Rusty Letter Art

For the Powertex UK Design Team this month I had a subscription box to play with (now discontinued). The box included a personalised initial in mdf, a stencil, papers, a quote stamp and textured fabrics.

Lead Powertex fabric hardener was in the box with colour pigments in Aqua ink and Blue Bister granules. There was so much in the box to use but I knew straight away that I wanted to use Rusty Powder with the mdf, ink and Bister to create rusty letter art. This project tutorial was originally posted on the Powertex UK Mixed Media Magazine.

Making Rusty Letter Art

Watch the time-lapse video of this Powertex rusty letter art.

How to make my Rusty Letter Art

Materials List

• Wooden tag
• Powertex Universal Medium in Lead/Grey
• Printed papers
• Pieces of fabric of your choice
• Large letter embellishment
• Aqua ink spray or acrylic ink
• Bister granules in blue
• Powercotton

Optional and other supplies

• I used a small canvas board to work on
• A stencil of quotes, you can use any stencil you like
• White or Ivory Powertex Universal Medium
• Transparent Powertex Universal Medium
• Easy Structure or heavy texture paste
• Powertex Rusty Powder
• White vinegar and water mix in a spray bottle

Laying down the first textures with printed papers and Lead Powertex Fabric Hardener to cover the canvas. This creates a dark background to add depth.

Create background textures

Add texture with Easy Structure paste through a stencil. Use a palette knife and clean your tool and stencil straight away.

Build fabric layers

Fabric pieces coated in Powertex help to build up a background for the mdf letter. Lead Powertex will colour, harden and glue the fabric. Use a hairdryer to speed dry.

Add mdf letters and shapes

Paint letter shapes with White Powertex and use Powertex to glue the pieces into place. be generous with your textures in these stages. Add fabric, threads, or embellishments that you like with White Powertex.

TIP: Ivory Powertex Fabric Hardener will also work well if you don't have White.

Spray Aqua ink

Spray the Aqua ink generously over the textures, let it pool, drip and run off to the side.

Add Rusty Powder

Mix up 1 tbsp Transparent Powertex with a little white vinegar and 1/2-3/4 tbsp Rusty Powder. Pour onto the letter, background and fabrics. (It will look grey and the rust may take a few hours to form.)

TIP: For a thicker rust mixture add 3D Sand or Small balls. This will also alter the colour slightly.

Using Bister granules

Add spots of Transparent Powertex and sprinkle Bister granules onto wet areas. Spray with water and vinegar spray so the colour runs.

TIP: Using white vinegar in the water spray brightens the colour of the Bister and encourages the rust.

I used Powercotton strands coated with White Powertex to look like vines around the letter. You can use any fabric threads or cotton yarn.

Brush highlights

Finishing touches

I repeated the Rusty Powder and Bister granules until I was happy with the contrast. Highlighting with White or Ivory Powertex at the end just lifts the letters away from the background. You can layer up as much as you like.

If you like rust effects, I hope you will try adding some Rusty Powder into your mixed media layers.

For more about how I like to mix and use Rusty Powder, I have a tutorial for beginners in my Etsy shop. This quick guide to Rusty Powder will help you to get some great rusty results in your next Powertex project.

If you would like to know more about using Rusty Powder you might find this rusty art blog useful.

[Reviewed 2024]