The art of silk painting and dyeing has been practiced for centuries in such cultures as India and China. It is not as difficult as it looks. The techniques used to paint silk are the same techniques used on paper, with a few minor adjustments. Use paint to embellish ready made silk scarves or add them to a sewn scarf for a one-of-a-kind gift.
Preparing the Fabric
If the piece of silk has raw edges, finish them by sewing them or cover the edges with masking tape. The silk has to be held tight when painting, so you will need to use a frame. Suitable frames include silk stretch hoops, embroidery hoops and special silk stretcher frames, available online. Hold the silk tight, either by pinning the fabric every couple of inches or using clamps that attach to the sides of the frame. Smooth out any wrinkles. If you're using a hoop, position the area you want to paint inside the open area.
Preparing the Design
Plan and then sketch the design on the silk fabric. You can use stencils, stamps or freeform designs, but because silk absorbs paint, it is difficult to get sharp lines, so plan the design accordingly to work with this outcome. Dawn Cusik and Megan Kirby in "The Michael's Book of Arts & Crafts" recommend using a resist outliner to trace the pattern onto the silk so the paint stays inside the lines. There are several different types, including water-based, solvent-based, waxes and starch-based resists, depending on the project.
Painting and Dyeing the Fabric
Paint on silk using either a nylon flat round brush or a foam applicator dipped in paint. Silk paint is very thin and after it dries, lays on the surface of the fabric.
You can also dye silk scarves. Fill a plastic tub with dye, and while wearing gloves, dip the silk fabric in the dye made especially for silk, making sure it is thoroughly saturated. Because of its saturating qualities, silk soaks up dye better than paint.
You can use special techniques, including using a mist sprayer or eye dropper or to apply either the paint or dye. This will give you a splatter effect. Dharma Trading also suggests experimenting with applying salt while the silk is still wet and then brushing it off when dry for a halo effect in the color.
You need to set both painted and dyed silk with heat. For painted fabrics, let the silk dry for 24 hours then iron the painted areas, face-down on the ironing table while using a press cloth. Dyed silk fabric needs to be steamed to set the color. Place the silk in between two pieces of newsprint or muslin and roll it into a tube, and secure it with rubber bands, making sure there are no wrinkles in the silk when it is being rolled. Steam the entire bundle, allowing the steam to penetrate it without getting it wet. When it is cool, unroll the bundle and rinse and wash the fabric to remove the excess dye with a mild dish soap or soap specifically made for dyed silk.
For those still unsure about the process of silk painting, there are several kits available which contain everything needed for the beginner to learn the art of painting on silk.
