint is a fantastic option if you are planning to use it for casual purposes or for children. It is extremely inexpensive and has a great variety of color options. Even though it is cheap, it’s still plenty durable and the colors are of good quality.
Experience
The design and the affordable nature of this fabric paint make it the perfect choice for a painting party or for a children’s birthday party.
All the colors are non-toxic and safe for people of any age, including children. And the way it is made, you don’t need to provide brushes or any other kind of applicators to use it at a party. Also, leading to a lot less cleanup afterward.
If you are planning to use it for a party then you should also take a look at the Tulip party pack option because then you’ll get a variety of colors in a convenient package.
Even though it is inexpensive, the colors are vibrant and saturated, and it is also very durable and wash-fast.
What We Like
- Inexpensive and great for a painting party
- Rich colors and durable
- Non-toxic
- Easily portable and easy to use
- Doesn’t need brushes or any other kind of applicator
What We Don’t Like
- Not useful for any serious use
5. Jacquard Lumiere Fabric Paint
Jacquard’s Lumiere line-up provides great color options if you want something shiny and bright. The colors have a metallic or pearlescent effect which works great, especially for dark fabrics. The colors are semi-opaque and light-bodied which keeps the fabric soft after application.
Experience
Lumiere is one of the best line-ups if you are looking for a little bit of sparkle in your creations. The metallic or pearlescent look is very attractive and can make any ordinary project seem more beautiful.
The colors are well-saturated and pretty vibrant. Even though it is semi-opaque and light-bodied, it works really well on dark fabrics.
It has amazing adhesion and pretty much sticks to any kind of fabric you want it to. So, you can even apply it in multiple layers to gain more intensity.
The results are exceptionally good on leather as well but if you want something even better in that regard then you can try Lumiere 3D which gives a better-raised appearance.
The paint is also extremely durable and resistant to wear due to washing or exposure to light.
If you want a shiny color set then there’s nothing better than this line-up for you.
What We Like
- Has a gorgeous metallic or pearlescent effect
- Performs excellently on dark fabrics
- Colors adhere incredibly well and the paint is durable
What We Don’t Like
- Not ideal for a thin application or airbrush systems
6. Jacquard Pinata Color Alcohol Inks
Alcohol-based fabric paints are great for a more transparent and dye-like application, and Jacquard’s Pinata alcohol ink is a great option for people looking for that. With beautiful-looking colors and good durability overall, we recommend Jacquard’s Pinata over any other alcohol-based fabric paint.
Experience
If you read our buyer’s guide – where we have talked about alcohol-based paint in greater detail, you’d know that alcohol inks have a more translucent and light application than acrylic-based paint.
Jacquard’s pinata is great alcohol ink. It is lightfast and incredibly durable under regular wash. You can even wash the paint away, if you wish, by using alcohol.
Hence, the paint is extremely modifiable. It’s also a lot more hassle-free and easy to work, especially, compared to acrylic-based paint.
It’s also the best option if you are planning to work with an airbrush system since it is so thin and light-bodied. You can use an airbrush system to apply paint with a high flow.
We recommend using this paint with synthetic fabrics or non-porous surfaces. Keep in mind that the colors are going to be light and translucent. That’s why we don’t advise using this color to paint on dark fabrics.
What We Like
- Works great on non-fabric surfaces
- Easily modifiable using alcohol
- Durable and lightfast
What We Don’t Like
- Not ideal for using on dark fabric
7. Fabric Paint 3D Permanent by Crafts 4 ALL
CRAFTS 4 ALL 3D Fabric Paint is a great affordable alternative if you are not looking to invest a lot in fabric painting or just starting out. Even though it is inexpensive, the durability and the quality of the colors are pretty excellent. Hence, it’s a great value-for-money option for those who don’t want to spend a lot.
Experience
Due to its inexpensive nature, CRAFTS 4 ALL is an excellent option for painting or birthday parties.
For the money, you get a wide range of color choices -24 colors in a set – and a tip nozzle – if you don’t want to use brushes or any other forms of an applicator.
The colors are totally odorless and non-toxic so it’s very safe for children to use. They are also somewhat semi-opaque, which means they show good saturation on light fabric.
And for the price, the paint is also very durable and adheres really well to the surface. It is also wash-fast and lightfast.
The only gripe we have is that the colors come only in a set of 24 and the amount of each individual color is very less. Be careful not to use a single color a lot for a project, otherwise, you’ll have to buy the complete set again.
What We Like
- Inexpensive
- Colors are of good quality and they adhere well
- Colors have good saturation and are reasonably vibrant
What We Don’t Like
- Colors come in sets and there’s seemingly no way to get individual colors
8. Liquitex Professional Fabric Effects Medium
This final entry is not a fabric paint but it’s a great medium to make any acrylic-based paint useable for fabric painting. It’s a great non-toxic additive to make acrylic paints adhere better with fabrics making heat setting almost unnecessary.
