Offered to Hospice for Silent Auction June, 2013

Frog A Jumpin'

(Close up, 10" in length)

 

Specs:

acid dye on silk fabric

original size:10.5" x 13.5"

matted and framed under glass; 19" x 23.5" framed

 

 

Background

Silk painting originated in China going back to 2600 BC. Long before paper was invented/made, silk was a medium on which to paint. Silk was durable, portable, and readily rolled for travel.

Silk was chosen as an artistic surface not only because of its soft, luxurious feel, but also for its practicality. Silk is light, easy to cut into any desired shape and size and is convenient to carry. Chinese artisans prepared the silk for painting by beating it on a stone slab until the surface became very smooth. After the silk was prepared, the color pigments or ink tones were applied slowly and carefully.

The Frog A Jumpin' Picture Process

A resist product similar to glue was applied, dried, and then Jacquard silk paints were used to created this picture. Both paintbrushes and rags were used to blend colors. Paints were allowed to air dry thoroughly. The silk painting was then rolled in newsprint, coiled into a snake, set in a pressure cooker over hot water and steamed for three hours. After steaming, the painting was air dried, carefully ironed and stretched over canvas. A matt was applied and then the silk picture was framed under glass.