Easy DIY Custom Painted Jeans Tutorial

Dariacreative
by Dariacreative
6 Materials
$20
40 Minutes
Easy

I’m going to show you how to make some custom-painted jeans using Banksy stencils.


Banksy is my favorite artist, and I’m going to be painting my jeans with images of peace as a protest against the war in Ukraine.

Tools and materials:

  • White jeans
  • Stencils
  • Fabric paints
  • Thick paint brush
  • Thin paint brush
  • Masking tape
  • Letter stencils
  • Fabric marker
  • Fabric outliner
  • Paper
  • Pen
  • Scissors
  • Transfer paper
  • Pencil
Placing cardboard inside jeans

1. Place cardboard inside jeans

Place cardboard inside of the jeans to prevent paint from leaking through.

Dyeing jeans

2. Dye the jeans

Start off by dyeing the jeans using a paintbrush and some fabric paints.


Mix the fabric paints with a large amount of water so that the background isn’t too saturated but rather faded.


I am creating the effect of an old weathered wall to look like the type of wall you’d find a Banksy artwork on.

Painting stencil

3. Paint stencil

Stick down a stencil on all four sides with masking tape and paint it with a paintbrush and fabric paint. Make tapping motions with the brush.


The first stencil I’m using is ‘Girl With a Balloon,’ and the message is that you should always hold on to hope, even when it feels out of reach.


You could use spray paint to apply the stencil or a sponge if you like. 

Painting stencil

The second stencil is ‘Bomb Hugger,’ and this artwork has a powerful message that love and peace can overwhelm hatred and violence.


I’m painting the stencil black and using red for the heart.

Painting stencil

The third stencil is one of the most iconic artworks of Banksy - ‘Flower Thrower’ - has the message of hope for peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Painting stencil

4. Fix up the stencils

If you missed some details in the process of applying the stencil, you can always fix them by going in with a thin brush.

Spray painting

5. Spray paint on details

Next, spray paint some details onto the jeans; I’m creating a peace sign. 

Creating splatter effect

6. Create a splatter effect

I’m also going in with a couple of pumps of black textile spray paint to create a spray paint splatter dot effect.

Adding words

7. Paint on words

Now I will add some lettering to connect the three artworks in one composition.


I’m going to use different fonts and write different things. The first thing I’m writing is ‘all you need is love.’ 

Stenciling on words

8. Stencil on words

Then I’m going to use a letter stencil and write ‘hope.’

Adding words

9. Write on words with fabric marker

Next, I’m going to write some of the lyrics with a fabric marker from the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon on top of the peace sign. 

Painting

10. Paint the back side

Expand the background onto the back side of the jeans. Ensure that the front of the jeans is dry before you turn them around.

Adding handprint

11. Paint handprint

As this customization has to do with children, I am going to have my daughter create her handprint on the jeans.

Adding words

12. Write on words with fabric outliner

Next, I’m writing some more lyrics from the Imagine song with some fabric outliner.


I like the fact that all of the text on the jeans is created through different mediums.

Creating a stencil

13. Create a stencil

I decided to create a handmade stencil of a heart. I placed it on the jeans and created darkness around it with spray paint, the heart itself will remain white.

Drawing on stencil

14. Draw on stencil

Banksy has one more artwork - ‘Armored Dove,’ which is also about peace and war, and I want to paint it on the other leg.


I displayed the picture on my tablet and then placed the paper on top of the screen and traced over it.


I then transferred it to the jeans using transfer paper and painted it in.

Cutting the hem

15. Cut the hem

The last thing to do is create a raw hem to give the jeans a rugged finish. Cut the jeans and then fray them with some rough material.


When you have cut the first leg of the jeans, place the cut-out piece on the other leg and cut just above it to ensure that both legs are the same length.

DIY custom painted jeans

DIY custom painted jeans

Here are the finished jeans that I can wear in silent protest against the war in Ukraine.


All of the different pictures and words fill me with hope for a better world. I have found making these jeans a very therapeutic process.


I hope you’ll have a go at designing some custom-painted jeans with stencils for yourself. If you do, leave me a comment down below!

Suggested materials:
  • White jeans
  • Stencils
  • Fabric paints
See all materials

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