Lumiere & Neopaque is just about the best fabric paint available anywhere. The secret is that it contains more pigment that is higher quality than other paints. Lumiere is also the most shiny metallic fabric paint we have ever seen, and both Neopaque and Lumiere are totally opaque for the best coverage of dark fabrics and leathers. Great for metallic accents on dyed or painted silk too! These paints work on many other surfaces besides fabric, like leather, wood and paper. Shoe painters say these give the absolute best coverage on any color leather. Fantastic paints!
We estimate an 8 oz. jar will cover 12 sq. feet when painting and 24 sq feet when stamping. The Lumiere is truly metallic, not just metallic colored. Easy clean up with soap and water. Excellent washfastness and drycleanability after heat-setting with an iron or commercial silk screening dryer. Great for stamping and stenciling too. Produces clear prints with fine detail. Leather can also be painted and need not be heatset.
Some colors can be special ordered in the gallon size. Call us for more details.
What is the difference between Dye-Na-Flow, Jacquard Textile Colors, and Lumiere & Neopaque?
All three are waterbased acrylic paints and they all work together very well. However, each one has its own unique charateristics:
Dye-Na-Flow is a very fluid textile paint that has the consistency of water. It can be used for water color like washes and silk painting techniques.
Textile Colors are medium bodied semi-opaque paints ideal for fabric painting.
Lumiere & Neopaque are light bodied, very flexible paints suitable for various surfaces such as leather, paper, & fabric. The Neopaques are very opaque and excellent for covering dark materials. The Lumiere line is a gorgeous assortment of metallics & pearlescents.
Can I mix Dye-Na-Flow with Jacquard Textile Colors and Lumiere & Neopaque?
Absolutely, all are acrylic paints and they work very well together. Keep in mind that the consistencies of each paint are different, so your resulting colors may be thicker or thinner.
How do I use Lumiere & Neopaque for stamping?
You can use them straight from the bottle. Try applying them to the stamp with a sponge brush or makeup sponge.
Can I thin Lumiere & Neopaque for airbrushing?
Yes. They can be diluted with water by up to 25% to pass through an airbrush.
I've followed all the directions for heat setting, but my paints are washing off. What did I do wrong?
Make sure that you are using a dry iron at the correct temperature setting for the fabric. If you don't heat set at a high enough temperature for a long enough time, the paint may not be thoroughly set. Sometimes if you are using a top loading washing machine, it can abrade the paint from the fabric. Pre-washing fabrics before doing any surface treatments to remove any factory sizings may also help.
Are Dynaflow, Jacquard Textile Colors, and Lumiere/Neopaque dry cleanable?
Yes. Once properly heat set, these paints are dry cleanable.
When do I use the Flowable Extender?
Flowable Extender is the medium-bodied clear acrylic base for Lumiere & Neopaque. Mix it into any other Lumiere and Neopaque color to create transparency without changing the consistency of the paint. For a transparent metallic shimmer, try adding some Pearl-Ex Powdered Pigments to the extender for use on fabric.
What are the ways to heat-set textile paints?
Heat setting is necessary with most Fabric Paints to lock the color into the fibers so it's washable. (Paint must be thoroughly dry!) There are a few different methods.
Ironing is a major home option. Preheat the iron at the maximum temperature safe for the fabric. Most paints say to iron each spot for 2-3 minutes. Using Aluminum foil can cut back on this time. Place aluminum foil on the ironing board with the shiny side up. Put the fabric over that with the painted face down. Place another sheet of foil on top, shiny side down. Each square foot must be pressed for 15-25 seconds keeping the iron moving so as to not scorch the fabric. (Irons are not created equal! Inexpensive light weight irons sometimes don't get hot enough).
A commercial dryer that reaches 250° minimum can be used for 30-45 minutes depending on the fabric and fabric paint used. The dryer must be preheated and please note that home clothing dryers usually don't get hot enough.
Another method is using a commercial conveyor type oven: 350° for 3 minutes, 2 passes if necessary. A home oven can be safely used (except for accessories that have plastic inserts!), 250° for 25 min. Coil the fabric in a loose roll and lay it on some paper, not allowing the fabric to touch the side or rack of the oven. All temperatures and amounts of times are dependent on the fabric, fabric paint, amount of coverage and equipment used. TEST!
To eliminate heat setting, try Versatex's No Heat Fixative! Works with most brands of fabric paints. If you do a lot of fabric painting, this could change your life!
How can I do monoprinting using Lumiere & Neopaque Paints?
To slow the drying process you should add extender to the paints. Using the back of a spoon, lightly coat a smooth flat surface (plexiglass, glass) with the Lumiere. Outline the shapes with a tool and drop some isopropyl alcohol to disperse the paints. Place fabric (silk, canvas, etc.) over that and use a brayer or a roller to imprint.