Experience
Liquitex’s fabric medium is an awesome way to make any acrylic-based paint adhere to fabric surfaces.
We tried it out with Liquitex’s paints and other brands of paint as well and found it to work absolutely fine.
It also makes the paint more lightweight and workable.
The best part of it all is that it doesn’t need to be heat set. The dried paint will automatically be permanent and will be pretty durable.
For any fabric painter, this medium is a must-have even if you already have acrylic-based fabric paints because of its many uses.
What We Like
- Non-toxic and completely safe to use
- Makes any acrylic paint usable on fabric
- No need to heat set the paint
What We Don’t Like
- None
Best Fabric Paints Comparison Table
| Product | Volume/Net Weight | Finish Type | Surface Recommendation | Washable | No. of Pieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow | 2.25 fl oz | Transparent | All kinds of fabrics, synthetic or natural fibers | Yes | 10 jars |
| Jacquard Textile Fabric Paint | 2.25 fl oz | Gloss | Fabric | Yes | 8 jars |
| Jacquard Neopaque Paint | 18 fl oz | N/A | Fabric, paper, wood | Yes | 8 jars |
| Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint | 1.25 fl oz | Metallic | Fabric, posters, canvases, glass, wood, & more | Yes | 6 bottles |
| Jacquard Lumiere Fabric Paint | 2.36 fl oz | Metallic | Ceramic, fabric, metal, vinyl | Yes | 1 jar |
| Jacquard Pinata Color Alcohol Inks | About 0.5 oz | Transparent | Glass, metal, plastic, ceramic, stone, leather, polymer clay, & more | Yes | 1 bottle |
| Crafts 4 ALL Fabric Paint | 0.99 fl oz | Matte | Fabric, glass, paper, wood | Yes | 24 bottles |
| Liquitex Fabric Medium | 4 fl oz | N/A | Fabric | Yes | 1 bottle |
Buying Guide for the Best Fabric Paint
Fabric paints, of a specific kind, are all more or less similar in terms of quality. Hence, when making a purchase you’ll only have to worry about the kind of Fabric Paints you get.
The classifications of fabric paints depend on the type of fabric paint – acrylic-based, alcohol-based, and fabric dye – and the forms of application – liquid paint, spray, and marker.
Once, you have these parameters set – we’ll discuss it in more detail in the following section, all you have to worry about is your preference of brand.
Types of fabric paints
Fabric paint or textile paint, basically, consists of pigments of color, emulsified with a binder which makes the pigment stick to the surface of any fabric.
Various kinds of fabric paints try to achieve this using different chemicals, which results in the difference in texture, permanency, etc.
Fabric Dye differs a little from fabric paints. It binds the pigment molecules directly to the molecules of the fabric.
Because of that, different types of fabrics require different kinds of dye.
There is no such concern for fabric paints because they use a binder, instead of interacting directly with the fabric molecules, to attach to the fabric.
Alcohol-based fabric paint
Alcohol-based fabric paints use, you guessed it, alcohol as the binding material.
It’s not a commonly used type of fabric paint mainly because it seeps through porous fabric surfaces. And most of our garments or fabrics are porous in nature.
The ink doesn’t have as much saturation as acrylic paint and will have more of a transparent look.
You’ll need to use a lot of it to achieve a rich color and texture. It also doesn’t fare too well on dark-colored fabric because of this.
But on a non-porous fabric, alcohol-based paint can give the best appearance.
Acrylic-based fabric paint
In acrylic-based fabric paint, an acrylic polymer is used as the binder medium. Adding color pigments and water to it makes fabric paint.
It is the most popular medium of fabric paint because it achieves the best results.
It is more durable than alcohol-based ink. It sticks to the fabric even after several washes and it resists decay due to exposure to light.
It is also easier to apply as it doesn’t lose its saturation depending on the flow or viscosity of the paint. Hence, it gives a more accurate and consistent experience while painting.
It also comes in all forms of applicators – liquid paint, markers, or spray.
Hence, acrylic-best paint is the best option for working on your textiles and garments.
Fabric dye
An alternative to fabric paint is fabric dye but it is significantly different from fabric paint.
There are many kinds of dye that are meant specifically for a type of fabric. Depending upon the type of dye, it may be transparent looking like alcohol-based paint, or more saturated and rich like acrylic-based fabric paint.
The way to use it can also vary significantly on the type of dye and overall is a very different experience than fabric paints.
Types of applicators
The type of applicator decides how you can paint or design your textile. Fabric paints come in a variety of ways to apply them.
