How to's, Tips & advice

How to upcycle an armchair with VIN+OMI

Step 1 - Item Preparation:
  • Always prepare the surfaces and test the colour application on a small area first. Cover your surroundings with biodegradable dust sheets or other left-over materials from your recycling.
  • For absorbent upholstery create a mix of System3 Acrylic and System3 Textile Screen Printing Medium in a 50/50 ratio and test on a small area of the material on the bottom of the upholstery.
  • Once happy with the test results apply the base coat over the rest of the furniture and let it dry for 3-4 hours before starting the creative process. The material will lose a bit of flexibility after the drying process.
Step 2 - Creative Design:
  • Let the creative bubble burst – Omi creates random patterns using normal soap bubbles you can find in supermarkets. Bubbles are flying, so be sure to try this technique in a designated area where you don’t mind staining and make sure that any stray bubbles won’t affect anything else.
  • Preferred mediums for this technique are acrylic inks, such as System3 and FW Ink, due to their opaque or semi-opaque coverage in comparison to Aquafine Watercolour Ink.
  • To mix the coloured bubble solution, empty ¼ of the bubble liquid in a glass for later use, and replace it with a colour or mix of your favourite acrylic inks. Shake well before use.
  • Wave the soap bubble stick carefully over the upholstery to create bubbles and try to avoid too many spills by moving in slow and controlled actions.
  • Try to pop bubbles with your fingers and discover how the shapes change. Don’t forget to put on gloves if you want to avoid direct skin contact.
  • If you want to blow the bubbles with your mouth, it is possible that ink will get on your face if the bubbles burst. Acrylic inks do contain preservatives and may cause an allergic skin reaction. Remove the splashes from your face or arms with a soft sponge or towel and household soap as soon as possible.
  • If you are happy with your bubble design, please leave it to dry for 24 hours.

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About the artist

VIN + OMI are award winning fashion and multi media designers who work internationally. They are previous recipients of a NESTA award for their innovation in fashion, research and their unique business models.