TRI-CHEM'S SOFTLY FLO PAINT SYSTEM Clean and contained in ballpoint-tipped tubes for easy application, Softly Flo paints are the perfect family paints. No awful chemical odors. Perfect for those sensitive to chemicals and for those people who like to start and finish projects at one sitting. Perfect for getting kids started in crafting heirlooms. No worry about unfriendly chemicals. Do you have an item to paint that is charted for older ballpoint paints and want to paint them with current colors? OR do you have a current paintable item that is charted for current paint but want to paint them with your EZ Flo and EZ Flo Specialty colors or other older ballpoint colors? See our extensive conversion charts at http://www.fabricpaint.com/ConvertCharts2.shtml for help in doing your projects! Our charts are the most extensive, for your greatest convenience! Softly Flo... A water-based paint... no odor and easy clean up! - 60 smooth flowing paints with a ballpoint tip - Results in a very soft finish - Perfect for use on all fabrics and wooden surfaces THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOFTLY FLO PAINT Softly Flo Paints are water-based paints in metal tubes with ballpoint tips that screw-on and are removable. These paints and tips clean up easily with water. Because they are water-based, Softly Flo paints have no awful chemical smell either. They flow faster than original E-Z Flo paints. E-Z Flo users may need to take care until used to the increased flow of the paint. The best way to do this is to start in the center of any section to be painted and work toward the edges. Once used to the way it flows and allows faster fill-in, everyone loves using Softly Flo. The ballpoint tip makes shading a breeze. Paint stays wet a little longer than conventional E-Z Flo paint so shading is easier especially for the beginning painter who needs a little extra time. And because paint is water-based the consistency is always the same. Care should be taken when using these paints, as once dry, they are permanent. They can be cleaned up with water while wet, however. These paints do not require heat setting prior to laundering. They dry softer and more flexible on fabric, giving garments an excellent quality finish that will never crack, peel, or flake off or feel stiff. Softly Flo paints will give a flatter or softer-looking finish also. For shinier results, apply ColorLite or ColorFrost paints over the Softly Flo painted areas (or alone) for beautiful results! Use ColorLite or ColorFrost paints to highlight areas painted with Softly Flo colors. They will blend beautifully and give a shiny glow where used. TIP USAGE EXPLAINED: Softly Flo paints can be applied directly from the tube with the use of either a Tri-chem (regular) Ballpoint Tip (#0402 and 0423), Fast-Flo Tip (#0407 and 0408) or Wonder-Flo Tip (#0420 and 0421). The regular ballpoint tip is perfect for most painting. It is an easy, no mess, way to paint all projects. It is the tip that comes pre-installed on the tube. It is just the perfect size to do fill-in and detail work for most areas to be painted. It is threaded and can, therefore, be removed the changed or replaced as needed. The Fast Flo tip is a larger version of the regular ballpoint tip. It allows for rapid fill-in of large areas. This tip twists on in the place the regular ballpoint tip once that is removed by use of a Tip Pliers (#0641) or Tip Changer (#0643). The Fast Flo tip comes apart for easy cleaning with solvent. Take care not to loose the inner bearing and spring parts. ->WHEN REMOVING OR CHANGING TIPS: Be sure to hold the paint tube in a tip up position between the thumb and the index finger. Gently press the sides of the crimped end of the tube to pull paint away from the ballpoint tip end. Keep sides as rounded as possible...do not crease. There is another method available for "back-burping" the tube which can be more effective. Further information on replacing and changing ballpoint tips can be found on page 6 of the "Art of Decorating with Tri-Chem" Book (#0675). The BBS/Forum, available at http://www.fabricpaint.com/main.shtml by clicking the Bulletin Board link, has an excellent article on doing this. We recommend printing and reading this article BEFORE changing tips, especially when doing it for the first time. The Wonderflo tip is a white plastic open-end tip for the ball- point tube which can be used in place of the regular ballpoint tip. When the Wonder-Flo Tip is used, additional techniques can be created by using a brush or the open-end tip itself. Use of a Tempo Tray (#0824) allows tubes to be placed into a tray with the tip up temporarily while painting. Never over-tighten this tip, and never leave Wonder-Flo Tips on the tubes when not in use. Remove and clean the Wonder-Flo Tips on the tube with a small piece of lint free fabric and water and replace them with regular ballpoint tips or Handy Plugs (#0429). To use the Wonderflo tip once it is securely attached, squeeze only hard enough to get enough paint flowing. You can use a brush to spread paint once an outline is made. Do not over-squeeze the tube. Softly Flo paint is not as dimensional or viscous a paint as the original E-Z Flo paints, but it can be used with a Wonderflo tip to do nice feathering strokes and fine