Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 22:40:08 EDT
Subject: Re: PUPT: Painting Silk


<<2. How do I control the color and prevent bleeding? I don't mind the color 
bleeding through to the other side, but I do not want it to bleed out of the 
lines of the drawing?>>

<< an easy way to do the lines is with black gutta resist made for silk 
 painting. it will keep the dye from spreading outside the lines. >>

Right, although I favor white or transparent gutta. It's cheaper on the 
whole. You have to make sure that your lines close, or the very slightest 
break in the line will allow the dye to ooze into the next cell. To get it 
out of the fabric, dry clean it. However, it does not have to be removed. To 
some extent, within a drawn gutta cell, you have to count on bleeding to get 
a good even spread of color, so you might want to paint the cell with a wash 
of about 50-50 distilled water and alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to ensure quick, 
even spread. Fill the cell fairly quickly, using either a soft brush or a 
foam brush, and when you are through, put it immediately into a bowl of the 
alcohol-water mix to keep it from drying; it will dry quickly.

You also need to invest in a small bottle of gutta solvent, a few drops of 
which will revive gutta when it becomes gummy in its container. Besides that, 
you need to buy a resist applicator bottle to ensure good control of the 
gutta lines. 

I do not advise that you deal with wax, as it is dangerous, fairly complex, 
fairly expensive (beeswax is needed in quantity) and hard to get really sharp 
controlled lines with, no matter how great a djanting you buy. Gutta can be 
controlled much more easily. specialty training is needed to struggle with 
the wax question, and it really is more of a specialty.

<<3. What is the best way to strectch the silk to paint without wrinkles 
getting in the way?>>

<<to stretch it... use push pins or thumbtacks on a wooden frame like 
artist canvas stretcher bars...>>

One of the questions I needed answered really quickly at this point was: Do I 
need to glue/nail/staple the stretcher bars, or should I leave them just 
fitted together? The answer is, they are easier to work with if you can 
disassemble the frame when you're through with it.

Suggest push pins, as they are easier to get out. Dharma sells stainless 
steel pushpins, which are best, but unless you plan to do this a lot, 
brightly colored pushpins are easier to find before you step on them.

<<1. What kind of paint/marker/dye do I use?>>
I prefer Pebeo Soie steam set silk dyes. Tinfix also has a good reputation, 
and is set the same way. A little goes a very long way, so you don't need to 
spend buckets of money. A simple 3.5 oz bottle will do more than you can 
expect. Dilute it with distilled water in a paper cup. I would advise 
stocking up on a few basics rather than becoming addicted to the  wide range 
of delicate shades offered. For a start, 

jet black 80
red poppy07 or pomegranate 15
primary yellow 01
cobalt blue 24 (VERY intense)
a brown of some kind such as chestnut 55
jade 33
possibly a purple like violet 21

Mix your own in small amounts then test a patch of the fabric.

And speaking of fabric, I advise you not buy the 5 mm habotai if scenery is 
your intent. If you want a disappearing scrim, then 5 may be what you want.  
8 is very lightweight even for a scarf fabric. I plan to buy 10 mm next time, 
because the scenery I've made is beginning to show some slight wear and tear 
at the edges after dozens of shows. It is very transparent from inside the 
stage, but very satisfactorily opaque from the audience side. It is easier to 
see through dark colors, much harder to see through lighter colors like tan, 
yellow, like that.

The bad news is the steamer issue. Steamers are expensive. In fact, they are 
the largest expense you face. Down here, we make our own. If you still want 
to try this technique, there are three options:
1. Buy the expensive thing, preferably vertical, not horizontal.
2. Learn the on-the-stovetop method using a large pot and great care
3. Make your own out of easily obtained hardware for $100 or less

I cannot choose for you, but if you want to build one, I'll tell you how. 
There was no way I could afford the vertical on in the catalogues. 

Suggest you buy the book "Silk Painting: The Artist's Guide to Gutta and Wax 
Resist Techniques" by Susan Moyer. It will tell you and show you virtually 
everything you need to know. You may also want to find Susan Moyer's 
susanlouise-AT-moyer.com. Her prices for dyes are somewhat lower than Dharma. 
But really, the dyes are comparatively cheap. 

Alice


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