Colour Mixing and Testing
It is advisable to mix up the colours you will be using in the quantities
needed, and to try out colour combinations and different levels of
dilutions of colour mixtures on a scrap of silk. If you will be painting
a large area with one colour, or painting on a heavyweight silk be
sure to mix up enough of the colour to complete your project. Remember
that if you are using chemical fixative alone, the colours will end up
much paler than when you first paint them, so
you will need to make them stronger than you actually want them to be.
Paint is much darker when it is wet, so let the test piece dry first
before you decide on the colour dilutions. Use hair dryer if you're in a
hurry.
Note: When using a hair dryer, be careful to move it continuously over a
large area of silk. If you hold it still in one area of paint while the
other remains wet and you will get a watermark.
The range of colour will depend on the brand you are using and the number
of colours you have bought from that range. You can mix possible colours
from the three primary colors and black or dark brown. There is no white
colour, so, to get white areas on the silk you do not paint those spaces.
To get lighter colors, dilute the paint with water, or water and alcohol
mixed 50:50. If you want really vibrant colours, you can use them full
strength, but only do this on small areas and set the colour with steam
before also using the chemical fixative. If your paint has been sitting on the shelf for a long time
and has sediment which does not mix in with shaking, warm it a little in
the microwave on low for about 30 seconds.
Use a piece of silk marked off into squares with gutta lines, and paint
a square of each the colours you like.
- Starts with the colours straight from the bottle or if you are using
powder dyes, mix the primary colours up according to the instructions.
- Pour some of your colour into a jar. The base colour is any colour which
will form the main ingredient in your colour mix.
- When mixing or diluting your colours, add a little water, water/
alcohol mix, or colour to your base colour at a time. Use a dropper when
mixing small amounts.
- Test each mix or dilution on your test piece.
- When you arrive at a colour you want to use, make a note either on
your silk colour chart if you are making one, or on paper, of the
proportions in the mix.
- Having reached the colour you like, mix enough of it to use in your
current project.
- Put the lid back on the jar until you are ready to use the paint.
- Repeat the process until you have all the colours you want.
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