Silk Painting How to

Silk paints are free-flowing, concentrated fluid acrylic paint and can simulate a true dye. They spread on fabric until absorbed and bind to the surface of the silk. They may slightly change the ‘hand’ of the silk. Some brands are more or less successful in lessening this disadvantage.

Some artists believe that one is unable to achieve the same brilliance of color using paints and that the luminosity of the silk is lessened by the paints sitting on top of the fibers. Others find the differences negligible.

Artists are drawn to silk paints because of the convenience of being able to set the paints by ironing as opposed to steaming.

Silk paints are often used for creating paintings rather than wearable textiles because of its less than ideal hand. 

Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area when working with silk paints and most other silk painting products.

Flowable Silk Paints
These paints are very liquid, almost the consistency of dyes. Most are transparent or almost transparent. They are heat set with an iron.
Salt and alcohol techniques can be used and they can be used with water-based resists.

The most common brands are:
Setacolour Transparent (can also be used for sun printing)
Setasilk
Dye-Na-Flow
Javana (in Europe)
Rocco Liquid Paints
Arasilk by Dupont (not found in U.S.)

Opaque Silk Paints
These are useful when one wants a dark color with full coverage. Some brands also have pearlized colors.
They can air dried or heat set.

The most common brands are:
Setacolor Opaque
Lumiere and Neopaque
Aratexil by Dupont
Rocco Opaque Paints and Rocco Pearlized and Metallic Paints