| In the process of garment assembly, along with the various dyes used to create the different colored clothing, the material can be treated with additional chemicals such as softeners, fillers and resins to stabilize the fabric, control shrinkage and make the fabric easier to sew - any residuals of these chemicals can in a sense create a 'false surface' that when painted over, might be lost the first time the garment is washed, causing a portion of your work to be literally 'lost in the wash.' To avoid this event, I pre-wash all my garments before painting on them. To begin, I usually use a “Faded Denim Blue” shirt - the reason is twofold; one, they are just easier to work on without having to lay down a white base coat (unless for effect) and two, most people wash their denim until it reaches that “faded” state, so this extends the life of the artwork by circumventing excessive washing. |