How To DIY Camouflage? Paint Clothes Camouflage Yourself

Whether you want camouflage clothing for practical purposes such as use for hunting or some training activity or want to wear it for fun, camouflage clothing is quite interesting and gives a cool vibe. The style and stability of the clothing are unparalleled, while its applications are far-reaching.

While buying camouflage clothes may not be on the agenda, you always have the option to dye an existing clothing item camouflage. Hence if you want to try it but are wondering how to dye clothes camouflage, read this brief but helpful guide to make your experiment effective and worthwhile.

How to Dye Clothes Camouflage?

Camouflage has become a very common pattern that is used by different individuals for different purposes. The trend of painting clothes camouflage can be traced back to olden times when outdoorsmen painted their gear with custom camouflage. Even though production camouflage application is more durable and available in numerous designs, dyeing clothes camouflage is still more economical and presents other benefits as well.

Painting a camouflage is easy, and you can accomplish the tasks through spray paints, stencils, or natural foliage for outline formation. Once you have chosen the right color palette and primed and prepped your work surface, you can easily dye clothes camouflage and make them blend in the natural environment. 

To make a camouflage pattern that matches your requirements and is suitable for the terrain and vegetation where you will wear the clothes, here is what you need to do.

Choosing a neutral base color

Regardless of which clothing item you want to dye camouflage, you must choose a neutral base color so that it does not obscure the camouflage or detract from the paint you will be applying. 

Choose the right paint

The next consideration is choosing the right paint colors. You can pick three to five colors in spray paint form to make a color scheme matching the surroundings that you want to blend into. For instance, if you want to wear the clothes in a forest, you must use different shades of brown or green. Similarly, if you want to wear it in a desert, use pale reds, tans, or dark browns. Alternatively, if you want to use the garment in an urban setting, go for a variety of grey shades. 

Using spray paint is recommended to help you form a light coat on the clothing with soft edges to give it a natural look. You can get spray paints from your local hardware stores. Alternatively, you can use acrylic paints and apply them with a sponge applicator. However, the end result may have hard edges.

Another important consideration is whether you want a glossy or matte finish. If the purpose of making camouflage clothing is to help you blend in, matte paints are a better choice, as glossy colors are more prominent. However, you can use glossy paint if you want to dye clothes camouflage for decorative purposes only. 

Prep the dyeing surface and paint

Be sure to work outdoors or in a ventilated area so the paint fumes don’t bother you. Move objects out of the way and lay down a drop cloth, an old bedsheet, or old newspapers underneath the painting area so that paint does not get on anything else. Ensure the cloth is flat so there are no tripping hazards. Cover any area you do not want to camouflage with a painter or masking tape.

There are two options when dyeing clothes camouflage. You can use a stencil or natural foliage like twigs, eaves, or clumps of grass for the job. 

To paint, put the foliage or stencils in position and hold the spray can twelve inches from the paint surface for effective impact. Work in small back-and-forth strokes across the cloth and overlap the strokes so that the base color does not show through. Short strokes reduce the running or bleeding of the dye under the stencils and also give the pattern a soft and shadowy texture. 

Continue this action across the surface until all of it is painted. Once you remove the stencils, you can also add more depth or break down the pattern further. For a three-dimensional look, you can let the paint drizzle from the nozzle to let it out in the form of sputters or droplets. This will help break the pattern and give depth to the overall look.

Wait a while to let the paint dry before using a different dye so the previous paint is not smeared. Move from the lightest to the darkest shade to add layers and overlap the stencil on the existing colors to give it a natural look.

If you use leaves and branches as stencils, they will give a more natural look. Wrap a few leaves and branches in a string bundle and hold them against the cloth or spread them across the surface. Use the paint on the tips of the foliage to create a negative space similar to the shape of the leaves and branches. 

You can use a variety of plants, like pine needles or maple leaves, for different textures. Once you are done dyeing the cloth, wait at least one hour to let it dry completely. Your newly dyed camouflage garment is ready for use.