Lumiere & Neopaque - General Information
Lumiere & Neopaque are highly "color" saturated paints that intermix beautifully to create an unlimited range of custom colors. When you are looking for TOTAL coverage and a soft flexible hand on fabrics, particularly blacks and denims, LUMIERE paints are the very best. From a 4 oz jar you can expect maximum coverage of about 6 square feet when hand painting and 12.5 square feet when stamping. The LUMIERE paints are truly metallic for that special glitz and elegant sheen! These paints work on natural fabrics, synthetics and blends. We recommend pre-washing fabrics, pressing after washing. The paints are not effective on fabrics which have been treated with a repellent finish such as water repellent or soil repellent. In addition to hand painting on fabrics, the consistency of the paints is just right for use on leather, wood, paper, walls, canvas, basketry material, fibers and for highlighting over hand dyed fabrics. Use the paints for stamping, & stenciling too. The paints will maintain their original consistency for a minimum of 1 year. Store out of the sunlight, in a cool dark place out of the reach of children. Clean up is with soap and water. Safe and easy to use. Stir paints well from the bottom up before using. We always recommend good safety precaution in your work space, and good ventilation, thin latex gloves and an apron to protect skin and clothing. To apply the paints, use firm brushes, stencil brushes, rollers, brayers, sponges, metal tipped applicators for fine lines, squeeze bottles, rubber stamps, and an assortment of natural objects such as leaves, etc. Add 10-20% of the extender to thin the paints for a watercolor wash look
ADDITIONAL USES:
- As a resist: LUMIERE paints can be used as an alternative to colored and metallic resists. Safe to use and permanent after heat setting. Apply the paints with a fine line metal tipped applicator, brush or stamp. Set according to directions and then paint with dyes.
- Line work and surface decoration: Once your fabric is dyed or painted, set, rinsed and ironed, use the paints for surface embellishments and highlights. This can be line work, brush strokes or stamping. Set the paints.
- Stenciling: LUMIERE paints will produce clear print resolutions and hold a fine detail. Use stencil paper, waterproof per-cut stencils and masking tape. Excellent with traditional stencil brushes and foam rollers. When using the foam roller, the number of passes will determine the effect. You can obtain from a brushed look to crisp solid color.
- Stamping: Great for stamping! Make your own with our flexible printing plate, or purchase ready made stamps. Apply the paint to the stamp lightly with a foam brush. Apply even pressure and stamp.
- Marbling: when marbling use a methyl cellulose base. Some customers have obtained spectacular results when using the LUMIERE paints in combination on one project. However, because of all the pigment, these paints are notoriously hard to float on the size (tend to sink), so we actually do not recommend this product as a paint of choice for marbling.
- Sponge painting: Use sponges with different textures to imitate the look of rocks, wood or marble. A wide variety of sponge textures are available at hardware stores and drugstores. Apply the paint directly into the sponge and print. Use for repeat patterns. Several colors can be used at one time to simulate patterns.
- Monopainting: You may wish to add some extender to the paints because they dry very quickly. Using the back of a spoon, lightly coat a smooth flat surface (Plexiglass, glass) with the paints. Outline shapes with tool and /or drop some isopropyl alcohol. to disperse the paints. Place fabric (silk canvas, etc) over that and use a brayer or roller to imprint.
- Leaf and found object painting: A leaf is the perfect example. Coat a leaf with paint (blend colors directly on the leaf). Place the painted leaf upside down on the fabric. Cover with paper and apply even pressure either with your hand, or a roller or a brayer. Remove the leaf, dry and set. The effect obtained by feathers and other found objects is quite attractive.
- Painting leather: LUMIERE paints are very effective on leather and do not require heat setting. Use only leather which has not been waterproofed and has no repellent finish. Air cure for one week before dry cleaning. Create custom leather accessories such as belts shoes, gloves, wallets handbags and jewelry. Revitalize old leather shoes, belts, boots, etc.
Heat Setting
When properly heat set, painted fabrics can be laundered and dry cleaned. They have excellent wash-fastness when laundered on the gentle cycle and dried on low heat without fabric softeners. Items which will not be laundered need not be heat set. When applying one product over another, always set the first before applying the next. allow the paint to dry to the touch and air cure for 24 hours. Set the paints in one of the following methods.
- For smaller surfaces, use a dry iron and protect your iron and ironing board with a press cloth. Iron both sides for a least 30 seconds on each side, with the iron set on cotton/linen setting.
- For large projects and yardage, approximately 3 to 5 yards, or for sensitive fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acetate, use a high temperature commercial dryer set at 180 degrees for a minimum of one hour. Painted leather does not require heat setting and can be safely cleaned through a leather cleaning process after the leather has cured for one week.
