I get a fair amount of people asking about the bleach painted t-shirts from the bleach spray and stencilling communities, so I'm making a post with all the info and examples in one place.

Yes, you can paint with bleach as if it were paint and any bleach will do!

All you need is:

• some paint brushes you don't mind destroying. Bristles are going to snap or fall out completely.
• a board, preferably plastic so that no bleach seeps through or into it, to place between the surface of the shirt (or other fabric) you're painting onto and the back of the fabric. I use a cutting mat.
• an assortment of cups to make various concentrations of bleach.
• old towels for the inevitable emergency "I spilt bleach everywhere!"
• an old peace of fabric, preferably the same colour as the one you're working on, to test the strength of the bleach.
• a hairdryer - to accelerate the reaction of the bleach and dry the design as you work.
• and er, bleach. Any bleach will do. I just use toilet cleaner! I like the thickness... And water. More water than bleach really.

You need to work reasonably quickly and do the design in one go. If you leave the bleach in the shirt for long periods, it will eventually disintegrate the fabric.

Here's a video of me working on a t-shirt!

To see t-shirts currently for sale and find out about commissions, visit my shop!