Wearable Waves Clothing Painting Course 

Turn a Forgotten Garment Into Wearable Art

Some of my favourite pieces have started life as something else entirely - an old denim jacket, a plain shirt that's been sitting quietly at the back of a wardrobe.

I wanted to share the process I use to turn something ordinary into something you'll actually want to wear: hand-painting fabric with the same textured, ocean-inspired technique from my paintings, just applied to cloth instead of canvas. It's slow, hands-on, and a little messy in the best way - perfect for a rainy afternoon, a winter weekend project or a summer table in the garden. No painting experience needed, just something lovely to make, whenever suits you.

Hand painted denim jacket by Gemma Lessinger, example of what you can create in this wearable waves online course
Denim jeans pocket, hand painted by Gemma Lessinger as an example of what you can create with the online wearable waves course
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What's included

7 step-by-step video lessons — narrated and easy to follow, walking you through preparing your garment, mixing your colours, and building up the wave and texture technique from start to finish

Watch at your own pace — lifetime access, so you can dip in and out when ever suits you rather than rushing it

Written notes for each lesson — so you're not stuck re-watching to catch a step

No experience necessary — this is designed for total beginners as much as confident painters

What you'll need

A garment to paint on - an old denim jacket or shirt works beautifully, and a charity shop find is often perfect (from around £5-£10), or use something you already own.

Fabric paint - if you want to be able to wash your garment in the washing machine, I recommend buying the fabric paints I suggest in the Intro. It’s less than £25 for everything you'll need - thats all the colours you’ll need for the seascape scene and they will last you many projects. You can use acrylic paint but it will fade gradually as you wash the garment.

Paintbrushes & Masking Tape - you can use brushes you have, or I recommend a couple in the course which I love, all can be purchased online for around £15. They then can be used again and again for any creative project.

  • "My denim jacket I painted with my daughter has become my statement wardrobe piece! I love it!"

    India Outdoors

  • "It was such a great course! I thought it would be much harder as I'm not naturally very arty, so I loved how possible it was."

    The Outdoor Mum

  • ""I absolutely loved exploring my creativity more by upcycling my denim jacket with a beautiful seascape."

    A Rosanna

  • "Anyone from beginner to advanced artists would enjoy this chance to get creative in a unique way!"

    S Bagnall

Tote bag, denim jeans and hoody example showing what you can create in the wearable waves online course.
Tote bag, denim jeans and hoody example showing what you can create in the wearable waves online course.
Hand painted Denim jacket creation by one of Gemma Lessinger's students in the online wearable waves course.

Price £30 for lifetime access

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No deadlines, no pressure - just something lovely to make this summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Denim and cotton work best: jackets, shirts, jeans, tote bags.

  • Yes, with the fabric paints recommended in the intro lesson. Acrylic will fade over time.

  • The process normally takes 1.5-2 hours including preparation time of the garment.

  • Yes - just send me an email on hello@gemmalessinger.com to arrange.