Illustrating Marine Life on Textiles

I'm always on the lookout for enjoyable DIY projects that help me cherish memorable vacations. The feeling of sand between my toes and the salty breeze in my hair brings me so much joy. I search for ideas with determination. Here’s my latest endeavor, just one of many ways to honor and remember your ocean escapades.

To give you a bit of background… just before LJ arrived, my mom asked if there was anything special I wanted for the boys. Knowing my love for matching kids' clothing, I told her I would adore matching t-shirts for all three boys that said 'little brother,' 'big brother,' and 'biggest brother.' Unable to find any in my style, she decided to make them herself. She used a regular sharpie to create cute tees for the boys, but when I washed them, the ink ran everywhere. It was a truly disappointing day.

When she discovered the ink-stained t-shirts, we were both surprised that permanent markers like Sharpies didn’t hold up on the fabric, especially since they stain other materials without issue (coughrockingchaircough). This prompted me to find an alternative way to mark on fabric.

While it’s easy to create big brother t-shirts as you wish, I saw this as a delightful opportunity to capture some of the wonderful sea life Jeremy and I have encountered during our vacations. Plus, it gets me even more excited about our upcoming cruise with Dinogos. Oh, did I mention we’ll be CRUISING in November?! Yeah. You can totally picture me squealing with delight right now!

Now, let’s return to this amazing project at hand…

The first thing you'll need is a set of Sharpie markers. I know, they’re Sharpies, but these are not just any markers—they're specially designed for fabric. I ordered mine from Amazon, and the colors are incredibly vibrant—think fluorescent on steroids!

You’ll also need your materials for decorating, such as t-shirts, dish towels, napkins, pillowcases, sheets, curtains, lampshades, and more. Just be sure to wash them first—except for the lampshades; that would be a bit awkward.

Next, you'll need some inspiration. In this instance, I focused on sea life. That’s why I shared the Pinterest-worthy photo above 🙂 If you have any pictures from snorkeling on your latest cruise, a postcard from your favorite beach getaway, or even just a quick Google or Pinterest search for images that remind you of an ocean paradise, you'll uncover a plethora of options.

I drew my inspiration from the fish picture above. I recall spotting some wildly polka-dotted fish during our trip to Eleuthera, and they matched perfectly with my vibrant colors (though the actual fish in the image is from Hawaii, so perhaps I'm dreaming of a future visit!).

Alright, first you’ll outline your marine life. If you prefer tracing, print out the image and place it beneath your dishtowel. Marine life has all sorts of intricate edges, so perfection isn’t necessary (as shown above!). Next, fill in any highlighted areas. If certain sections are meant to remain white, just keep that in mind as you work.

Now we move on to the main event: the color, which in this case is red. It may still resemble something an elementary school kid drew…

I found that adding one more mid-tone color is helpful—here, it’s orange. And when I say mid-tone, I mean bright-neon-burn-your-eyes orange!

Next comes the crucial part—the shading. I went over and reinforced any lines (around the eyes, fins, etc.) using the marker tip, making them bolder. Then, I held the marker sideways (similar to how you would grip a crayon for rubbing) and began applying the shading.

When you finish, it should resemble a stylish towel you might find at a trendy boutique, one that could cost you all the money you set aside for food that month. And now, here’s the high-speed GIF…

The final step is to wash the fabric in cold water. I chose to iron mine first. Although the instructions suggested just washing it, I wanted to prevent any bleeding, so I pressed it on a medium-high setting without steam. Washing it in cold afterward should set the colors even better.

I also designed a simpler version for those who might find shading challenging. It features a coral reef, and I aimed to make it as easy as possible. This would be a fantastic activity for kids as they can create their own designs!

Clearly, I embraced the vibrant colors available in the pack, but if I had the chance to do it again, I might opt for simpler designs—like a t-shirt for Weston with 'MUNCH' in bold letters (his nickname) or an outline of a monster truck for Will to color in on his own. The possibilities are endless!