line art by allowing the fabric to draw the paint out of the tip naturally. To do that, hold the tube in a more vertical position to apply the paint using a light touch on the tube. Lightly touch the fabric where desired with the open end of the Wonderflo tip and let the fabric absorb the right amount of paint while making the lines. Do not over- squeeze Softly Flo paints tubes. Any of these three tips can be used to paint with Softly Flo paints. Choose the one best suited for your painting project. Replacement & extra tips are available from your instructor or any Tri-chem distributor/ dealer/instructor. FABRIC / GARMENT / ITEM PREPARATION: Before painting, all items to be painted should be washed free of dirt, grease, fillers, chemicals, or films for best results. They must also be rinsed free of detergents and soaps. All fabrics should be washed without fabric softener and dried without dryer sheets before painting and be completely dry and clean. Use the fabric's laundering care label as a guide for preparation. Fabrics can be ironed, without steam, prior to painting to assure dryness and a smoother surface to paint on. For non-woven material like Decoron or heavy cotton fabrics, like denim or linen, place a Painting Pad (#0653) directly behind the design area so it will absorb paint that penetrates the fabric. This will keep it from staining through to the opposite layer of fabric in a garment or through to the painting surface where it may smear or stain. The Painting Pad's blotte absorbency will prevent smearing. For regular cotton material, a Painting Hoop (#0789 or 0799) may be used to accomplish the same thing and it will secure the fabric so it does not move while being painted. To use the hoop, just remove the ring, place the design area over it so its blotter and backing is under the design, and place the ring back on while smoothing the fabric tightly over its surface. Do not use a hoop on Decoron or any other non-woven (pressed) material! For knitted-type of fabrics, including T-shirt material, a piece of Knit Sticker (#0648 or #0649) is needed as a fabric backing. Just place the Knit Sticker piece to the back of the design area and smooth the fabric over it. The Knit Sticker will hold it place so you can paint it. Then place all onto a hard surface, like a table, to paint it. THE DOs AND THE DON'Ts - THE BASICS OF BALLPOINT PAINTING: * DO: Always hold a Tri-chem metal tube in a vertical position when painting in order to "roll" the paint on. This will allow the paint to be distributed better across the painting surface. To be used correctly, the tube must be held more straight up and down than a pen or pencil. Do not paint too fast or bear down too much on the tip. Before starting to paint with a new tube, remove the plastic tip cap and depress the ballpoint tip onto a hard surface while gently pinching the crimped end of the tube. This breaks the seal covering the ballpoint tip. * DO: Always use Tube Protectors (#0351). Tube Protectors protect the tube from being squeezed or bent while painting, and gives the user a firm place to hold the tube. Holding the tube correctly in a vertical position will also prevent excessive wear of the ballpoint tip. * DON'T: Never roll or fold the paint tube. Paint flows to the tip end automatically when painting. Keep sides from creasing to prevent cracks and breaks which leak paint. Allow tube to flatten naturally as paint is used up over time. * DON'T: Never allow paint tubes to reach temperature extremes. ALWAYS keep at room temperature. For longer term storage, place all plastic tip protection caps back on and store in Tube Trays (#0800, 0887) or Tube Toter (#0850) with tips down. Tube protectors must always be kept on the tubes, also. They also allow the paints to fit more snugly into the toter and tray spots. Store all Tri-chem paints inside your home away from heaters and colder areas. Tip protection caps and tube protectors can help prevent tip and tube damage during moving. * DO: Always keep tips clean. Use a small piece of lint free fabric (or Kimwipes) to wipe tip and Tip Zip (#0371) to clean tip frequently while painting to insure the best possible product performance. * DO: Clean Softly Flo paint and tubes using only water. Softly Flo paints do not need any solvents. They clean up and can be thinned with water. Softly Flo paints are excellent replacements for the original E-Z Flo (Liquid Embroidery) at http://www.fabricpaint.com/EZFlo.htm paints! See our conversion charts at http://www.fabricpaint.com/ConvertCharts2.shtml for help in choosing the correct color replacements. GUIDELINES FOR PAINTING WITH A BALLPOINT TIP: 1. First, start the flow of paint by gently pressing the crimped end of the tube between your thumb and forefinger placing the pressure toward the ballpoint applicator tip and then release. This process is referred to as burping the tube. It maximizes the pressure inside the tube so the paint flows more easily. 