Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Prepare the material
• Method 2 of 3: Trying the serti technique
• Method 3 of 3: Create effects with alcohol and salt
• Necessities
• With the serti technique
• With alcohol and salt

Silk painting is fun and easy work that anyone can do. You only need a few materials and a creative mind! There are a few different silk painting techniques, including the serti method and the alcohol-and-salt method. The serti method produces clearer lines, while the alcohol and salt method produces smoother lines and more textured workpieces.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Prepare the material

1. Choose paint that is specially made for silk. For the best result, use silk paint better than other types of paint such as acrylic, oil, and watercolor. Silk paint is available in craft stores as well as online. You can choose silk dye instead of paint if you prefer.
2. Wash the silk beforehand. It is important to wash the silk for smoother and more even application of the paint. Read the care label to see if the item you are painting - a scarf, for example - is machine washable, and if not, wash it by hand. In either case, you should use a color fix detergent, which you can find at fabric and craft stores.
3. Frame the silk. You can buy or make your own stretcher to hold the silk in place. Make sure the fabric is evenly stretched, neither too tight nor too loose. If it is too loose it will sag and puddle the paint, but if it is too tight it can damage the fabric.

Method 2 of 3: Trying the serti technique

1. Draw your design on the silk. First, sketch the pattern or drawing with a pencil on a piece of paper. Trace the design with black marker, let it dry, then place the paper under the silk. Transfer the design to the silk with a pencil or a vanishing marker.
   • You can create abstract designs, draw flowers or creepers, make a geometric print, or even write letters or words.
2. Trace the edges of the drawing with an outline tool, such as "resist" or "gutta". The contouring agent is used to create clean lines or edges in the paint and is then removed after painting. Gutta is a chemical solvent that you must have removed at a dry cleaner. Resist is a water-based product that can be rinsed from the fabric with water. Fill a bottle with a small tip applicator with contouring agent and hold the bottle vertically, tip to side. Carefully trace the outline with a steady hand, applying even pressure.
   • Make sure there are no gaps or breaks in the lines or the paint will spread outside the design.
3. Let the contouring agent dry completely. Gutta dries quickly, while resist takes longer. To speed up the process, aim a hair dryer set on the medium setting at the lines. Hold the hair dryer a few inches from the fabric to prevent it from scorching or smearing the design.
4. Apply paint to the item to be painted with a medium brush. Dip a medium-sized brush in the paint color of your choice and lightly stroke the silk. Be careful not to bring the paint or brush too close to the contouring agent or it may start to dissolve. Don't worry though, the paint will spread to the lines on its own. Work quickly on large background areas, so that the paint is evenly absorbed.
   • If you notice a crack in the contouring line while painting, stop the paint from spreading by pointing a hair dryer on it, or fill the crack with contouring agent and let it dry before continuing.
5. Iron the paint after 24 hours with an iron. When 24 hours have passed and the paint and contouring agent are dry, remove the item from the list. Turn on the iron and heat it on the side setting. Place the item face down on a padded ironing board. Place an ironing cloth between the item and the iron. Apply circular motions over small areas for 2-3 minutes at a time to ensure that both paint and contouring agent are fully cured.
6. Wash the item if you used resist, or dry it if you used gutta. To remove the contouring agent, the item must be cleaned. Since the resist-made motif is water-based, you can rinse it with warm water to remove it. Then hang it up to dry and iron it on the side setting while it is still damp. You must have gutta removed at a dry cleaner.

Method 3 of 3: Create effects with alcohol and salt

1. Spray the silk with a diluted mixture of water and alcohol. Use two parts alcohol to one part distilled water. The alcohol gives you more time to paint as it slows down the drying time, while also allowing the dye to spread and dry with a soft and fluffy edge.
2. Apply the first coat of paint while the silk is still wet. To create motifs or patterns on the silk, apply even strokes with a brush dipped in the paint color of your choice. The size of the brush you choose depends on how thick or thin the lines or motifs are.
3. Then add a darker color to give depth. While the silk is still wet, apply the second color. Usually you always start with light shades and then move on to darker colors (such as a darker shade of the primary color). Since the colors become transparent, once you turn dark, it is difficult to go back to light.
4. Let the item dry for a few hours. You may notice that some colors separate or spread out, which is typical, so that beautiful mottled patterns can form.
5. Build up the lines or add dark colored motifs. You can choose an even darker shade of the primary color or a different color and paint on the dry side afterwards. These lines will dry with a hard edge and may also have a dark outline around them.
6. Create effects with alcohol or salt. To soften harsh lines, spray the silk with the diluted alcohol mixture. To add a mottled texture, sprinkle any kind of salt on the side. Salt is a drying agent that draws the paint to itself, creating a beautiful effect.
7. Iron the paint after 24 hours with an iron. After the item has dried for 24 hours, brush off any residual salt and remove it from the list. Turn on the iron and heat it on the side setting. Place the item you are painting face down on a padded ironing board and cover it with an ironing cloth. Smooth small areas, in circular motions, for two to three minutes per section, so that the paint hardens completely.

Necessities

• Silk scarf or other silk item
• Muscle window
• Silk paint
• Brushes

With the serti technique

• Contour agent (resist or gutta)
• Bottle with a small applicator tip

With alcohol and salt

• Alcohol
• Distilled water
• Spray bottle
• Salt (all types of salt)