by Cather ine Bonyak

W earable art has been an exciting art form to explore — with an open mind and a paintbrush in tow. The journey

began while I was solely a � ne artist studio painter. I had a habit of wiping paint on my pants, arms, face, and hair (I still do) while painting. When I stepped out of my studio to run errands and go about town, people would stop me on a regular basis (still do) and comment on my clothing. I would hear, “I love your pants! Did you buy them like that?” I have to admit, I really didn’t get it at � rst. But eventually I did! And this is what sparked the idea for me to create wearable art. Now I spend most days knee-deep in canvas, fabric, and leather, and I love every minute of it.

SU PPL I E S • Acrylic paint • Handbag: leather • Heat tool • Masking tape • Paintbrushes • Varnish: clear

T ECH N I Q U E Choose a leather handbag to paint. Use masking tape around the surface you will paint, and tape up any zipper pulls or embellishments that could drop down onto the surface while painting. Paint on the design with white paint � rst. This will keep the colors that will be added to the design their true color. If you are painting an entire section, prime the whole section � rst with white acrylic paint. Begin layering the color onto the surface. Use a heat tool to set the acrylic paint and speed up the drying time between layers. Brush a layer of clear varnish over the entire painting to protect and � nish your work. ◆

Estimated Time:1½ hours

Skill Level:beginner

Cost:$3

Catherine Bonyak is the owner of CATHARTIC! by Catherine Bonyak. She works as an

artist in her studio gallery in the historic Cortland Corset Building, in Cortlad, New York.

Catherine specializes in � ne art and hand-painted clothing and accessories. View her art

and artwear in her Etsy shop itscathartic.etsy.com, and on Pinterest (ItsCATHARTIC) and

Facebook (artbycatherinebonyak).

T I P S • Choose a handbag made of matte, smooth leather when possible. Paint will go on smoother and adhere best to this type of bag.

• Work in multiple light layers.

• Use the non-scratch side of a kitchen sponge to remove unwanted dried paint.

• Keep a damp cloth on hand to wipe up any wet paint as you go.

• Some people are more comfortable with stencils. Those are great to use, too!

Paint Your(PURSE)ONALITY

3736 alteredcouture.comWinter 2016