Molly Zuckerman-Hartung
Molly Zuckerman-Hartung is an American painter known for materially experimental abstraction that can combine latex house paint, enamel, spray paint, cut and sewn drop cloth, and other everyday studio materials.
Painting Surface
Fabric
Fabric is a flexible material made by weaving, knitting, or bonding fibers, with fiber content, texture, stretch, and washability affecting paint adhesion.
Paint compatibility with fabric
Fabric paint works best on washable textiles, while acrylics and markers need compatible formulas or additives that preserve flexibility, adhesion, and washability.
| Paint | Compatibility | Preparation | Primer or ground | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric paint | Excellent with a textile-specific formula | Wash and dry the fabric first when appropriate; avoid fabric-softener residue. | Usually none when the paint is formulated for the fabric. | Follow the product's drying, curing, heat-setting, and washing instructions. | Fabric paint guide |
| Paint markers | Good with a textile-compatible paint marker | Wash new fabric when appropriate, dry it fully, and place an absorbent backing beneath the work. | Usually none with a marker approved for textiles. | Heat-set or otherwise fix the design exactly as the marker manufacturer directs. | — |
| Acrylic paint | Good with the right medium | Wash and dry fabric first when appropriate; avoid fabric softener residue. | Use fabric-painting medium for flexibility and washability. | Follow the medium's curing or heat-setting instructions. | Acrylic fabric guide |
Sources: Tulip Brush-On Fabric Paint, Rust-Oleum Outdoor Fabric Paint, Liquitex fabric-painting guidance, and POSCA textile guidance.
Painters who used fabric
Browse PaintZeal painter profiles featuring artists who worked on fabric, with examples of textile painting, flexible coatings, wearable art, and mixed-media methods.
Thornton Dial
Thornton Dial was an American self-taught artist whose large painted assemblages combined found objects with ordinary house paint, enamel, spray paint, and other construction materials.
Tschabalala Self
Tschabalala Self is an American artist known for layered figurative paintings that combine painted and sewn materials. Her 2018 painting Lite includes acrylic, Flashe, milk paint, fabric, and gum on canvas.
Sarah Crowner
Sarah Crowner is an artist known for paintings assembled from painted and sewn pieces of fabric. Her Curtains (Vidas perfectas) used fabric paint on sewn linen and was designed to become part of a performance environment.
Davide D'Elia
Davide D'Elia is an Italian artist whose work explores time, material change, and preservation. He is known for partially covering furniture, fabrics, pictures, and other existing objects with blue antifouling paint normally used to protect boat hulls.
