Isabella Flores
Silk painting is an ancient art form that originated in India and Eastern Asia in the second century CE. It is a surprisingly simple type of textile art that can be undertaken by anyone. To save your silk painting, you must first prepare the silk by stretching it over a frame and securing it with thumbtacks, staples, or by using a stretcher frame. You can then sketch your design onto the silk using a soft pencil or a vanishing marker. Once you are happy with your design, you can begin painting using silk paints rather than acrylic, oil, or watercolour. After allowing your painting to dry, you can set the paint with an iron on the silk setting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of fabric | Silk |
| Type of paint | Water-based silk paint |
| Other materials | Scissors, water-based resist, applicator, pipette, soft pencil, mixed media paper, small brush, gutta, stretcher frame, thumbtacks, staples, embroidery ring, cardboard box, marker, vanishing marker, iron, ironing cloth |
| Preparation | Prewash silk, stretch silk over frame, sketch design on paper, transfer design onto silk |
| Technique | Serti method, alcohol and salt method |
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What You'll Learn
- Use the right materials: water-based resist, gutta, soft pencil, mixed media paper, small brush, and silk paints
- Prepare the silk: stretch it over a frame, prewash it, and let it air dry
- Sketch your design: draw your design on paper first, then trace it onto the silk
- Outline your design: use resist or gutta to create clean lines and borders, then let it dry
- Fill in with paint: use paints made specifically for silk and fill in your design
Use the right materials: water-based resist, gutta, soft pencil, mixed media paper, small brush, and silk paints
To save your silk painting, it is important to use the right materials. Here are the key materials you will need and how they are used:
Water-based resist
A water-based resist is a special type of adhesive used for painting on silk as it does not cause the silk to shrink or wrinkle when it dries. It is used to outline your designs, which you will then fill in with paint. Water-based resists are ideal because they easily wash out with warm water when your painting is complete.
Gutta
Gutta is a rubbery substance derived from Indonesian rubber trees used for the French Serti Technique of painting on silk. It comes in clear, black, gold metallic, and silver metallic. Clear gutta is meant to be removed after the paint has dried, typically through dry cleaning. The coloured guttas are meant to be left on the silk, creating a unique texture on the fabric.
Soft pencil
Use a soft pencil to sketch out your design on mixed media paper before transferring it onto the silk. Soft pencils are preferable to sharp-tipped pencils as they are gentler on the delicate silk fabric.
Mixed media paper
Mixed media paper is ideal for sketching your design before transferring it onto silk. It has a heavier paperweight that can withstand multiple uses, making it perfect for practising your design before committing to the silk.
Small brush
Small brushes are essential for painting fine details on silk. You may also use brushes of various sizes depending on the type of design you are creating.
Silk paints
Silk paints such as Setasilk and Javana silk paints are specifically designed for painting on silk. You can create any colour you desire by mixing red, blue, and yellow. Black is also useful for darkening colours, and diluting paints with water will make them lighter.
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Prepare the silk: stretch it over a frame, prewash it, and let it air dry
Preparing silk before painting is essential to achieving the best results. Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing silk for painting:
Stretch the silk over a frame
Firstly, you will need a frame to stretch your silk over. You can purchase a frame or make your own stretcher bars to hold the silk in place. Artist's canvas stretcher bars are easily available at most art supply stores. You can also cut out a frame from a cardboard box in a pinch. The frame should be soft enough to allow push pins, thumbtacks, or 3-pronged tacks to be pushed into it. Alternatively, you can create a 'trampoline' effect with rubber bands and hooks or silk clips. Stretch your silk onto the frame with pins, thumbtacks, or hooks spaced every 4-6 inches along each side. The goal is to create just enough tension so that the silk is taut but can bounce when pressed in the middle. Placing upside-down plastic cups or wood blocks under each corner of the frame will raise it slightly above the table, ensuring that the silk doesn't touch any surface.
Prewash the silk
Before painting silk, it is important to prewash it to allow for a smoother and more even application of paint. You can wash the silk by hand or in a washing machine on a gentle cycle with warm water and detergent. If using a washing machine, check the garment tag to ensure it is safe to do so. You can use a silk detergent like Synthrapol, found at fabric and craft stores. After washing, rinse and dry the silk, and when it is slightly damp, press it with an iron on the silk setting.
Let the silk air dry
After prewashing the silk, allow it to air dry. Once dry, you can proceed with sketching your design on paper and transferring it onto the silk. Then, you can begin the painting process, ensuring that you set the paint with an iron after 24 hours.
