Last week I created another silk, layered in batik technique, featuring sweet lovehearts. I’m sharing here a few photos showing you what I got up to in the process.
Here I am painting some base coat patterns in 2 shades of fuchsia. The synthetic light doesn’t show this too well.
When the spirals are all dry, I get out the tjanting and add a wax layer on top. You can see the pinks a bit better in this daylight shot.
Then I paint the border in a much darker shade to create a contrast.
Here the background is filled in with a medium shade of fuchsia. Just the last section to paint. Everything is still very wet and will dry a bit lighter.
Done. Here you can see the whole piece, glistening under the light.
It then gets rolled up and steamed for 3 hours before coming out all vibrant and shiny.
Then it gets washed to remove the soya wax and excess dye, ironed and then it’s ready to go.
This outdoor photo brings out the true fuchsias and pinks. I just adore these colours and can’t resist painting with them again and again.
I hope you enjoyed this little slideshow. If there’s anything you see here that you’d like to explore in a silk for yourself, just get in touch and we can have a chat about making it happen.
Hi Fiona: So you did an outline of the hearts with the soya wax? Beautiful piece. Elaine
Yes, I did. And glad you like it. It’s one of my favourites. 🙂
Hi Fiona,
I have been experimenting with soy wax in my silk painting as well. How do you remove the halo or grease marks sometimes left behind after removal of the soy wax with iron? Also do you have recommendations to get a nice even dye color? Sometimes my piece can look blotchy.
Regards, Kavita
Hi Kavita
You simply have to take care to wash the silk gently and thoroughly after steaming. Do 2 or 3 handwashes if need be and gently massage soap or shampoo into the areas where there are silk residues. Getting an even look is often a matter of practice. Certain colours don’t combine well. The brand you are using may not really allow for that. There are some dyes which separate out when you use them on larger areas. Invest in the best dyes you can and make sure to keep your brushes really super clean.
Fiona