Thread: Feedback on a handmade/painted belt

I've been in a student cabaret troupe for about a year. We make a lot of our own costumes, and I've really enjoyed getting into doing that.

Since I paint/illustrate professionally (Joanna Barnum - Freelance Illustrator), I decided to experiment with something that wasn't just sewing and trim/beading. This is my first attempt at a painted belt.

I've worn it to practice in (to make sure it didn't fly apart- it didn't, it was very secure) but haven't performed in it yet. I think I may use it for a bit, and then sell it as an experiment to see if there would be any interest in other pieces like this. Making a bit of money off of costuming would help fund my other costumes!

I'd be interested to hear any feedback you have on this piece. Would it look professional to you in a performance, or would you find it obviously handmade (in a bad way) and amateur looking? Is it *too* different from the style of costumes you normally see? Is it something you could see *yourself* buying (and/or commissioning your own with different images and colors) and wearing in a performance? If so, what would you consider a reasonable price to be?

The painting itself is done in acrylic on canvas fabric. The whole thing is backed with felt, and the edges are done with bias tape. There are grommets and lacing on the side because a) I thought it looked cool and b) I figured if I ever tried to sell these to someone else, it would make it adjustable without the person having to take it apart and resew it themselves. There are rhinestones glued on in the painted design, and I beaded the trim by hand.

My main criticism of myself is that the stitching of the bias tape isn't totally clean and professional looking on the back. I'm not sure if you can tell from the photos.

Ooooh, I think it's really pretty and unique! I would wear something like this for a fusion or tribal-style piece.

I think it's just lovely!!!

I love it! Poppies are my favorite...g.:

Your painting is lovely, but I am not sure I am totally on board with the embellishments. With the color you chose for the base fabric, it looks almost like painted leather from a distance, and as a result, I think the fringe needs a little more weight (thicker beads or more length) to balance the rest of the design. Or maybe rayon fringe or tassels would be a better option than beading.

I also can't decide if I'd suggest using a lot more highlighting embellishments on the belt itself (e.g., outlining the flowers in seed beads) or removing them entirely. Maybe the answer is to paint more background design so you are riffing on the traditionally busy Middle Eastern tile and textile patterns. I guess it depends on whether you want to be more sparkly and cabaret or if you want to be ethnic and tribal.

I think the basic idea is solid, and you have a lot of potential for creating a product that tribal dancers will want to buy. If you're hoping to get a foothold on the cabaret market, maybe there is some interest in hand-painted/embellished silk pieces? With your artistic talent, I bet you could create really elegant painted silks.

Ooooh, painted silks...that sounds lovely!

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

I think the basic idea is solid, and you have a lot of potential for creating a product that tribal dancers will want to buy. If you're hoping to get a foothold on the cabaret market, maybe there is some interest in hand-painted/embellished silk pieces? With your artistic talent, I bet you could create really elegant painted silks.

Thanks, I appreciate the honest feedback!

My troupe is cabaret, although our costuming style is fairly diverse. I can see why belts like this would be more appealing to tribal dancers for the most part. Whoever ends up wanting to buy them would be fine with me! I do like the silk idea, that's something to experiment with.

i think this is a fabulous template. The design of the belt is good, the painting is lovely and it makes a nice template. If someone bought one, it would be easy, using the basic design you have created, to embellish it and personalize it.

Good work!

{{{HUGS}}}

I would make the sides of the same width, slope the sides and align the grommets so that when tied up and viewed from the side, the belt has one smooth line.

JAS,

Kem

If you decide to try silk veil painting, and would do an ocean/underwater theme, please PM me!

It's very pretty!!

I think this is beautiful! I agree that maybe a weightier looking fringe would be nice or rayon/ribbon/leather fringe strips would give it extra oomph but the design is unique and I'm sure tribal dancers would go gaga over it! :)

REally nice. Painting scales or animal stripes might be novel too. I have a weakness for animal print costumes in cabaret. What about getting really snazzy with metallic paint - could totally see both tribal and cabaret gals going for that. Wow, I can totally imagine going wild with all sorts of stuff. Wish I had your skill.

I luv it! As an amateur, it would be fun to wear these.

I'm not sure how it would work for professional cabaret because the belt usually matches the bra.

You could make belts without fringe/stones so customers could add their own.

How about some kind of matching headpiece or neckpiece.

Thanks for all the great ideas and feedback so far, everyone!

