Category Archives: Techniques

steaming, Techniques

How to Keep Green Label Dye Brilliant

Recently asked on Linkedin Group:  Silk Art

How do I keep the colors intense? I use the green label Jaquard silk dye, dry 24+ hours, agitate it in fixative, rinse in cold water, and the colors become pastel. What am I missing? Help! Thanks.

My answer:

As many others have mentioned:
1. Steam set
2. Try Red Label or Dupont both must be steam set. I have been using Dupont for years and love the brilliant color. I do not like the price increase so have since moved to Jacquard Red Label and do not see any difference except saving money.
3. Depending on your purpose…I have found you can adhere silks to a surface without steaming IF you use a clear paste not a runny medium. I discovered using Golden Clear Heavy Paste I like the shiny finish but you can get satin finish. I adhere on panels, canvas. and wood.

Care of Silk, Techniques

Removing Goofs on Heavy Silk

Here is a wonderful conversation over heard on the SPIN facebook page about how to remove unwanted spots or bleeds on very heavy silk. Thanks Don Baker and Marcia Ferris:

So on round 4 I finally penetrated the 12 Momme silk Resistad lines spread a bit but all in all I think it is a go, except for where my brush jumped and where I did not close my gutta lines at the short end of the horse shoe. Not really sure how one would get very fine lines on thick silk. Is there a way to resist fine lines on thick silk? What is the best way to remove unset Camelia DuPont 474 – Alcohol and water and q-tips?

Like ·  · 25 minutes ago ·
  • Marcia Ferris likes this.

    • Marcia Ferris Are you talking about the small red spot in one point? Can hardly see it. Now if I lived down the street I would bring up some Decolourant and with a Q Tip dab the smallest area and then dry and iron. If that did not work, Jacquard discharge paste might. Only the smallest amount. Alcohol is so scary. It spreads so fast and may go too far.

      17 minutes ago · Like

    • Mark as Spam

      Don Baker Yes, that is the spot. Decolorant and discharge paste. Sounds a like a great couple of tools to have in my box. Will have to pick some of that up. I may sleep on it and might do number 5 tomorrow. I am very glad that the banner is 20″ x 24″ so I have only used about a yard of silk. But I really don’t want to do this again..One more time and I wont have to trace it. I will remember!

      12 minutes ago · Like

    • Mark as Spam

      Don Baker Would Reduran do it Marcia Ferris

    • Don Baker I think I will make one more that will be perfect and I can use these as fancy napkins when we have company. LOL
Resist, Techniques

How Do You Sign Your Name on a Silk Painting?

Recently I was asked by one of my students on The Online Silk Painting Class how I sign my name on silk. The following was my answer. I would love to hear from other silk painters with your tips on signing your name on silk.

My answer was:

Sometimes I sign my name in the first stages of the painting on light color silk if I am  using a  solvent based gutta.

When I use a resist called Resistad I might use that also to sign my name as you can get a nice thin line. Resistad must be set to make it water resistant first.

I have tried pens but usually they do not show up much. If signing on a light background sometimes a fabric pen does the trick.

Even fabric pens can spread some on silk. However if the silk is pre-treated in some way say with No-Flow or Magic Sizing  then you can write on silk and get a pretty clean line.

Lately I am using Jacquard Water Based metallic resist.  I put this on after the painting is complete.Jacquard Permanent Metallic Resist I use a syringe to fill the resist container. Always test your line and resist on a scrap piece of silk first.

I found it helpful to use a syringe when filling an applicator bottle.  I just saw this syringe from Walgreens online and cannot wait to try it. I like the idea that it comes with a clean brush, and an adapter for pouring the resist into it.

Please share your signature tips.

Replies to This Discussion

Ron GutmanPermalink Reply by Ron Gutman 21 hours ago
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If I remember to do so (sigh), I sign lastly (after painting) with a contrasting colored resist (Resistad). If I forget to sign it, then with a ball point pen or iron set resist after steaming. I have seen an artist who cleverly works her signature into the border lines on her scarves…love that!

Francine Dufour JonesPermalink Reply by Francine Dufour Jones 19 hours ago
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Thanks Ron. Great answer and tip! You must have a lot of Resistad made up in different colors. I noticed your line work is exquisite along with your art of course!

Ron GutmanPermalink Reply by Ron Gutman 19 hours ago
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Thanks Francine…I usually only mix up enough Resistad for the project I am working on. If there is any left over, I just leave it in the squeeze bottle and cap it…seems to keep quite well for some time. Also, I may take another left over color and add it to another for a new color. I think the line work comes from many years of illustrating and working with a Rapidograph pen…love the challenge of making beautiful lines.

Dawn CooksleyPermalink Reply by Dawn Cooksley 19 hours ago
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I normally put a little stop flow let it dry then sign with a fine liner brush with just a little dye on it…I tried the pens you can add dye to but found it makes for a thicker signature…sometimes use black gutta and sign with it if I dont use the stop flow…occasionally I just sign with the Pebeo metallic guttas and iron…nearly always the last thing I do…wishing I would learn to do it in the process of making the scarf or painting …haha

someday I will try and get some of the resistad…smile..

Francine Dufour JonesPermalink Reply by Francine Dufour Jones 14 hours ago
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Dawn thank you so much for your reply. Get tips especially with using stop flow. I am sure other silk painters will appreciate this.