Spray painting

[Mythical]

Has anyone had much success with spray painting fabrics?
I have a gorgeous pair of Ivory shoes I just love. Ivory really isn't my colour, however, and I'm looking to change the colour to a nice, deep red. I thought of using a fabric dye, but since satin gets nasty watermarks, I thought a paint might be better.

Is spray painting on a fabric much different to spray painting on something solid?
I've sprayed car bodies and various other bits of metal and plastic before now, and they generally come out ok...I imagine satin would be less forgiving, though, am I right?
If it goes wrong, is there any way to correct the damage? and either get them back to what they were, or will I end up painting them black?

[EMEvans]

Sorry i don't know anything about spray painting but i think it wouldn't work as where the shoe creases the paint will crack. Maybe if you google it you may come up with whats best.

[Woodsprite]

You used to be able to get something called plasti-kote (or plasticote or something similar). It was a paint that you could use on most surfaces and it use to soak in to the top of the surface to give a non-crack flexible finish. I used it to colour the headlining on an old beetle that I was restoring/customising and it did the job well, and has never faded or cracked to this day. At the time it was available in tins to brush apply or aerosols to spray. Not sure if it's still available or not but might be the sort of thing you're looking for.

[Mythical]

I've got a jar of red fabric paint that i used to paint some designs on some tee-shirts a while ago. i was thinking of using that. I managed to put white paint onto a red shirt, and it showed up nicely, after a few coats, so I'm thinking it doesn't so much stain the fabric as cover it.

I was wondering more about the way the fabric would catch the paint, rather than what paint to use. Since Satin is probably slightly more absorbent than steel. (last time I used the paint, I painted lines with a bristle brush and on lycra, so I can't really compare!)

They're latin dance shoes, so creasing is at a minimum, and I don't want to dip them in hot water (don't want anybody else to do it, either, hence my reluctance to send them away!) because I need all the support I can get from the shoes!!

Thanks for your help, though, Woodsprite and EMEvans. :)

[candles by lisa]

You would imagine if you were using fabric paint it would absorb into the material of the shoe but with satin like you say not sure what kind of effect you would get.

Why not give a dancewear shop a call because I know that they send away their shoes for dying, if they can't help they might be able to point you in the right direction. Brides and things use the shops, they order the shoes and then get the dancewear shop to colour match the shoes to bridesmaids dresses and things.

Not much but hope it helps.

Cheers.

Lisa

:D

[rowanb]

I've always found that painting fabric doesn't last for a long time. The fabric stretches and moves and the paint cracks no matter how finely it is put on. I know satin gets bad watermarks but if you lock the dye into the fabric I think you might be ok.

i hope it works out for you
xb