The use of paint to create a fade pattern is an easy way to obtain an ombre effect when you are not comfortable using dye.
Using paint will give you more control and, as a result, a more accurate pattern than you can achieve using dye. Fade patterns provide a simple pattern that is unique, custom and looks expensive when it is actually very inexpensive. An important benefit to this technique is that you can cover up imperfections of your body, i.e., using dark paint to slenderize the hips.
Supplies:
Fabric or dance garment
Paint – a minimum of three different shades of the same color
Paint brush
Paper plates or sheets of paper
Directions:
Choosing Your Materials
As usual, the first step is to choose your fabric or dance garment. Then, of course, you need to choose the colors of the paint you wish to use. Remember, you need a minimum of three paint colors.
For our demonstration, we are going to use three different shades of green paint and a pair of dance shorts.
We want the color to fade down on the one leg. If you want the colors to blend a little, dampen the fabric. You want the garment wet, but not dripping wet. If the fabric is too wet, the paint will spread more and the edges will not be as intense.
Next, dip your brush in the lightest color and paint the lightest color with downward strokes about 1/3 of the surface on the top portion of the leg. Next, do the same with the medium color covering the next 1/3 of the leg but slightly overlap the lighter colored paint with the medium color. Finally, do the same with the dark color and make sure you overlap the bottom of the medium color. There should be less of the dark color than the other two colors.
Go back with a fairly dry brush with the darkest color and kind of blend the paint over the edges of the three colors so that the actual edges are obscured. You can then do the same with the light or medium color if you wish.
The fabric will be stiff but that can be overcome by hand washing the garment with fabric softener. You could also mix a textile medium with the paint which would the paint and the garment more pliable.
