Book Review
PAINTING FLOWERS ON SILK by Mandy Southan Search Press UKŁ8.95 US $17.95	When Painting Flowers on Silk arrived through my letterbox my excitement was such that I could hardly wait to get out my materials and make a start on the projects and techniques covered in this latest treasure from Search Press.
	Flowers are a favourite subject with painters and in Painting Flowers on Silk you are spoilt for choice with Lilies, Oleanders, Jasmine, Orchids, Daffodils, Iris, Hibiscus and, my own personal favourite, a deep red Amaryllis of great depth and glowing colour. Each project includes a detailed pencil sketch to introduce the flower, giving painters without access to the flowers a chance to study it in more detail. Mandy demonstrates techniques such as outlining with gutta, which we think we all know, but also draws on top of the painted silk and/or colours the gutta - which inexperienced painters may not have tried before. She also shows how effective metallic gutta can be in a project featuring Lilies. Painting with wax and a brush, or drawing with a tjanting, painting on dry or damp silk all offer different opportunities for the painter and are covered here. For painters who wish to expand their skills, perhaps into a new area, techniques such as etching, diffusing medium, anti-spread and discharging with illuminants are also covered simply and clearly with plenty of photographs, so each can be tackled with complete confidence. If you have never worked with wax, try the Jasmine project. It uses a very limited palette of colour - just shades of greeny yellow - and wax as an outline, to create a spray of Jasmine that if let loose could cascade the length of a silk scarf or tumble around the border of a garment. If you have never tried painting on velvet, the Iris project with its sumptuous jewel-like colours and introduction to the use of etching gel is a wonderful starting point. For those who love bright colours, the Mallow project (freehand on dry silk) and Hibiscus (anti-spread medium) are two different and very interesting techniques to try. When browsing through the projects it is almost impossible to believe that Mandy only uses six basic colours. Thankfully for those lacking in colour confidence there is a very important section on colour mixing, which shows the colours used, and, although no particular brand is recommended, steam fix dyes are used throughout for their brilliant colours. Possible colour mixes are included and tips on how complementary colour schemes can work for you and with you. There are also useful sections on the materials needed for the various projects, how to steam fix properly, and different ways to approach flower painting. All the projects are interesting, each uses a different technique, medium and/or fabric and I know many painters will want to try each of them in turn. Painting Flowers on Silk is full of excellent colour photographs, clear instructions and will enhance the creative potential of silk painters of every standard. It is, quite simply, a must buy for any silk painter and congratulations are due both to Search press for continuing their silk painting series and to Mandy herself for such a wonderful book. No self-respecting silk painter will want to be without this book. Marjorie Dawson - London Marjorie is the Guild Book Reviewer. She has written a number of book reviews for the Guild journal over the past few years and is on the mailing list of book publishers for review copies of new silk painting books. Ed. A Selection of Silkpainting Tips From 'Painting Flowers on Silk' © Mandy Southan If you have used salt in your painting, make sure all the grains are brushed off before steaming. Water-based gutta sometimes sticks to the steaming cloth or paper. Soak the silk in cold water for a few minutes and the paper or cloth will drop away. If you have drawn on the silk with an autofade marker, you need to draw your resist lines on quite quickly or go over the lines lightly with pencil, before they fade. To achieve an even background, paint back and forth along the damp spreading edge, overlapping it a little each time. Avoid going back over the wash as it starts to dry. Leave crepe georgette and chiffon to dry naturally - do not dry with a hairdryer as this spoils the dye surface and makes watermarks. Other silks can be dried gently with a hairdryer when the colours have merged as much as you want them to. You may find it easier to apply a steady line of gutta or etching gel if you support your wrist on a yardstick or a piece of flat wood laid across the frame. Start in the top left-hand corner (if you are right handed) and work your way down. This will prevent you from smudging lines on the silk. Velvet can be ironed while still slightly damp to increase the sheen. Use the iron on a silk setting and press the pile in the direction of the nap (as if you were stroking a cat!)