Weathering Clothing

samura indy

Active Member
Hi guys,
Recently I've been working on my Rick O'Connell costume. I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips on weathering the shirt to make it look dirty.
I've been looking at fullers earth as one option but has one else got any suggestions?

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Tea can make the shirt look older (more yellow, obviously), watered-down coffee can be used for stains, some sandpaper for the edges (collar and sleeves), fabric paints and of course fuller's earth.

This
site has a few links that with some useful info. :)
 
I know that's not what this post is for, but I like the costume! Haven't seen a mummy costume here yet. Nice work!


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Dig a hole in a sandbox ( with yellow sand) and put it in there. Dig it out a few days later and wash it ( by hand). Or wear it to the desert ( or an other place with a lot of sand and preferably also wind) , that's how I ruined a perfectly good white shirt ( it was the only white thing I had at that point so I took it with me for the cooling effect).
Also sandpaper the cuffs to make it look more used.
 
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Hooray for tea staining. As gross as it sounds, don't forget to give the armpits and lower back extra attention if you really want this to looked lived-in. I'll often cram the used teabags in those spots when tea staining to make it just a touch darker there.

For black fabric I usually water down bleach, put it in a spray bottle, and spray areas that would get the most sun (shoulders, chest, etc) to give it a sun-bleached look. If I want the parts that trail near the ground to look dirty/dusty I sprinkle them with baby powder or cornstarch (dust) or lightly spray-glue the hem and rub it on the ground in my backyard (dirt).
 
Hooray for tea staining. As gross as it sounds, don't forget to give the armpits and lower back extra attention if you really want this to looked lived-in. I'll often cram the used teabags in those spots when tea staining to make it just a touch darker there.

For black fabric I usually water down bleach, put it in a spray bottle, and spray areas that would get the most sun (shoulders, chest, etc) to give it a sun-bleached look. If I want the parts that trail near the ground to look dirty/dusty I sprinkle them with baby powder or cornstarch (dust) or lightly spray-glue the hem and rub it on the ground in my backyard (dirt).

Thanks! I'd heard of the bleach technique before, and I'm eager to try it out. The spray-glue and dirt treatment sounds very tempting. Is there some kind of special glue you'd need to use for fabric?
 
I use Krylon spray adhesive, which can be found at most art and/or craft stores. You know the kind you use to mount paper to mat boards for display? That stuff. I suppose you could get similar results with fabric glue that dries clear too. You'd just have to brush it on, so the coverage would probably look a bit different.

Worth noting - when you use spray adhesive on fabric it makes it nicely tacky and prone to picking up dirt, but it's not a permanent bond. If you put tons of mud on your clothes this way you'll leave a huge mess wherever you go. It works really well for just a light dusting of crud here and there. Definitely test it out before putting it on a costume you intend to wear into a home with lots of white carpeting. ;)
 
I use Krylon spray adhesive, which can be found at most art and/or craft stores. You know the kind you use to mount paper to mat boards for display? That stuff. I suppose you could get similar results with fabric glue that dries clear too. You'd just have to brush it on, so the coverage would probably look a bit different.

Worth noting - when you use spray adhesive on fabric it makes it nicely tacky and prone to picking up dirt, but it's not a permanent bond. If you put tons of mud on your clothes this way you'll leave a huge mess wherever you go. It works really well for just a light dusting of crud here and there. Definitely test it out before putting it on a costume you intend to wear into a home with lots of white carpeting. ;)

Hmm... I'm not sure what Krylon spray would be in Greek, but I'll have a look around. :) Well in any case I want the real stuff, so I'll probably roll around in the dirt too. :p
 
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