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janecameronDo you do silk painting on a large frame? Do you have trouble with it sagging in the middle and touching the table during the painting process?
If so, here's some ideas for you!
Raise or Reinforce ...
* Prop it up on books! Yes, simple and works like a dream! Just add a small pile of books under each corner of the frame (and half way along each side if it's a big one!). Wrap the books in a plastic bag if you're worried about splashes. Some people use plastic cups instead but I find that books are far more stable (though you could tape those on!). Another thing I found which was fabulous was square polystyrene blocks - sometimes you can find old packaging which is just the right size...
* Reinforce your frame with extra stretcher bars across the middle. Get wood battens or pvc pipe and duct tape it straight across the centre of the frame underneath to add a bit more strength so it can't sag so much. Do make sure your extra bars are flat enough and low enough.
* Tape the frame to the edges of the table!
* Use some string to tie the frame to itself underneath the table ... this one requires a picture!
* Don't forget, you can also move your pins and reposition your silk if it sags.
* You can also balance your work between two chair backs, two tables or a couple of music stands! You could even make your frame its own legs (if it's sturdy enough). This doesn't address the sagging problem but does mean it's free-hanging.
How do I know if it's going to sag?
Well, if you're going to be working quite wet, especially if your frame is made of plastic (e.g. the Artys Easyfix frames) then you will get some sagging as the weight of the water succumbs to gravity and moves towards the centre of your work. The tighter your silk is stretched on the frame the less this will happen. Some silks will stretch more than others.
If you want to check how far your work will sag before you embark on your painting spree then frame up, wet the silk and see how far it dips. You can then reinforce the frame as required.
Sometimes it's fun to use the "dip" in the middle to produce interesting effects, so it's not always a bad thing!
Happy painting!
If so, here's some ideas for you!
Raise or Reinforce ...
* Prop it up on books! Yes, simple and works like a dream! Just add a small pile of books under each corner of the frame (and half way along each side if it's a big one!). Wrap the books in a plastic bag if you're worried about splashes. Some people use plastic cups instead but I find that books are far more stable (though you could tape those on!). Another thing I found which was fabulous was square polystyrene blocks - sometimes you can find old packaging which is just the right size...
* Reinforce your frame with extra stretcher bars across the middle. Get wood battens or pvc pipe and duct tape it straight across the centre of the frame underneath to add a bit more strength so it can't sag so much. Do make sure your extra bars are flat enough and low enough.
* Tape the frame to the edges of the table!
* Use some string to tie the frame to itself underneath the table ... this one requires a picture!
* Don't forget, you can also move your pins and reposition your silk if it sags.
* You can also balance your work between two chair backs, two tables or a couple of music stands! You could even make your frame its own legs (if it's sturdy enough). This doesn't address the sagging problem but does mean it's free-hanging.
How do I know if it's going to sag?
Well, if you're going to be working quite wet, especially if your frame is made of plastic (e.g. the Artys Easyfix frames) then you will get some sagging as the weight of the water succumbs to gravity and moves towards the centre of your work. The tighter your silk is stretched on the frame the less this will happen. Some silks will stretch more than others.
If you want to check how far your work will sag before you embark on your painting spree then frame up, wet the silk and see how far it dips. You can then reinforce the frame as required.
Sometimes it's fun to use the "dip" in the middle to produce interesting effects, so it's not always a bad thing!
Happy painting!