Transparent vs Opaque Textile Paint

I usually use transparent textile paint, but since I am teaching a leaf printing class for a summer kids camp this year, I wanted to see the differences in the paints. I’m using Prochem textile paints. On the left is the transparent; on the right the opaque.

So I decided I’d do a test to see the difference. The first set of blue are transparent paint, and then the opaque, and on down the piece.

Now to add colors on top of the paint to see the actual differences. I did let the fabric dry a bit before I conducted this experiment. For the first two blues I added yellow.  If you look at the first transparent blue you can see where the yellow has mixed with the blue to make green whereas the second opaque blue the yellow sits on top. It’s the same with adding red to the blue. The transparent makes a purple while the opaque paint the red sits on top. It was an interesting test.

So now to actually print with leaves with these two different paints. The leaves are from this beautiful oak leaf hydrangea. On our walks in the neighborhood I had seen these leaves and have wanted to steal some for printing. Dave ordered the plant,  and now it’s three years old and I have all the leaves I could want! Aren’t they lovely?

When testing the two paints I am using two different leaves for each piece so that may also have changed how it looked. Also, I believe when I used the transparent paint I put less on the leaves. Anyway, here they are.

First the leaves with the transparent paint.

And the leaves with the opaque paint.

As I mentioned I might have been a bit heavier with the opaque paint, making it much more colorful. I’ll be using the opaque paints with the kids.

Cherries have ripened on our little tree. It’s sad since it’s never really produced much, and now half of it is dead. However, we got enough for a cobbler which we’ll enjoy tonight.

That’s all for today. We’ve been having a lot of hot days here and no rain. I need to do a rain dance!