Name: Janet Allen

Message: My son is an actor and wants to have a PURPLE overcoat like the Joker in Dark Knight. I found a dark grey wool overcoat at a second-hand shop for only $5! So, if it gets ruined, we're not losing much, other than a nice coat. About 25 years ago I helped in a theatre department once and the costume designer used an airbrush to spray dye on costumes to get the look he wanted. Is there any way to do something like that to give this dark grey coat a purple/navy cast without actually having to submerge it?

To start with, since dye is transparent, there's no way any dye could turn a dark gray to any other color except black. Dye can turn things darker in color, but never lighter. 

Even if the dark color were not a problem, airbrushing dye won't work as a means to avoid immersing the fabric, since dye must be rinsed thoroughly after application. Without washing after dyeing, excess dye will rub off onto the wearer, other clothing, and any furniture the coat happens to touch.

Although it might be possible to use a discharge chemical such as Formosul to lighten the color of wool, that would certainly require extensive immersion in hot water, just as you are trying to avoid.

What might work reasonably well would be airbrushing with fabric paint.  This is something I would not recommend for an expensive wool coat, but your situation is perfect for experimenting. Unfortunately, most fabric paints won't cover a dark color any more than dye will. To get a fabric paint that will cover the original dark color, look for the word "opaque" on the label. A good brand is Jacquard Products' Neopaque fabric paint. You can dilute it with up to 25% as much water for airbrushing. Don't expect to get a perfectly smooth solid color with fabric paint, but you can certainly make the coat more purple in color. You'll probably need to blend purple with navy blue to get the color you want.

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