How to Draw on a Shirt With a Sharpie

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Things You'll Need

  • Cotton T-shirt

  • Cardboard insert

  • Sharpies

  • Iron

  • Piece of glass or clear, heavy plastic

  • Glass-topped table

  • Lamp

Use Sharpies to create a work of art on a T-shirt.

Sharpies are permanent markers that come in every color of the rainbow. They can be used to customize and personalize just about everything, including fabric. Drawing a design on a T-shirt with a Sharpie marker is simple and fun. It is a craft kids may like doing at a birthday party or other event, or just a way to liven up a plain, white T-shirt.

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Freehand drawing

Step 1

Slide a thick piece of cardboard inside the T-shirt. This will keep the Sharpie from bleeding through to the other side of the T-shirt while you are working.

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Step 2

Draw on the shirt as you desire.

Step 3

Seal your design into the shirt by pressing it gently with a hot iron for just a few seconds.

Step 4

Turn your creation inside out and wash it in cold water, hanging the T-shirt to dry.

Traced design

Step 1

Create your design on a piece of white paper with a dark-colored Sharpie.

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Step 2

Insert the glass or clear plastic inside the T-shirt to keep the marker from bleeding through.

Step 3

Lay the T-shirt on a glass-topped table and place a bright lamp underneath the table.

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Step 4

Slide your paper with the design on it under the top layer of the shirt, above the glass or plastic. The lamp should illuminate your design through the shirt so you can easily trace it.

Step 5

Trace your design carefully onto the T-shirt using your paper design as a guide. Follow the above directions to seal in your design with the iron, and wash and dry your customized T-shirt.

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