Painting on Silk: The Art of Color, Water, and Light

Silk painting is one of the most beautiful and delicate forms of artistic expression and begins with a fine, airy, pure white Chinese silk stretched over a frame. It is a relatively quick, fun and easy technique to perform. It does not require any experience in art. In silk painting, the painter is the one who controls the movement of the color pigment within the "borders". The basic technique begins with a contour drawing, with a rubber liquid that serves to separate the areas of color. When this contour is dry, the silk paint can be applied inside these areas. The result can resemble, through its uniform patches of color, comics or even stained glass.

Silk painting with contour

Several techniques can be highlighted in silk painting:

1. The contour technique , when outlining images is used and then ink is applied;
2. The drip technique used especially in scarves and certain paintings, when ink is applied with a pipette to the surface of the material;

Drip technique

1. Water technique , when dark shades are used and then we play with the brush with water to draw the ink and create lines by fading - here it is interesting that there are situations when we have to give up control of the water, which will work for us and complete the creation;

Water technique – scarves

1. Watercolor technique , when a special base is applied to silk, which does not allow the ink to spread, and the outline is used. Depth effects can also be added, with color, shading, and various surface techniques such as the use of salt, alcohol effects, wet-on-wet treatment, and wet-on-dry painting are common in silk painting;

Here are the execution steps:

• To begin, a pattern is chosen  that can be very simple and enlarged to the size of the piece of silk;
• The material is stretched and secured in a frame with pins , clips or even shells. The drawing is copied from the paper onto the silk with a pencil. Then the outline is applied , which is an applicator liquid called gutta (Pebeo products for silk painting are also sold in Romania in art supply stores), which is held vertically with the tip firmly on the fabric and squeezed gently while slowly tracing the outline of your drawing. Make sure that each of the shapes chosen in the drawing is simple and forms a whole. The outline must be continuous because any small interruption will allow the color applied later to escape into the adjacent area; The outline will be left to dry for about 30 minutes;

Outlining the drawing on silk

• Using a soft-bristled brush, apply the paint sparingly, allowing the material to absorb the paint from the brush. Don't make quick strokes, but spread your color slowly and firmly towards the contour lines.

Painting the areas inside the outline with paint

• Let it dry for 24 or even 48 hours and then fix the colors using the method provided on the paint tubes you are using. Usually iron on the back of the material for 3 or 4 minutes;

The finished work is ironed to set the color.

• The 3D technique is when a relief image is created from silk and then ink is applied, resulting in a relief image, an extremely dynamic painting.

3D technique

1. The mandala technique is one in which silk is stretched over a circular frame, mandala meaning "circle". The basic form of most Buddhist and Hindu mandalas is a four-sided square containing a circle with a central point. A mandala is a graphic representation of the center, it is a very complex "drawing" built around a point or center.

Mandala technique

In silk painting, water plays the most important role, there must be harmony between water, silk and ink. The degree of moisture of the material is constantly monitored and it is taken into account that the ink "works" even after we have completed the painting, because the colors continue to migrate. In silk painting, mistakes cannot be corrected.