tired eyes

Good News! It was my tired eyes! I went to my studio today and the colors still looked light but when I put the second coat on the background it made everything look darker. The one on the right was the one of concern. The circle pattern at the top looks different but when it is finished it will look like the other two.

Now onto setting the dyes...a long and important piece of the process. One thing about silk painting is that how the painting looks when you are finished painting is not always how it looks when the dyes are set. Colors can lighten or bleed into other colors. I always get a bit nervous the first time I submerge the silk into the water.

Before any liquid comes near the silk, I will wrap the pieces in newsprint paper and put them in a back plastic bag (undisturbed for 72 hours). Then I steam them on the stove, wash them in a special chemical and then wash them in a mild detergent. Then carefully keep an eye on them as they air dry.

I promised to deliver on Thanksgiving. Pictures to follow after they are in their new home.