2. Always hold the tube in a cradle position between your fingers when painting with the regular ballpoint tip. Hold it by the plastic tube protector, much like a pen is held. Hold the paint tube very vertically. Place the tip on a scrap piece of fabric, and press down firmly on the point to depress the ball in the tip. This will allow the paint to flow and roll through the metal ballpoint bearing in the tip. 3. When painting, use firm even lines or circles to fill an area with paint. This will ensure even coverage and proper paint penetration. Allow the paint to flow as it is rolled on...do not paint too fast or bear down more than needed. The friction will slow the paint flow and cause unnecessary wear to the tip. 4. While the paint is still wet, work the paint into the fabric with the use of a Stylus (#0487) or Shading Tool (#0488). The use of either of these products will improve both shading and penetration of the paint into the fabric for best wash-ability. 5. When blending and shading on velveteen or suede, the fiber tips of the Shading Tool work best. The Stylus is best when blending and shading on heavier weight, stable fabrics such as denim and canvas. Both the Shading Tool and Stylus can be used to evenly blend colors together when shading. Softly Flo paints almost do NOT need their ballpoint tips off to obtain enough paint to do many jobs! Just hold the tip down against a hard surface like a jar lid or palette area and the paint will flow out nicely and you can use it to brush paint, etc.! Try it! Make sure tubes are properly "burped" first and press down. Now that is a nice feature! I like not having to take the tips off each time just to get a little paint for brush painting or making washes. :-) USING SOFTLY PAINTS WITHOUT THE TIP: Squeeze a small amount of paint onto a palette (#0587). Load a brush with paint and apply to the garment/painting surface. Softly Flo can be mixed to create different colors. Mix small portions of Softly Flo paint with (#0716) Extender to create varying shades of color without changing the consistency of the paint. Softly Flo is perfect to use when creating a wash for a back- ground. This is done by squeezing paint into a Tip Jar (#0685) and filling the jar with warm tap water. Use a small amount of paint for a light colored wash and a larger amount of paint for a deeper color wash. Shake the mixture vigorously. Apply the wash to the garment with a (#0749) Sponge Brush. Softly Flo painted areas retain the same high-washability even after diluting. Softly Flo paint can also be mixed with water in a Drip Drizzle Splatter bottle (#8116). This bottle creates quick, unique splatter effects when used to apply Softly Flo. Creating a wash. Softly Flo is perfect for this. If putting a background wash over a previously painted E-Z Flo painted area, the Softly Flo wash will NOT effect the previously painted section as the two paints are so different. The Softly Flo wash can be put on without being concerned that any E-Z Flo painted areas might run into the wash. When placing a wash over any previously painted design, it is a good idea to work from the edge of the painted area and work outward. For designs with areas that are painted with Softly Flo or other water-based paints ... allow those areas to dry thoroughly first and avoid re-wetting your previously painted design, if possible. Making a wash. Remove the tip (as described above) and squeeze a very small amount into a tip jar. Add water and mix (a stylus is good for this). Use a clean sponge brush to dampen the area desired to place the wash. Using a large clean sponge brush or fashion brush and holding the jar over the area desired to place the wash (to avoid drips) work in smooth even strokes. If the first application is satisfactory...stop. If not, apply a second or even third application while the paint is still wet until the effect is acheived that was desired to be created. Just remember that the wash will be lighter once it has dried but it will have the same high washability! Splatter Painting. This is a fun way to make interesting effects. Follow the instructions supplied with Drip Drizzle bottles and substitute Softly Flo paint for Silky soft. I would recommend mixing the paint and water in a tip jar or small plastic cup and then pouring the paint solution into the Drip-Drizzle bottle (makes mixing easier). Use less Softly Flo paint than Silky Soft paint. Splatter using the instructions supplied with the bottle. Effects with Silky Soft Extender. Yes, extender can be used with Softly Flo paint. There are several ways to do this: a) Mix the Softly Flo paint first with Extender (#0716) on a small area of palette paper & apply the mixed paint with a brush. b) Apply a small line of extender straight from the tube and then apply Softly Flo paint by brushing over the extender and mixing the paint and extender in the process. Correcting Mistakes. Sometimes small amounts of paint placed by mistake can be removed. Here's how to proceed: Place a piece of absorbent paper behind the area of paint to be removed. WHILE THE PAINT IS STILL WET.. immediately use a stencil brush or other stiff-bristled brush to work the paint through the fabric and out onto the paper by adding water to the area and working the brush in small circles to push the paint through. For stubborn areas add a little Softly Flo Extender. The faster the error is removed the better, because once the paint dries it becomes permanent, of course. Softly Flo is NOT recommended for non-porous surfaces such as glass or ceramic, use conventional E-Z Flo paint for this. Although they are