If I end up making any to put up for sale (in an Etsy shop, probably) do you know if I'd be allowed to post a link in this thread, or would that be against the rules? I'm fairly new here and haven't figured it all out yet.

Originally Posted by kemintiri

I would make the sides of the same width, slope the sides and align the grommets so that when tied up and viewed from the side, the belt has one smooth line.

Thanks for pointing that out. I remember noticing that it didn't match when I finished putting the binding on, but I'd forgotten about it. I'll make it match on the next one I do.

Originally Posted by khalima

If you decide to try silk veil painting, and would do an ocean/underwater theme, please PM me!

I'm not sure when I'll have time to try it, but if I do, I'll get in touch with you.

Concerning matching bras and belts... I haven't figured out yet if I can do a painted bra or not. Possibly, if I painted directly onto the existing cup, and put trim around it, rather than trying to shape the heavy canvas over the cup. Alternately, I guess I could make a bra "match" just by having it be in the same colors with the same trim, but no painting. I'd probably only make a matching set if someone actually wanted to commission one in the right size for them.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

Your painting is lovely, but I am not sure I am totally on board with the embellishments. With the color you chose for the base fabric, it looks almost like painted leather from a distance, and as a result, I think the fringe needs a little more weight (thicker beads or more length) to balance the rest of the design. Or maybe rayon fringe or tassels would be a better option than beading.

I also can't decide if I'd suggest using a lot more highlighting embellishments on the belt itself (e.g., outlining the flowers in seed beads) or removing them entirely. Maybe the answer is to paint more background design so you are riffing on the traditionally busy Middle Eastern tile and textile patterns. I guess it depends on whether you want to be more sparkly and cabaret or if you want to be ethnic and tribal.

I think the basic idea is solid, and you have a lot of potential for creating a product that tribal dancers will want to buy. If you're hoping to get a foothold on the cabaret market, maybe there is some interest in hand-painted/embellished silk pieces? With your artistic talent, I bet you could create really elegant painted silks.

I agree. I initially thought it was leather also & it does strike me as more ethnic/tribal looking than cabaret. Cabaret would need to have more sparkle to it/more beading/sequins/etc. For cabaret I'd suggest fill in the background with more color or pattern, add more sparkle as well as a solid line of beaded fringe all the way around the bottom (maybe even beaded fringe with paillettes). Honestly I think this would look better as tribal/fusion, though. Part of the beauty of it, to me, is it's simplicity - the lack of massive bling & the earthiness of it. Some tassels along the bottom to pick up the colors of the painting would look really nice. Maybe move the chunky beading to along the bias tape/the edges? Or chunky beading as the background around the painted flowers? That could be interesting. It's not my personal style of costume to dance in, but I do like it ..g.:

Originally Posted by JoannaB

Concerning matching bras and belts... I haven't figured out yet if I can do a painted bra or not. Possibly, if I painted directly onto the existing cup, and put trim around it, rather than trying to shape the heavy canvas over the cup. Alternately, I guess I could make a bra "match" just by having it be in the same colors with the same trim, but no painting. I'd probably only make a matching set if someone actually wanted to commission one in the right size for them.

You could always leave the bra and belt to the consumer and concentrate on painting coordinating pieces to go with a bedlah. A lot of dancers still wear the traditional bra and belt sets, and they stretch their costume wardrobes by changing up what they wear with them. I could see people going for painted silk skirt and veil sets, or if you wanted to work on a more substantial fabric, those retro harem pants/panel skirt and vest sets. If you go with drawstring bottoms, they are practically one-size-fits-all anyway.

Also for Tribal, you could do a coordinating canvas panel/ panels that could be sewn onto a vest or other item by the buyer. Then there's some flexibility in fashioning a matching piece on top.

Silk sounds...oh, drool....

If you have a Michaels nearby, they're clearancing out their Lumiere fabric paints--good time to get some to play around with.

I think the bling is too sparse. As soon as you step back the small amount of stones you’ve scattered disappear and the fringe starts looking minimal at best…if you step back more you’re not even going to notice the fringe. I embroidered my first few costumes, but have come to feel that even that lacks the depth and dimention I can get with beads for about the same effort.

That being said, it’s a good, solid idea. It’s far more suited for smaller/art venues where people will be close enough to enjoy the detail, on a stage I fear it would just look flat. And, as folks have mentioned, as it is feels more tribal/tribal fusion (or for me, more Polish/Hungarian/Slavic folkdance) than cabaret.

