How to Successfully Buy Fabric Paints Online or Off

• Willingness to learn
• Internet Access on a computer
• The information in this article

Steps

• First, it is important to understand that there are now two main types of fabric paints. 1. Oil-based and 2. Water-based.
• 1. Oil-based fabric paints in the ballpoint-tipped tube had/have a maximum shelf life of 25 to 30 years...if they were well-taken care of and were not stored in garages, barns, outside sheds, etc. If they were kept indoors and not near heaters, they may only need new ballpoint tips and, perhaps, a little stirring to get them working again. It is wise to buy these from the original owner, where possible, and inquire about how they were stored.
  --- Most US fabric paint manufacturers have stopped producing oil-based fabric paints because new environmental laws prohibit use of many of the raw materials and chemicals from being used in their state or localities, especially in manufacturing. This means that unless the maker has found a good water-based recipe for fabric paint, they may no longer being producing fabric paint at all.
• 2. Luckily, a team of researchers and developers worked for over 20 years to perfect a water-based colorant and this colorant has been available for some time and is tried and true. However, not all fabric paint manufacturers use it in creating their newer fabric paints. While others may or may not have it, Cameo's new ballpoint fabric paint in the bottles does have this high-tech main ingredient. It is simply the best and there is no equal available.
  --- Newer water-based fabric paints have no smell, are easier to use, much safer to have around, and have other advantages over the old vintage oil-based paints so you may want to migrate to the newer paints. Just understand that ballpoint paints (in general) will last longer, go farther, and not dry out like open end (non-ballpoint) paints will when compared to the same size container (generally, the one-ounce size). Modern ballpoint fabric paints are a good value because you will simply get more use out of them. Just be sure the brand you choose has a dependable ballpoint tip so you do not have to change the tips every time you want to paint with them. That will also create more expense and waste your time and efforts.
  --- Water-based fabric paints are the newer, environmentally friendly products which actually offer much more to each user. 1. No harmful chemicals or awful smell. 2. Not toxic. Perfect for whole family. 3. Permanent, fade resistant, machine washable and dryable (as long as the fabric itself is). 4. Flows better. 5. Never needs dangerous solvent to thin or clean with. 6. High-tech, high quality formula is available that has colorants that were in development for 20 years and has been perfected (as mentioned above). 7. Durable plastic bottle ballpoint paints offer quick and accurate color selection, are easier to hold, require less pressure to use. 8. Price. Water-based paints do not require an expensive metal tube to contain them so they are less expensive. In fact, water-based fabric paints can gray inside a metal tube over time. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT OIL-BASED FABRIC PAINTS BE REPLACED WITH WATER-BASED ONES LIKE BOTTLED ACRYLIC BALLPOINT PAINTS.
• A pliable metal tube is NOT an indication the oil-based paint will be good! This is a myth! The age of the paint and how well they were cared for are the most reliable indicators. Well-dented metal tube paints can be an indication of past tip trouble and/or abuse these paints received or suffered over the years.
• IMPORTANT NOTES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE FOLLOWING OIL-BASED PAINTS:
  --- NOTE: With Tri-chem brand paints, anything other than EZ Flo (warm or cool colors) is risky and likely to have paint inside that is rubbery and stringy or oily and otherwise unusable. The tube will feel it has soft, fluid paint in it, but it may not. Oil-based paint can turn into a "rubber" over time or thicken leaving the oil to make the tube feel soft.
  --- NOTE: Softly Flo paints (in the metal tube) are the newest line of Tri-chem ballpoint paints (water-based) but this paint is prone to certain problems so the best action is to buy these as fresh as possible and use Softly Flo paints up fast...buying them only as you need them. It is no longer a good idea to buy any fabric paints with the idea you can keep them around for many years (long term) ESPECIALLY paints, like these, in a metal tube.
  --- NOTE: Artex Roll-on Decorator Paints were last manufactured in 1981 and are all reaching the end of their shelf life now so be sure to use up any you have soon. Do not buy more than you can use up fairly soon then replace them with new high-quality acrylic ballpoint fabric paints, like the new Cameo Premium Ballpoint Paints. CameoPaints.com has free color conversion charts online which list the color equivalents to purchase as replacements and they have free matching services for those trying to finish old projects that were started but not finished.
  --- NOTE: Original Cameo paints were also an oil-based paint but they only went out of production in the year 2000 so there is time to use those. Those Cameo Silhouette Designer Paints use the same threaded tips as the Artex paints do.
  --- While getting the tips changed on old oil-based paints is relatively easy, the smell of the solvent chemical ingredients is very unpleasant and even worse for some individuals; AND lots of paints will take lots of work! If you DO have ballpoint paints already or bought ballpoint paints on auction and the tips do not allow paint to roll out nicely, be sure you understand how to change the tips the most effective way before you spend any time doing that. An expertly written guide on changing tips on ballpoint fabric paints is available free online at FabricPainting.org. Great ideas on how to replace and use up any oil-based paints you may have, are also discussed there.