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.
• Cling wrap under the lid seems popular but I haven’t tried it.
• Invest in an adjustable bottle or jar opener for stubborn lids to save time and your hands while creating.

Use natural materials

• Choose natural materials or Powertex texture products for best results.
• Try a variety of cotton fabrics, wood, chipboard, card, glass, metal and cork to start.
• Powertex can peel off soft plastic items, so prepare the surface first with masking tape or gesso.

Coat your fabric

• Coat your fabric deeply into the fibres, but don’t drench it.
• Use your fingers to work the liquid into the fabric all over.
• 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 together 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, sculpt and glue your materials.
• Use spray colour in Bister or acrylic ink for easy application.
• Let the fluid colour run into your textures to enhance “shadows”.

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

Choose colour products that fit your project

• Paint fabric sculpture with a dry brushing technique using a Powercolor and Easy Varnish mix.
• Use Bister inks or fluid acrylics on textured canvas art.
• Mix colours of Powertex Universal Medium to amp up your base colours.

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.

Lastly

The most important tip I have is to have fun. Enjoy playing with different materials, layers and discover which products and techniques you love to do.

Powertex products are really forgiving thanks to the long working time and the possibilities really are endless. So, if you dream of creating a unicorn statue for the garden or a series of deeply textured seascapes for your bedroom, it’s absolutely possible!

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.

[Updated October 2023]