If you would like to silkpaint, this tutorial will give you an idea of what materials are needed to start you off and how the process works. I would encourage you to join a class in your area where you can use all the inks and materials and get to see if you like it before investing in your own supplies.
You need to stretch your silk tightly over an old picture frame or a batik frame and pin it with the five prong pins provided by silk paint suppliers.
When the gutta is dry, you paint the silk with brushes and water based inks. You can dilute the colours in a palette or use them full strength. By wetting areas of the silk before applying paint you can create a muted and blended effect where the colours meet and mingle. Dropping coarse salt on wet paint will also create interesting effects, also dropping colour on colour produces interesting results. You will find the colours lead you, they change and blend as they dry and the results can be unexpected at first.
You need to stretch your silk tightly over an old picture frame or a batik frame and pin it with the five prong pins provided by silk paint suppliers.
 |
| Silk is pinned tightly to a frame before painting begins. |
Outlining is the next step
The outline is drawn on with a gutta tube - it is a fluid, glue like substance that stops colour penetrating wherever the outline is placed. I like clear gutta but you can buy colours.
when the outline is dry you can colour in and around with the inks
When the gutta is dry, you paint the silk with brushes and water based inks. You can dilute the colours in a palette or use them full strength. By wetting areas of the silk before applying paint you can create a muted and blended effect where the colours meet and mingle. Dropping coarse salt on wet paint will also create interesting effects, also dropping colour on colour produces interesting results. You will find the colours lead you, they change and blend as they dry and the results can be unexpected at first.
Although the outlay for the products is a commitment, they last a very long time. You can buy the silk by the metre from online suppliers.
The finished result is left to dry, it looks much brighter before it is finished. When dry and unpinned you will need to iron your work on a medium heat and then wash to remove the gutta outline (just rinse under a tepid tap), dry it and iron once more. The completed work can be backed with muslin to make things like lavender bags or spray fixed to cardboard as a picture for framing.
