Painting on denim is a creative and sustainable way to breathe new life into your favorite jeans. Whether you're covering up a coffee stain or just looking to add a personal touch, customizing your denim can transform an old pair into a unique, wearable work of art. Not only is this an eco-friendly way to refresh your clothing, but it also lets you create one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect your personality. With a few simple tools, a bit of patience and some artistic vision, you can turn your Levi’s® into a customized piece of art.
MEET SAVANNAH CONNELLY
One of Savannah Connelly’s favorite projects is painting on denim. Connelly, one of our talented Levi’s® tailors, grew up in New Mexico and was surrounded by art and nature, which provided inspiration for her various creative projects. Southwest symbols, wildlife and even alien folklore can be seen in her artwork. As a Levi’s® tailor, she brings this passion for creativity to her work by helping customers personalize their denim with unique hand-painted designs.
Savannah’s step-by-step guide below will show you how to create your own masterpiece—no prior painting experience needed!
What You'll Need:
- Denim: Don’t limit yourself to just jeans—denim skirts, shorts and jackets work just as well.
- Acrylic Paint: A little goes a long way. You can use regular acrylics you might already have at home.
- Brush: Select one with fine bristles for detailed work.
- Palette: Use a paper plate or paper towel to hold and mix your colors.
- Water: For thinning your paint and cleaning your brush.
- Paper Towels: Essential for blotting your brush or wiping off excess paint.
- Fabric Marker or Sharpie: For sketching designs and adding fine details.
- Paper and Charcoal (Optional): To sketch out your design before committing to the fabric.
- Heat Gun, Hair Dryer, or Air Dry: To speed up the drying process.
Step-by-Step: How to Paint on Denim
Step 1: Plan Your Design
Make a rough composition sketch to plan your layout. You can draw the design on paper or even try a small mood board with inspiration photos. Savannah recommends thinking about how the denim forms to your body, especially if you're painting on areas like the back pockets or knees where the fabric will fold.
Step 2: Trace Your Design on the Jeans
Using a light-colored fabric marker (like white or light blue), trace your design onto the denim. Savannah often starts with lighter colors for some of her designs, as it allows her to build up detail gradually. Check back with your original sketch as you go to ensure accuracy.
Step 3: Add the Base with Paint Splatter
Begin by adding the base of your design with a few paint splatters or dots. This technique works especially well for creating star-like flecks if you’re going for a cosmic theme. To make the paint splatter, thin it with a little water and flick your brush over the denim.
Step 4: Layer the Shapes and Highlights
Next, use a light-colored fabric marker or paint to outline the basic shapes in your design. Always start with lighter colors and gradually build up to darker tones. For example, if you’re painting bugs, Savannah suggests using light reds, yellows or pinks to map out the shapes before adding highlights and shadows.
Step 5: Define with Black Fabric Marker
Once your light colors have dried, go over your design with a black fabric marker or Sharpie to define the darkest parts of the design. This will add depth and contrast, making your artwork pop against the denim background.
Step 6: Fill in the Shapes with Paint
Start filling in the shapes with acrylic paint. Remember to have a paper towel handy to blot your brush when you have too much paint or water. Acrylic paint dries quickly, so make sure to work in small sections and blend as you go to avoid harsh lines.
Step 7: Add Final Details
Once the main shapes are filled in, use a smaller brush to add in the details—like highlights on the bugs or white spots to create a shiny, reflective effect. Make sure the paint is fully dry before adding any more details to avoid smudging.
Step 8: Dry and Add the Finishing Touches
Finally, use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process or let the jeans air dry for about an hour. Afterward, go back in with a black Sharpie to add any final outlines or details that may have gotten lost in the painting process.
What Kind of Paint to Use
Creative Alternatives: Stamps and Household Objects
If you’re new to painting or want a simpler approach, you might want to consider using stamps to create your designs. Hearts, stars or even basic shapes can be stamped onto the denim and then filled in with a brush. You can even get creative by using household items like bottle caps, sliced fruit or vegetables to stamp patterns onto your jeans. This is a fun and beginner-friendly way to personalize your denim without needing advanced drawing skills.
Post-Care Tips for Painted Denim
When it comes to washing your painted denim, treat your pieces with care to maintain the integrity of your design. Savannah recommends washing your jeans in cold water and avoiding the dryer. Instead, line-dry your jeans to preserve the paint and the denim itself.
Painted designs will fade over time with regular washing and wear, but this only adds more character to your denim. And remember, Levi’s® encourages washing jeans less frequently to protect the garment's life and minimize environmental impact. So, only wash your painted jeans when absolutely necessary!
How to Style Your Painted Denim
Your newly painted denim is a statement piece that can elevate even the simplest outfits. Pair them with a basic tee or jacket to let the design take center stage, or go bold by mixing and matching patterns and colors. Since each pair of painted jeans is unique, they’ll add a personalized touch to any look.
And that’s it! Enjoy your new painted denim and tag us @levis to show us all your cool designs.