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Sketch your design: draw your design on paper first, then trace it onto the silk
Sketching your design on paper before tracing it onto silk is a crucial step in the silk painting process. This step allows you to perfect your design before committing it to silk, where erasing mistakes is difficult. It also helps you memorise the strokes and relaxes you before you start painting.
Start by drawing the bare outlines of your design on mixed media paper. This type of paper is ideal as it has a heavier weight that can withstand multiple uses. You can then shade your outline drawing with pencils. If you are planning to frame your silk, you should stretch the silk over the frame and secure it with thumbtacks or staples before you begin sketching.
Once you are happy with your sketch, you can begin the process of transferring it to silk. Place your paper sketch under your panel of pre-washed and dried silk. Use a soft pencil to carefully trace and transfer your design onto the fabric. Work slowly and with a light touch, as it is challenging to erase mistakes on silk.
If you want to use tracing paper to transfer your design, place a sheet of tracing paper over your paper sketch and tape it in place. You can also use culinary parchment paper. Make sure the tracing paper is flat and covers the entire image. Then, use a soft graphite pencil to trace the original image onto the tracing paper. Remove the tape and tracing paper, and touch up the transferred drawing if needed.
Finally, place your tracing paper face down onto the silk and use a hard object like the back of your pencil to rub the traced drawing onto the fabric. You can also use an autofade pen or a Hemline Vanishing Fabric Marker Pen to trace your design directly onto the silk. These pens are invaluable for silk painters as the ink marks can be easily removed with water.
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Outline your design: use resist or gutta to create clean lines and borders, then let it dry
When outlining your design, you can use resist or gutta to create clean lines and borders. Resist is a special type of adhesive that is used for painting on silk, as it won't cause the silk to shrink or wrinkle when it dries. You should use a water-based resist as it will easily wash out with warm water when your painting is complete. You can apply the resist with an applicator and pipette, which will give you more control and help you achieve fine lines.
Gutta is another option for outlining your design. It is a type of resist that creates a boundary around part of an image or pattern, preventing the silk paint or dye from running beyond that boundary. Gutta can be solvent-based or water-based. Solvent-based gutta must be removed by dry cleaning, which some may find impractical, but you can paint your dyes on very quickly after applying this type of gutta. Water-based gutta, on the other hand, takes longer to dry, and you need to be careful that the dyes do not dissolve it. You can speed up the drying process by using a hairdryer.
It's important to note that the application of gutta or resist can be tricky and may require some experimentation to get it right. The success of the application depends on various factors, including the type of silk, the weight and weave of the fabric, and the weather conditions where you are painting.
Once you have outlined your design with resist or gutta, let it dry completely before moving on to the next step of painting your silk.
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Fill in with paint: use paints made specifically for silk and fill in your design
Painting on silk is an ancient technique that first originated in India and Eastern Asia in the second century CE. Silk painting is a surprisingly simple type of textile art that anyone can try out.
To fill in your design, you should use paints made specifically for silk. Silk fabric is very absorbent, so the fluid paint spreads across the fabric quickly. You can use a variety of mediums to create different effects on the fabric. For instance, a primer or anti-spread can be used to treat the silk fabric so that the flow of paint is inhibited, allowing free-hand watercolour painting techniques. You can also use a clear medium to help diffuse diluted colours and fix them on the silk fabric.
If you want to create distinct lines, you can use the Serti method. For softer lines and more textured pieces, you can try the alcohol and salt method. To create pastel shades, combine mix-white with silk paints. You can also use silk dyes instead of paint.
You can find silk paints at craft stores or online. Some brands include Deka Silk, Jacquard Dye-na-flow, Setasilk, and Javana silk paints.
Before filling in your design, you should pre-wash your silk to allow for a smoother and more even application of paint. You should also stretch out the fabric and pin it to a frame before applying the paint.
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Frequently asked questions
First, pre-wash your silk and allow it to air dry. This will enable a smoother and more even application of paint. Stretch the silk over a frame and use thumbtacks, staples, or an embroidery ring to secure it in place. The silk should be taut but not pulled too tightly as this may damage the fabric.
Use paints that are made specifically for silk or fabric painting. You can purchase these at craft stores or online.
You will need an applicator and pipette (optional), a soft pencil, mixed media paper, a small brush, and paint.
Sketch your design on a piece of paper first. Tape your drawing to a window and tape the silk over it, then gently trace the lines. Alternatively, place the paper under the silk and use a pencil or vanishing marker to transfer the design.
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