water-based, Softly Flo paints do not need to be heat set. TIP REPLACEMENT POLICY, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! All Tri-Chem products are guaranteed against defects in material and workmanship for two years from the date of purchase. During the two-year guarantee period, we will gladly replace any Tri-Chem Ballpoint Tips, for no charge, that are defective because of materials or workmanship. A Tri-chem ballpoint tip can wear out through extended use on rough fabric or by pressing down hard on fabric being painted. Over-used tips, or tips that are inoperable because paint has dried in the tip, are not covered under our two-year guarantee. It is important to learn proper tip care. A spare set of replacement tips should be kept available at all times. Replacement tips are available in pack of ten (#0423) for only $7.50. Artex Tips (Item #0409 / 25-tip pack for $19.99) are provided as a courtesy to our customers who retain Artex tubes. The Artex Tips are not covered under the Tri-Chem guarantee against defects in materials or workmanship, however. ENHANCEMENTS AND EMBELLISHMENTS Spark-L-On, Slix-Stix, Candy Creations, Hint of Gold or Hint of Silver, and Fashion Shimmers may be applied over Softly Flo paints for enhancement. Washes made of Softly Flo paint can be applied over E-Z Flo paint to create colored backgrounds. There is no need to worry about applying Softly Flo paint over the E-Z Flo paint when creating washes. E-Z Flo paint is an oil-based paint that will resist any water-based paint such as Softly Flo. Softly Flo paints also look very nice when used with E-Z Flo paints in any design. 0151 Hint of Gold. Use with Warm paints as an enhancer. 0150 Hint of Silver. Use with Cool paints as an enhancer. REMEMBER ... When Softly Flo paints are not in use they should be kept capped and stored applicator tip down in either a Blue Rose Tote (#0850) or a Tube Tray (#0800 or 0887). Always use a Tube Protector (#0351) over each Softly Flo tube! They are its insurance policy! It is especially important to keep water-based paint at room temperature. Do not store near heaters or in colder areas like basements or attics. Protect from freezing. WASHING INSTRUCTIONS * Always pre-wash any new fabric or washable garment PRIOR to painting to remove chemicals, fillers and loose fibers. Do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets until after the item is painted. Make sure item is completely dry before painting. For the best results, first iron without steam to remove wrinkles and to assure fabric dryness. * Softly Flo paints do not need heat setting but allow garments to air dry for 7 days before washing. Wash in cool water by hand or use machine setting for delicate cycle with cool water. Dry according the fabric care label. Do NOT dry clean except in mild solution. Ask dry cleaner to use mild solution. For embellished items, follow the laundering directions for that type of paint. All Tri-chem paint types are listed in our Product Gallery at http://www.fabricpaint.com/product_gallery.shtml . Each product use guide has a washing instructions section. * Non-fabric painted items will dry with in 4 hours unless a heavy coat of paint was applied. Wash with soap and water normally only after paint has been allowed to thoroughly dry overnight. Do not wash, if not needed. Items should be cleaned of dirt and grease PRIOR to painting for best results. CHECKLIST: SUGGESTED ACCESSORIES & PROJECT LIST for use with EZ Flo (Liquid Embroidery) oil-based paints __ 0402 or 0423 - Replacement Ballpoint Tip * as needed. __ 0407 or 0408 - Fast-Flo Tip * is optional. __ 0420 or 0421 - Wonder-Flo Tip * is optional. __ 0351 - Tube Protectors, one for each tube! Required! __ 0716 - Softly Flo Extender __ 0653 - Painting Pad or 0789 / 0799 Painting Hoop __ 0648 or 0649 - Knit Sticker. For knit fabrics __ 0641 - Tip Pliers and/or 0643 - Tip Changer __ 0371 - Tip Zip * highly recommended. __ 0487 - Stylus and/or 0488 - Shading Tool __ 0800 / 0887 - Tube Trays or 0850 - Tube Toter __ 0675 - "Art Of Decorating With Tri-Chem" Book *recommended. __ 0429 - Handy Tube Plugs * as needed. __ Choice of embellishment or enhancing paints, if desired. For brush painting with Softly Flo: Choose from the many Tri-chem brushes. Remove tip according to directions in this guide, and squeeze out needed paint onto the back of a Painting Hoop or onto Disposable Palette Paper (#0587). Be careful not to dent or crease the tube. Replace tip or use a Wonderflo tip. Please see our Accessory webpage at http://www.fabricpaint.com/accessories.shtml for brush selection and other Tri-chem accessories. Important companion items: Color Conversion Charts: http://www.fabricpaint.com/ConvertCharts2.shtml Article on "How to Change Tri-chem Ballpoint Tips" at: http://www.fabricpaint.com/TipChange.txt ~~~ *This Product Guide is provided as a courtesy of The CyberTiger Team of FabricPaint.Com. This guide is freely distribute-able in printed or copied form as long as it stays in its complete original form, which MUST include this entire statement and everything before it. Please use this printer-friendly version of this guide. We reserve all creative copyrights to HTML and web versions of this guide. ~~~ We thank you for your interest in Tri-chem products!