Closet Art: From Plain T-Shirts to Masterpieces

With so much junk in your closet, sometimes the easiest way to get rid of things is by transforming your old stuff into cool new things. This is possible by transforming that old t-shirt you've worn out into a beautiful art piece. So hurry up and grab your old t-shirts because we're going to transform your 'closet junk' into 'closet art'!!!

Goal: While the main goal is to get rid of your closet junk, the way to do it is by transforming those plain, old t-shirts into different themed pieces of art. Therefore I'm going to instruct you on how to create three different themed shirts. One will be a nature top, with spring flowers as the main idea. Another will be a hand prints & signatures top, with 'friends and family' as the theme. The last shirt will be a 'favorite poems' top, with lines from your favorite selections as a theme.

Materials: You will need fabric paint in color choices of your own (think spring colors for your nature-top). You will also need stencils of flowers, butterflies, etc. unless you think you are artistically talented enough to draw on your own. Also, have several brushes ready, and at least two cups with water to dip the brushes while you're painting. If you don't have your own workshop, try to pick the best place to paint without the risk of a spill ruining your furniture.

After setting up, flatten out your t-shirt neatly front facing you, and place a piece of cardboard inside the shirt so that the paint won't go through to the other side. This allows you to have a nice flat surface to draw on.

Nature Top: With a pencil you might want to outline your drawing first. It's really up to you on what you want on your shirt since it all depends on your stencils, but some ideas are flowers, butterflies, plants, and leaves. Also, you must decide if you want to paint your whole shirt, or just the front. After outlining your design, you can begin painting. Make sure you are careful, and be creative! Think of shading, light, and patterns. Once you've completed the front side of your shirt, let it dry. It may take minutes, or hours, depending on your paint and the amount you used. If you're going to paint the whole shirt, turn the side over if it is dry already. Repeat the same process and let dry. Now you're done with your nature top!

Hand prints & Signatures Top: This shirt is really fun since you get to use your hands! Spill some paint on the palm of one hand (not too much!) and spread it out to your fingers with a brush. Stamp this design neatly all across the shirt, and layer it over and over again with different colors until every little space is filled (back and front). If anyone is around to help you, even better! Make sure the hand prints don't get messy, though. You want them to stand out, so make sure you use different colors. After your shirt has dried, get your family members and friends to sign their names with a permanent marker.

Poems Top: Before you begin painting make sure you have your favorite poems selected and are nearby for references. It's up to you whether you want to focus on a single poem, or want lines from multiple selections. Make sure you have a thin brush to write the words with, but size and font style is up to you. Be creative with your colors. For example, black on white would look best for a serious poem, red and pink colors for a love poem, and bright colors for a fun poem. Once you've finished with the front side, it's up to you whether you want to continue on the back side. When you're done, let dry.

Now you're ready to wear your masterpieces! Your nature top will be perfect to wear for a picnic, a nature-walk, or even a camping trip. Your 'friends and family' top is perfect for a family reunion. And your 'poems' t-shirt is just the thing to wear whenever you're in the mood to spend the afternoon reading away.