Christine Sutherland

French Dyes on Silk
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My Painting Process 
 
It all begins with using a wax resist, French Dupont dyes, and heavy charmeuse silk.
 
The following photos are taken, step by step, of one painting. Each snapshot is taken after I have finished painting an area with wax. After an area is sectioned off with wax, I can not paint over it. Between each of these snapshots, I have 4-6 layers of dye that I have painted on the silk, each layer has to be dry before I can rework the area.

Painting Process 1

 

As soon as I stretch the silk on the frame I am ready to paint. For paintings larger than

4 feet I need to sketch the design on the silk. Similar to watercolor painting, if

there is to be white in the final painting it will be the white of the silk, there is very little chance of removing color from the silk once it is on. This painting is 36" x 60" wide.

 
Painting Process 3
 
After the wax is painted on the stamen, I painted on the first layer of dye on the flower and the darker needles on the cactus.
Painting Process 5
 
To preserve white for the hard edge needles on the cactus base, I have applied wax using a brush and the tjanting tool. They appear dark, but when the wax is removed you will see the white of the silk.  Here I have sketched out the cactus base with yellow dye.
 
Painting Process 7
 
This photo shows the shinshi underneath the frame which is part of the traditional Japanese stretching system, I have combined it with the Susan Louis Moyer Frame, (some things work better if you tweak them a bit), and the electric wax tjanting tool.
 
Painting Process 9
 
I begin painting each petal.
 
Painting Process 11
 
 
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Painting Process 29
The background is about four layers of dye, each layer needs to dry before painting the next. The painting is complete and is ready to be ironed to remove the wax. 
 
Painting Process 31 - Finished Painting
Now the painting is ready to be framed.
 
Painting Process  2
 
Here I have painted the stamen, making sure not to let the dyes spread out to the
rest of the flower, if the dyes spread and they usually do, I use rubbing alcohol to move the dyes around creating lines and texture. This photo shows before I put the wax on.
 
Painting Process 4
 
This photo shows the other flower and stamen.
 
 
Painting Process 6
 
Here I have painted the cactus base with the first layer of dye.
 
 
 
Painting Process 8
 
This is my work area.
 
 
 
 
 
Painting Process 10
 
 
 
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Painting Process 16
 Here you can see my wax bowl and brush.
 
Painting Process 18
 
 

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Painting Process 28
  I am now finished with the flower and can finish the cactus base, then comes
the background.

 

 

 

 

Painting Process 30
Once the wax is removed by ironing between paper, the painting is rolled in 
paper and steam fixed. You can see the vibrance after steaming. This photo
shows the painting after it is steamed, washed, and hung to dry.

 

 

 

 

This page was last modified on October 27, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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