There are many silk painting techniques: gutta, batik, shibori, watercolour, engraving, monotype, screen printing, etc. Each technique has its own particularities and allows us to obtain different results on the silk. There are also many different types of silk: pongee, gauze, crepe, georgette, velvet, satin, etc. The final result will be different on each fabric.
During the past few months I have been collaborating with Sole Alonso, a brand that designs and creates made-to-measure wedding dresses, bridesmaid’s dresses and party dresses. I think Sole Alonso is a wonderful designer. When I see one of her wedding dresses I feel that it has something very special, that it is unique, perfect for the bride she has designed it for.
When thinking about buying a silk scarf or garment, many people wonder: ¿How can we tell a high quality natural silk from one that is not?
Today, we are going to talk about how to paint a silk scarf with batik. This is one of my favourite techniques to paint on silk. This may be because when I started to paint on fabric I first learnt to do batik, or because it allows me to create transparencies and effects such as ‘crackelure’ that I would not be able to achieve with other techniques.
During the past few months I have done a number of ‘felted soaps’ workshops in different venues -including El Corte Inglés department store- and I have just done a demonstration in the Museo del Traje (Costume Museum) in Madrid, as part of the European Crafts Days programme. It was great to see how much expectation my soaps continue to generate.
Silk is a very long-lasting natural fabric, so long as it is cared for in the right way.
Hand-painted silks can be hand-washed, in cold or lukewarm water, without rubbing. Use a neutral soap (or shower gel) previously dissolved in water so that it does not leave stains on the silk. Do not use a soap for wool or delicate fabrics as those types of soaps make the colours run. You can add a little bit of white wine vinegar to the last rinsing water to help fix the colour and increase it’s intensity. Again, please dissolve it well in the water before immersing the silk.
Thank you so much!
I hope you’ll enjoy my scarves and shawls, felted soaps, jewellery and decor items and that your friends and family will love their presents. As you know, all my items are fully hand-made by me and no two are identical.
Rogan Art is an exceptional technique of painting on silk with a clear Persian influence, that is over three hundred years old. In fact, the word Rogan means ‘oil-based’ in Persian.