Painting a spandex(ish) tail. Help!

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Okay, so I need some serious advice about painting my homemade tail, it is incredibly basic, meaning I butchered a pair of my mother's old leggings for material, then hand-sewed EVERYTHING. Including some dorsal fins and an extension on the butt, to make sure I didn't over stretch the fabric. Sometimes I really wish I owned a sewing machine, but I digress.
My question is how to go about painting it. It was navy blue, so I went about bleaching the heck out of it and coming up with something almost maroon. I like it well enough, but I want to paint it for the sake of stiffening it as well as making some colorful swirls. There are threads and things about this, but given that I'm on a super low budget, I want to use what's sitting around in the cabinet. And therein lies the question. I couldn't find it on the FAQs or existing threads, so if I just missed it, I'm sorry, but here goes.

Acrylic paints. Are they okay to use for painting spandex-cotton blend material? I already have a bit of paint on the thing, because I'd done some painting while wearing it during it's former life as ridiculously over-sized leggings. Thus far, it has not come off even upon bleaching, but I still have to wonder if it will with extensive use. Also, is acrylic paint harmful to critters in Lake Michigan and other natural bodies of water that I may come across?

If anyone knows anything, I would be most appreciative.

Thanks.
:)
<3

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Have you tried permanent marker pens?

[MermaidBrandie]

Pictures perhaps?

[Sabrina the Selkie]

27348

So, this is prior to bleaching it, but best photo I've got. The ones in the snow are fantastic, but you can't really see the tail fabric, covered in fine, white, frigid powder as it is.

[Sabrina the Selkie]

And, Jaffa, what sort of pens are you thinking?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Permanent marker pens. The type that you use to write labels.
They look like whiteboard markers but are permanent.

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Like sharpies? I used those for a roller derby scrimmage shirt, and my back was dyed blue for days. When I did the same thing with black, it was fine.
But what do you think about the acrylic?

[Sabrina the Selkie]

And of course, thank you for your input. I'll try and find what you're talking about. And test it out. :)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

There is textile medium that you can use with acrylic paints. I forgot what its called, it turns acrylic paint into fabric paint.

Joanns brand.

Are you really using spandex cotton? That soaks up a lot of water.

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Unfortunately. Old pair of leggings, like I said. But I have used it. It doesn't get tooooooo heavy. And I was swimming in surf that made the lake look like an ocean. It was nuts, but I was okay.

[Seraphina Suds]

Tulip brand fabric paint would work. You don't have to heat set it out anything and it dries flexible. You can find lots of colors in Michael's and it's not to pricey.

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Thanks, I'll check that out.

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Okay, so here are a few photos of the tail post bleach. The paint on there was done to make the splotches of pink paint I spilled on it in its previous life as over-size leggings look intentional. Did that when I first made it. I'm amazed it lasted through a bleaching.

27367

[Merperson Danny]

would acrylic paint be alright for use on a bikini top? like, in chlorinated water?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Only way to find out, is to wear an old top and paint some spots with acrylic and wear it swimming. Then you'll know which colors fade first, last longer, change color etc.

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Well, the spots on my tail never went away, so I think it should be fine. If you heat cure it, which can be as simple as an ironing. Or running it through the dryer before you get it wet.
Went ahead and painted tail any way, wish me luck!

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Well it worked. I swam with it today, and it held up beautifully. I'll get around to taking and posting pictures eventually.

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