A month ago or so I found a gray Star Wars hooded sweatshirt at Walmart. A couple of weeks ago, I decided I wanted to draw BB8 onto it. This weekend I found the markers & paints I wanted to try, and gave it a go.
I used parts for a 3d printer I am building – a projector and a Raspberry Pi tiny computer – to project an image onto the sweatshirt. I than traced the image with the markers.
I used metallic gold, silver, & bronze Sharpie markers for most of the drawing as well as a black fabric marker for the dark details. I didn’t want to use a black sharpie as I felt it would be too dark – they are too good.
I am really liking the soft effect. It looks good at a distance, but up close you kind of lose the drawing visually. After some wearing and a wash, it should be pretty subtle.
I want to add some more details. The different round ports going up one sleeve. I also need to do something on the back. I am thinking some sort of exploded view or more technical drawing. I just haven’t decided what I want yet. The other sleeve will get the morse code alphabet or something as the droids ‘speak’ in beeps and whistles.
Sharpie Metallic markers drawing of BB8 on an otherwise ‘plain’ Star Wars branded hooded sweatshirt.
Doing a color test on the inside so I can decide on how I wanted to proceed. Metalic Sharpies, Silver, Gold, Bronze, some puff paint, and another fabric marker set I bought.
Projection of an image onto a piece of paper for size and focus. Using my DLP Projector and Raspberry Pi setup that I am making a 3d printer with. Easiest way to get an image onto the shirt.
Projection onto the sweatshirt clipped and taped to the kid’s drawing easel. It’s a bit hard to see the thin lines. I used a small white card to find them. Once found, they where visible enough to trace.
My view of the drawing process.
First break had me this far along.
Drawing and projection
2nd break had me this far along.
Drawing and projection. You can see how the easel was moving a little bit and I lost some alignment.
Finished drawing. It will need a bit of touch up in good light. But it’s what I was going for – a rather soft, subdued look.
I am happy with the results. Next steps are figuring out something for the back. I don’t want the same as the front. I am also going to do the circle sections going up one of the sleeves as a detail.
