Silk Life Painting

7. When the gutta resist has dried, it's time to start painting! Because silk paint is so liquid, almost ink-like in its consistency, and because silk is so absorbent, it spreads very easily by itself and stops at the lines of resist, which have sealed the fabric. Use several different size brushes relevant to the size of the area that you are working on (figure E). Larger areas require speedy working as the paint dries very quickly and "tide marks" will appear, which could affect the design (figure F). Always start with the lightest color so that if you overload your brush and the paint overflows the gutta outline, you can paint over it with a darker color later.

8. When the painting is complete and dry, carefully remove the pins and using a hot iron on cotton heat setting, iron the reverse of the picture for two minutes to seal the paint. Do not spray the fabric.

Note: The next few steps can be left to a professional picture framer if preferred!

9. Lay the silk face down on a large sheet of newspaper and spray with a repositionable Spray Mount Adhesive until the entire back of the painting is evenly coated. Do not over saturate.

11. Place the cut-to-fit mat over the front of the picture (figure H), trimming the white card holding the illustration, if necessary, and attach together with tape. Your picture is now complete and awaiting only the frame and the applause!

Website: www.wildaboutsilk.com