Painted Glow in the Dark Protective Face Mask

You can find all of these supplies at places like Walmart. This project can be modified to use any supplies you have available, such as heat transfer vinyl and a printer (for more intricate designs). The masks I used were cotton but this can work on a variety of fabrics. The finish on the regular fabric paint will be flat and blend with the mask, but if you use dimensional paint, it tends to puff up a bit for a more textured finish. On black fabrics, the contrast looks great with adhesive (see picture of black mask with cross).

• A face mask (I used blank ones, not sure how this would work on patterns)
• Fabric paint (optional: glow in the dark dimensional paint)
• Scissors (optional: precision knife)
• Tape (optional: double sided or paper if you don't want to use heat (both will run if you spray too much)
• Butcher paper, newspaper, old mailers...something to protect your work surface (also optional if you're working on something you don't mind getting paint on)
• (optional) clothing iron or heat gun

I chose a Halloween theme since this wonderful day is approaching, but of course you can choose any holiday, occasion, or design you want. For a shadow type effect the cut will not matter much, but if you're looking for precision you may want to make sure you get a clean, smooth cut. For maximum precision, place the double sided tape under your design before you cut it. Also add tape to areas you don't want painted (I wanted the ear loops to stay white).

If you just want a shadow type look, you can hover your design over the mask and spray the paper. If you want a cleaner look, hold the paper as close as you can to the mask. For best precision, use the double sided tape under your design and lightly iron or heat with gun then press down. Tip: If you want the finish to be a combination of solid and spray, iron longer and make sure some of the adhesive stays on the mask. If you leave the adhesive on with any paper in it, those sections will wash off faster than the rest and your design will look spotty.

Once the mask is cool (if heated) spray your design. It might help to practice on a similar fabric before starting to see what technique works best for you. I chose to use the adhesive method, but if you want to still be able to see the original design or color of the mask, do not leave any adhesive on or wait until you finish spraying to remove the paper. Let dry. Although you don't need to, I like to quickly iron the mask with a sheet of paper over and under to "seal" in the paint (I do not recommend ironing over dimensional paint). Not using paper may leave residue on your iron or cause the adhesive to mess up your design. The gun works best for this section. Don't get the mask too hot or the adhesive may warp your mask. Enjoy!