Here are some ways you can use fabric paint.
Liquid Paint
This is the most popular way people use fabric paint.
Fabric paints come stored in a bottle and usually, it is sold in a set containing various colors.
Different brands can have different consistencies and there are many available additives to change the transparency and consistency of the paint.
You can use a brush or spray it using an airbrush system. Whatever your preference is. You can even splatter it, if you may desire to.
Spray Paint
You can even use fabric spray paint. They look and are used like regular spray paints but are specially made for fabric paints.
It is a good way to paint a garment if you don’t have a lot of details in your design.
Markers
For less elaborate designs and finer detail, you can also use fabric paint markers. These markers are like regular markers but they paint on fabric.
Of course, like regular markers, these are convenient and portable – although, a little limiting compared to liquid or spray paint.
Special-Dimensional Paint
Dimensional fabric paint, a.k.a. Puff paint, are special kind of fabric paint that can give a specific texture or a separate-layer appearance.
These are awesome because they can add a certain amount of uniqueness to your design.
Parameters to evaluate fabric paint
The following are some parameters that can help you judge the quality and the kind of paint you are using.
Opacity
The paint’s opacity can vary depending on the kind of paint you are using, as mentioned before.
Some paints are more rich and opaque while some are transparent. Depending upon your use you may prefer one or the other.
If you are working on a dark-shaded fabric, you’ll have to use opaque colors. While both transparent and opaque colors work well on lighter fabrics.
You can also use additives to change the opacity of your paint.
Body and consistency
Thin fabric paints are called bodiless. Bodiless paint is the most ideal to be used in an airbrush system.
Otherwise, you can use bodiless paint to make something transparent or watercolor-like.
On the other hand, you have thick or heavy body paint. Heavy paint is best if you want to have a texture or you want the paint to form an extra layer above the fabric.
You can change the consistency of the paint using additives and you can make heavy body paint thinner using just water.
Heat setting
Most of the time, to make the fabric paint last long, you’ll have to heat it.
Different fabric paints need a different amount of heat to adhere properly to the fabric. Good paint should adhere better even with less amount of heat.
While heating, you will have to make sure whether or not the fabric you are working on can endure that heat.
Can fabric paint be used on different types of fabric?
Yes, fabric paint can be used on a variety of fabrics, including cotton, canvas, denim, polyester, and silk.
However, it is important to read the label to ensure that the fabric paint you choose is compatible with the specific fabric you are using.
What is the best type of fabric paint for beginners?
Acrylic-based fabric paint is the best type of fabric paint for beginners. It is easy to use, dries quickly, and is available in a variety of colors.
What is the best fabric paint for dark fabrics?
Transparent or opaque fabric paints are the best options for dark fabrics, as they provide good coverage and can be applied over darker colors without showing through.
What is the best fabric paint for light fabrics?
Dye-based fabric paints are the best options for light fabrics, as they penetrate the fabric fibers and produce vibrant colors that are long-lasting.
Is fabric paint safe for children to use?
Yes, fabric paint is generally safe for children to use. However, it is important to supervise children while they are using fabric paint and to choose non-toxic, washable paints.
Can fabric paint be used on upholstery?
Yes, fabric paint can be used on upholstery. However, it is important to choose a paint that is specifically formulated for upholstery use, as these paints are designed to be more durable and flexible.
What are some tips for using fabric paint?
Some tips for using fabric paint include pre-washing and drying the fabric, using a fabric medium to improve paint adhesion and flexibility, and heat-setting the paint after it has dried to increase its durability.
Additionally, it is important to use the appropriate brushes or applicators for the type of fabric paint being used.
Conclusion
After an in-depth analysis of various fabric paints, we have come to a consensus on the best options for different purposes. These highly-rated products offer different features, finishes, and application methods, ensuring that you can achieve the desired results with your fabric painting projects.
From the above 8 best fabric paint, here are the top three expert recommendations:
The Jacquard Dye-Na-Flow Specialty Paint Set is an ideal option due to its incredible color saturation and durability. The acrylic fabric paint works exceptionally well on light-colored fabrics, and its thin consistency makes it perfect for airbrush systems.
The Jacquard Products Textile Color Fabric Paint is a good option, as it caters to a wide range of applications and is user-friendly for novices. This semi-opaque paint can be mixed with various additives, allowing artists to achieve the desired consistency and color transparency.
Lastly, the Jacquard Products Neopaque Acrylic Paint is the right choice for those who aim to work on dark textiles. Boasting high pigment count and opacity, this heavy-bodied paint leaves fabric soft while offering vibrant and intense colors.
Thus, by selecting the most suitable product from these top recommendations, you can confidently achieve your desired outcomes in your fabric painting endeavors. Happy painting!
