Hand Painted Silk Scarves – The Modern Accessories With the Long History
Dressing up your clothing is not a modern pastime. Accessorizing has a long and colorful history. It is and has always been a means of expression, individualization and glorious accenting. Woven through this history is the art of painting on silk. From its origins to today, craftsmen and women have produced wearable art. Silk is the medium of their creative heritage. Its use also practical forming superb pieces of accessories and clothing.
A Brief overview
No one is sure when silk production first began in China. The date for silk painting, however, is more precise. It dates back to the 2nd century AD. With the introduction of this art, silk quickly became the artist’s “canvas” for a multitude of items. These ranged from portraiture to wall hangings and a wide variety of furnishings for the home. Silk painting also found its way into clothing design, particularly in the creation of the fine hand painted scarves still available today.
While the traditional of silk painting remains essentially unchanged over the centuries, the availability of colors has altered. In the past, artists could only utilize dyes derived from the available plants. Today, there is a multitude of existing dyes and products for coloring silk. Combining today’s technology with age-old artistic skill and knowledge ensures the luxurious beauty of the natural silk scarf remains. A preference for dyes that are incorporated into the material prevails over paints that are felt by touching the surface.
Recent times have also abandoned hand painting for printing processes. This decreases the time, effort and cost involved in coloring and creating patterns on a variety of fabrics. Shelves of many-a retail store contain such mass-produced items, including silk scarves. If you long for the finest silk goods, however, you must turn to those created by artists using traditional methods.
Traditional Production
The process involved in creating hand-painted silk scarves is lengthy and time-consuming. Initially, the artist must fashion a distinctive design for each item. He or she then either creates a template for application or designs directly on the material. Whichever is the preferred method, the actual procedure remains constant.
- Tightly stretch the silk fabric
- Use waterproof wax to block off boundaries
- Paint the pattern, shade it and dye it using brushes
- Steam the finished work of wearable art to remove the wax borders
- Wash it to remove any surplus dye and set the color
The result is a remarkable work of art that will not fade in spite of many years of hand washing.
Modern technology has its areas of beneficial expertise. It provides us with many advances and advantages. Sometimes, however, there is no manufactory capable of producing a quality item comparable to traditional methods. Silk scarves are a perfect example. While truly a favorite modern accessory, the most superb examples are the result of time-honored and not modern techniques.
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by Julie-Ann Amos, professional writer, and owner of international writing agency www.ExquisiteWriting.com
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