Silk painting basics

PAINTING ON SILK

from Dharma Trading Co.

It's been done for centuries in Asia, it's been big in Europe for years and now painting on silk is becoming very popular in the U.S. Partly it's because silk is such a neat fabric and more available now than ever before. But much of the interest is due to the French serti technique for applying the dye to the silk - it has everything going for it - it's easy, it's clean, it's fun, and you get startlingly beautiful results.

THE SERTI TECHNIQUE

When dye is applied to silk it begins to spread, like grape juice on a table cloth. This may be the effect you want, however in most cases, most artists want more precise control of their design - hard lines and distinct shapes. The traditional French approach to controlling the flow of the dye is called the serti (enclosing or fence) technique. It has become very popular in American now because spectacular results are possible with a minimum of effort.

In the serti technique you make a design with a resist called gutta. The dye spreads up to the resist fence and is halted, thus filling in the design with color. In other words, the dye is applied within enclosed areas created beforehand with the resist - the design is made with the resist rather than by the dye. Here's how:

1. Stretch and secure the fabric to a frame with tacks or suspend it in center with silk clips and rubber bands (like a trampoline). Hold the applicator bottle of gutta or gutta-like resist vertically with the tip firmly against the fabric and squeeze gently while drawing the outlines of your pattern. Be sure that each shape is a unit, a completely enclosed shape with no gaps or skips in the line (even the smallest break in the line can let some of the dye escape. Let the resist dry.
2. Using a soft brush, foam brush or applicator nib apply the dye sparingly to the middle of the outlined areas, allowing the fabric to absorb the dye from the brush. Do not make brushstrokes, but slowly and firmly guide the dye toward the resist lines.
3. Allow to dry and then fix by the method prescribed for the dye or paint you are using.