Fabric Painting Advanced Fabric Art Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the serti technique, what is the primary purpose of applying gutta resist to silk before painting?
- To create a barrier that stops dye from spreading beyond outlined areas (Correct answer)
- To make the fabric stiffer for framing
- To brighten the final dye colors
- To speed up drying time
Correct answer: To create a barrier that stops dye from spreading beyond outlined areas
Gutta acts as a resist that blocks dye migration, keeping colors within outlined shapes.
Question 2: When creating a dévoré (burnout) effect, which fabric construction is required for the technique to work?
- A blend of protein and cellulose fibers (Correct answer)
- 100% synthetic polyester
- Pure wool felt
- Waterproof coated canvas
Correct answer: A blend of protein and cellulose fibers
Dévoré paste dissolves the cellulose fibers while leaving protein fibers intact, needing a mixed blend.
Question 3: What is the main advantage of using a steam-set silk dye over a heat-set fabric paint on delicate silk scarves?
- It preserves the soft hand and translucency of the silk (Correct answer)
- It is permanent without any fixing
- It requires no equipment at all
- It works on any fiber including plastic
Correct answer: It preserves the soft hand and translucency of the silk
Steam-set dyes bond into the fiber, keeping silk soft and translucent unlike surface paints.
Question 4: In advanced shibori dyeing, what does the 'arashi' (pole-wrapping) method primarily produce?
- Diagonal, storm-like linear patterns (Correct answer)
- Perfect concentric circles
- Solid flat color
- Random splatter dots
Correct answer: Diagonal, storm-like linear patterns
Arashi means 'storm' and wrapping fabric on a pole yields slanted, rain-like lines.
Question 5: When layering transparent fabric paints to build depth, which practice best prevents muddy colors?
- Letting each layer dry and heat-set before adding the next (Correct answer)
- Mixing all colors wet-on-wet quickly
- Adding black to every layer
- Using thick opaque paint throughout
Correct answer: Letting each layer dry and heat-set before adding the next
Drying and setting each transparent layer keeps colors clean and luminous rather than blending into mud.
Question 6: What role does a thickener like sodium alginate play in advanced fabric dye painting?
- It controls dye viscosity for crisp, detailed brushwork (Correct answer)
- It permanently bonds the dye without heat
- It bleaches the base fabric
- It repels water from the surface
Correct answer: It controls dye viscosity for crisp, detailed brushwork
Alginate thickens dye so it stays where placed, enabling fine, controlled detail.
Question 7: For a discharge-dyeing technique on a dark cotton, what is the artist actually doing?
- Removing color to create lighter designs (Correct answer)
- Adding fluorescent paint
- Coating with wax resist only
- Bonding metal foil to the surface
Correct answer: Removing color to create lighter designs
Discharge dyeing uses a bleaching agent to lift color, producing lighter patterns on dark fabric.
Fabric Painting Advanced Fabric Art Methods 2
In the serti technique, what is the primary purpose of applying gutta resist to silk before painting?