Regardless of what direction you take it, I would add more fringe…for more art/cabaret maybe layer a few basic “lampshade trim” fringes (like you have but more) or look into fabric chainette fringe and tassles for a more tribal fusion look.

Play around with fabrics bases. Think about perhaps making canvas appliqués so that you can have a painting surface you are familiar with but can use less paint-friendly base fabrics. Also think about working over edges and shadows of what you7’e painted with beads to make things pop more.

I gotta be honest, the more I thought about it and looked back up the picture, the more I really loved the way that looks. I definitely back up what everyone has said about the initial reaction being that it looks more tribal, but I would love to see what your work would look like in a really classic cabaret-inspired creation! I think something in a dark base color with a real sparkly of metallic accent would be absolutely to die for!!!

Seriously I think my jaw dropped when I considered someone's suggestion of paillettes, I am totally a sucker for paillettes! With the lines of the belt you have up there I think oval or teardrop paillettes would be stunning, but maybe that's cuz they're my flashy cab-girl fetish, ..l;,

To be truthful, I haven't been costume shopping in freaking forever, literally years, because I've never been in a place that I felt afforded me the budget to do so, compared with how much I was performing. But I'm looking now, and would love to pick up something super unique like that.
To me, the intricate beading you've done so well on the belt would be lost with cabaret venues, and it's not that it's a waste of time, because it's a beautiful piece of beading art you've created, but I would feel nervous as all get out really thrashing and shimmying to several songs in that!
To really kick up the ooomph of it that I'd like to see, I think some simple monochromatic beaded fringe would really highlight the painting as the focal point of the belt (and bra, if you could manage one, oh please say yes!).
Anyone else get what I'm trying to say with that??

Suffice to say, I think I love it!

I don't have anything new to add as far as critiques... overall it's really lovely and unique. :)

I think it may be cool if you got into skirts as well, but like the mermaid styles with velvet or some other fabric? I only mention it because my mother in law wore a lovely hand painted dress with calla lillies to our wedding and everyone (even the photographer's wife) was complimenting it and I know dancers are always looking for unique skirts. I don't know the fabric she was wearing, but it had a touch of stretch and would definitely work for dancewear I think (seemed similar to much of the fabric used by Sharifwear).

Oh my goodness, you guys are fantastic! I love your ideas. I have so much to think about.

I need to finish a (not painted) belt for a troupe performance this weekend, so I should probably finish that, but maybe next week I can put together another experiment taking into account some of the feedback you guys have given me.

Originally Posted by clovis

Also for Tribal, you could do a coordinating canvas panel/ panels that could be sewn onto a vest or other item by the buyer. Then there's some flexibility in fashioning a matching piece on top.

Silk sounds...oh, drool....

If you have a Michaels nearby, they're clearancing out their Lumiere fabric paints--good time to get some to play around with.

I like the idea of just offering some panels or appliques that people could buy and do what they want with. The painting is the quickest part, so offering some stuff like that would balance out the stuff I get sucked into spending hours and hours embellishing. I guess I would have to figure out how to present in the right context so that people understand what they're buying and what they could use them for...unless something like this already exists in the tribal world that I'm just not familiar with...

And oh geez, I'm not sure you should have told me about the sale at Michael's!

I'm such a supply junky. I need to try and work on more projects with what I have around before I allow myself to buy more. But I'll probably go buy some silk paint, anyway...

Doing panels and appliques would probably help you structure a pricing range, too--that's what's hardest for me. You get up to a point where you realistically can't charge for your time, but you can't stop--it just needs this one more thing...

If there's a real costume goddess in your troupe, why don't you ask her what she'd like, then take pictures of the appliques before and after she uses them, so customers can get a feel for what you're offering?

I agree on heavier fringe on the bottom. Also, I would change the ribbons to something other than satin as it will slip over time.

Very nice and unique! I like it!
You would try to sell it in the swap pages.

Originally Posted by SandraDances

You would try to sell it in the swap pages.

Hm, I'd like to, but I'm confused about how it works. It seems like it would be more appropriate to sell it in the business section since it's something I've made, but it looks like I can't pay just to make one post...I'd have to subscribe for a period of time. I'm not sure if I'd get in trouble just putting it in the personal swap section?

I decided to go ahead and list the belt in my Etsy shop so that I can fund more experimentation:

Handmade Accessories on Etsy - Handpainted Belly dance belt with red and white poppies by JBarnum