[Tutorial] Where no man has gone before: Galaxy Print DIY

So... while I was bleaching one of my shirts, I accidentally spilled bleach on the black T shirt I was wearing. So I thought to myself, "the perfect time to try making a galaxy print t shirt!" And here it is. Avec tutorial. It's really foolproof. Like a monkey could do this and it would still look cool.

 Pesky bleach!

1. You will need: old clothes you don't care about, black cotton t shirt, bleach, toothbrush (that you will NEVER EVER use for brushing teeth!), newspaper/cardboard, fabric paint (I used white, light blue, magenta, and purple), a cup of water, Sharpie or black paint (optional), dog also optional. 

2. Put your newspaper/cardboard inside your shirt to prevent the bleach and paint from seeping through to the back of the shirt. Unless that's the look you're going for.

3. Dip your toothbrush in your bleach and start flicking it with your finger onto your shirt. To get your "galaxies" started, flick a couple of times in the same area to get a cloudlike circle. The more bleach you use, the lighter the color  becomes. Wait a little while to let the bleach do its magic so you don't overdo it! (It's okay if you overdo it, you can always paint over it) Do as much or as little as you want, you can always add more later.

This was my shirt, post bleach. You can see where I went heavier on the bleach.

[UPDATE]: I suggest washing the shirt after you've bleached it...the bleach weakened the thin t shirt I was using and it started to get holes after a few washes. I hear using vinegar to rinse your shirt after this step will stop the bleaching process.

To make a "swirl" galaxy, twist the fabric before bleaching, just like you would when you tie dye! If you add too much or it bleeds a little to the back of the shirt, wait for it to dry and then cover it up with a little Sharpie or some black fabric paint. I used that. A lot. And it looks a lot better.

4. Clean off your toothbrush and open up your paints! And really this is sort of where you go wild. I started with white, then light blue, then pink and purple as accents. I also added a little water to each of the colors; it made them a lot easier to blend. Putting white at the center of a bleach spot gives it a realistic glow, like there's actually light coming from the center. Light blue is great for making clouds and space dust, especially if you really rub it into the shirt with your finger or the toothbrush. Add to taste.

A closeup of my progress, you can see where I've added some blue and white to the bleach. The trick to be able to "flick" the fabric paint is putting some of the paint on your toothbrush, then lightly dipping the toothbrush in your cup of water, then flicking the paint onto the shirt. It gets pretty messy, but it gives you that really detailed splatter that looks really realistic!

5. And...you're done! Take as long or as little as you want with painting. The more you add, the cooler it looks. So wait to wash it for about 2 or 3 days (my fabric paint says 3) and then wear it out! 

Live long and prosper & Stay crafty my friends