How To # 01
Painting on silk chiffon scarves in the tropics
Artist: Teena Hughes | back to Menu
Silk: Silk Chiffon
Paint/dye: French silk dye - no gutta
Steaming: 3 hours
I have lived in many parts of the world, and an interesting location for painting on silk was the tropics of far north Queensland near the top of Australia, which isn't too far from the equator.
Learning to paint on silk in hot, sticky humid conditions was a new challenge for me, and I ended up finding new silk painting techniques to cope with the temperature.
Located several streets from the gorgeous Trinity Beach, my apartment was on the ground floor with celing fans and airconditioning. I preferred to paint without either, but when the perspiration dripping on the silk created too many new designs while I was painting, I would turn on the fan or the aircon.
The silk dyes dried much faster than I was used to, so after several experiments I came up with a technique which was very simple.
Step 1 : Stretch the silk
On the photo above, the white silk chiffon scarf is stretched on a wooden frame, and the silk is held taut [tight] by the use of silk 'claws'. The claws can be attached with thumb tacks, elastic, hat elastic, ribbon and secured with thumb tacks. As the silk gets heavy from the wet silk, it is easy to stretch it a bit more, make it tight across the frame, which in turn makes it easier to paint on.
Step 2 : Add the first colour
Turn on the ceiling fan over the silk painting area.
The photo above shows the first step - painting shapes with the first colour - hot pink silk paint or dye. As I start at one end of the silk, each application is quickly drying, so I paint a bit faster to get to the other end of the silk. In the bottom left corner of the photo you can see I have added the first touch of the second colour, orange:
Step 3 : Add the second colour
Whilst the first colour is still wet or damp, I apply the second colour - orange, in random patterns, criss-crossing the hot pink - see photo below.
Notice how the silk is sagging already, as the dye weighs heavily. I remove several thumb tacks and stretch the ribbons tighter, ensuring the silk claws stay attached to the silk. It is very easy to readjust the silk claws this way.
Where parts of the pink have already dried, the edges will leave a mark [like a hard edge] when the second colour merges with it. Where the first colour is still wet, the merging becomes smooth and blends the colours beautifully. I use both techniques ['wet' and 'dry'] all the time. I leave some areas of the silk unpainted.
Step 3 : Add the third colour
I paint the third colour - yellow - over the unpainted white spaces, and over both the other colours - randomly, creating patterns.
Where the previous colours have already dried, there will be some really cool interesting shapes and 'hard edges'. I must remember to check all the edges of the silk where the scarf's hems are, and even turn the silk frame over, to ensure I have painted / dyed all white areas [if that's my goal].
Notice the lovely sharp edges where the hot pink meets some of the orange, in the photo below.
The finished result is gorgeous - now for the steaming, washing, sewing the labels on [if required] and signing [autographing].
Happy painting!
Teena Hughes
Abfab-Australia.com
AustralianSilkworm.com links for silk artists worldwide
2000 © photos Teena Hughes