Step-by-Step to Paint Vietnamese Silk Painting
Traditional Vietnamese silk paintings depict scenes of everyday life, including landscapes and pagodas. The quality of the painting is dependent on the quality of the silk. As the colors bleed into the fabric, it softens the lines and gives the painting a dreamy look. The artist must have an intimate knowledge of the fabric and how it will respond to the brush stroke. Each brush stroke is permanent and the artist must have the confidence and skill to complete the painting without a single mistake.
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Things You'll Need
- Textile detergent
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Pressing cloth
- Silk or canvas fabric stretcher
- Silk clips
- 4 cups
- Paintbrush
- Dye
Instructions
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1
Prewash your silk. Wash it by hand or use a gentle "Silk" setting on your washing machine. Rinse well and allow to drip dry.
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2
Press the silk while it is still damp. Use the cooler "Silk" setting on your iron so as not to damage the fabric.
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3
Set the fabric in the silk or canvas stretcher. There should be 2 to 3 inches of fabric between the edge of the design and the frame.
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4
Attach your silk fabric to the frame with silk clips. The silk must be taut enough to paint on, but not so tight that it tears. As the fabric becomes damp with paint, it may stretch. Adjust the silk clips accordingly. Place the silk clips every 4 to 6 inches along the frame. Silk clips will clip onto the frame on one side and onto the silk on the other.
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5
Raise the frame up by placing four upside-down cups beneath it. This prevents the silk from touching the working surface while you are painting. If the fabric were to touch the working surface, the paint would smear.
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6
Paint your picture onto the fabric. Choose your lines carefully as they cannot be erased. Allow the paints to dry for 24 hours before setting.
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7
Place the painting face down on the ironing board. Place the pressing cloth over the painting. Set the iron on the "Silk" setting and iron the painting for two to three minutes in a circular motion.
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Rinse the fabric in cold water to remove excess paint. Wash with a textile detergent, rinse again and allow to drip dry. When the fabric is damp, press it with the iron on the "Silk" setting.
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Tips & Warnings
Spray your fabric with water in a spray bottle to increase paint bleed. This is especially helpful when creating a soft look for backgrounds, water, clouds, trees and other landscape features.
Sprinkle salt or alcohol over painted fabric for interesting effects.
To prevent bleed, you can use the French silk technique of Serti, where resistors are applied to the fabric to keep the paint in certain areas.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
