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Painting Process
Stencil a border: Working on a flat surface, place the stencil over the
silk and use a washable pencil to trace the stencil pattern onto the
scarf. Adhesive-backed stencils are not recommended. Repeat pattern
to create a border around the scarf.
Stretch the silk: Because any paint penetrates immediately through
the fabric, silk must be stretched and suspended so that it does not
come in contact with any surface. Assemble the stretcher frame to the largest size possible. and use rubber
bands to secure the corners. If using canvas stretcher bars, slide the tongue-and-groove
mitred corners together and tap lightly into place with a hammer.
Attach the claw hooks in the notched areas on
three sides of the silk frame or at 3" intervals
on the the long side of the stretcher bar frame.
Use rubber bands to attach to the bar, see
photo. Use caution - hooks are very sharp! The
position of the claw hooks may be adjusted to
increase or decrease tension on the fabric.
Starting on one end, insert the claw hooks in
the rolled hem of the silk scarf on one side of
the frame.
Then, on the opposite side of the frame, insert the hooks on the other side of the scarf. The fabric should be tauntly
stretched, but not pulled. Continue stretching until the edges are all hooked. On a 14" × 72"
scarf, use 2 Assa pins to secure the free edge of the scarf. Refer to illustrations at right.
If you have an easel that tilts back into a horizontal position, you can
use it to paint your scarf as you would a canvas. You can work on a
tabletop by elevating the stretcher frame at the top 2 corners so that it
angles up away from the surface. It is important that the silk doesn't
come in contact with the tabletop during painting. It may be stretched
tightly enough prior to painting, but, as you add water and color, it will
sag under the weight.
Apply the resist: Shake or stir waterbased clear resist, then apply in
the stenciled area using a size 2 or 4 round brush. Brush on a solid
coat, but avoid being overly generous with the resist. A small amount
of bleed over the stencil lines is normal and will not affect the design.
If the resist bleeds too far into the silk, use a wet paper towel to dab
the area away or simply work it into your design. You may apply resist
directly on top the photo transfer.
To apply resist to a 14" × 72" scarf, work one section at a time, allowing
dry time in between. Claw hooks make it easy to remove scarf and
reattach to work on the next section. If you are working a middle area
of the scarf, use Assa pins on either side and claw hooks top and
bottom.
Apply the color: After resist is dry, it's time to start applying paint.
Dye-na-flow is actually a fluid acrylic color, not a dye. It is, however,
difficult to remove from clothing. Use with caution. Shake each color
thoroughly prior to use and use an eyedropper to transfer the color
from the bottle to the palette. Paint the entire scarf with a large, soft
brush (size 10 natural squirrel) and work one 8" × 8" area at a time.
Apply the paint right over the top of the resist as if it were not there.
You will be using a wet-in-wet watercolor technique, so have plenty of
clean water at hand.
The Ochre and Claret colors will be used straight from the jar. Mix
one part Brass to three parts Chartreuse to tone down the brilliancy
of the green.
Brush water over the first area you will be painting. You will need to
work quickly to keep it wet. Your color will be applied in touches and
dabs, rather than broad brushstrokes. Paint all the way to the edges,
covering the rolled hem of the scarf and allowing paint to flow in
between the claw hooks. Allow your paint to flow into your photo to
soften the straight edges it creates.
Begin with the Ochre first, being
the lightest color and the color that will be most dominant in the
painting. Load the brush and touch it to the silk — the color will
spread rapidly through the wet area. Leave some areas light, create
darker areas by touching the Ochre into it again. Leave a few areas completely white.
Next, touch areas within the Ochre with the green mixture, using it more sparingly.
Allow it to flow together with the Ochre. You can coax it into softer blending by using more water, but allowing the paint to
flow freely is a beautiful effect.
Finally, touch just a couple small areas with the
Claret and with the Brass — these colors
can be very overpowering. While the color
is still wet, sprinkle Silk Salt freely over
the entire area. The salt will absorb some
of the color, resulting in a texture that
gives the piece a very natural, antique look.
Repeat the painting process in the next
area of the scarf until the entire surface is
completed. Clean your brush by rinsing in
water until clear. Allow to dry and remove
scarf from stretcher frame.
Set the color: Using an iron heated to "silk" setting, iron the scarf on
the front and back side for 2-3 minutes per section. Avoid touching
the heated iron to the photo transfer. When heating the back side,
place a piece of baker's parchment paper beneath the photo transfer
to avoid sticking and iron from the back side. The color is now
permanent.
Remove the resist: Place the scarf into a sink or pan of water at room
temperature. Working one area at a time, gently remove resist by rubbing
between your fingers. Some areas may require coaxing with a soft
cloth or paper towel. The white of the scarf will now be visible again.
Allow scarf to dry.
Add a sparkle of gold: If you wish, you may add some gold highlights
to the scarf with gold resist. The gold resist is different from the clear
resist — it will not wash out of the fabric and it does not require heat
setting. Use it sparingly, because it adds weight to the silk. A thin outline
or a shadow on the edge of the white resist area will add just a
touch of sparkle to the piece. Place your scarf back on the claw hooks
and use a small, size 2 brush to apply. Make sure you clean the gold
resist out of your brush with a brush cleaner.
Caring for your scarf: The scarf may be worn just like any silk scarf. To
clean it, hand wash in cold water and hang to dry. Touch up wrinkles
with an iron on the back side, keeping parchment paper under the
transferred image.
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