When I started out with Powertex I dived in, playing, experimenting and making mistakes along the way. I’ve learned a lot since then so I want to share my top tips with you and maybe you will find them helpful.

My top tips for beginners with Powertex Universal Medium

Pour out a little at a time

• Pour out a little onto a paper or plastic plate (it can’t be put back in the bottle)
• Use up left over Powertex to paint embellishments or mix with Stone Art into clay
• Any Powertex dried on a plastic plate can be peeled off so you can reuse your plate

Invest in a bottle opener for stubborn lids

• Despite tips for keeping bottles clean, lids get stuck, a lot!
• Stuck lids can be loosened with hot water over the bottle neck
• Invest in a bottle or jar opener for stubborn lids to save time while creating

Use natural materials

• For canvas art or sculpture, choose natural materials for best results
• Try cotton fabrics, wood, card, glass, metal and cork
• Powertex can peel off plastic items, so prepare the surface first

Coat your fabric

• Coat your fabric, don’t saturate it
• Dip a section of your fabric into the liquid and massage it through the whole piece
• Use a paintbrush with fine fabrics and small pieces

Let gravity and Powertex do the work in fabric sculpture

• When draping fabric, let it fall naturally
• Pinch small areas near the top to create folds
• You have a working time of about an hour to adjust your wet layers

Use colour sprays with Ivory Powertex

• Create lots of varied textures using Ivory Powertex to coat, shape and glue your materials
• Use spray colour in Bister or acrylic ink
• Let the fluid colour run around your textures

(I wrote a blog about how I use Bister and Ivory Powertex art here).

Choose colour products for your project

• Paint fabric sculpture with a dry brushing technique using a Powercolor and Easy Varnish mix
• Use Bister or Acrylic ink sprays on textured canvas art
• Mix colours from Powertex Universal Medium for fun mixed media art and craft projects

These are my top tutor tips for beginners using Powertex and maybe you have your own. If you’re just getting started with Powertex you might find this article about supplies helpful.

New to Powertex?

If you’re a Powertex beginner, take a look at my eBook, “Get Crafting with Powertex”. This guide tells you what you need to know to start using Powertex Universal Medium with confidence at home. It includes my tutor tips, how to apply it, a list of project ideas for beginners and lots more to get you crafting.