Where can I find Halloween ideas for painting on silk?

 

At this time of year I often get enquiries about Halloween, and now I’m pleased to say that there are thousands of ideas to be found online. Before I get started, here’s a little Halloween video I created for you:

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Where can I find Halloween ideas for painting on silk?

If you’ve signed up for my mailing list, you will receive an email with 11 pages of images to use freely.

Here are some more links to check out – make sure to confirm that any images you select are COPYRIGHT-FREE, LICENSE-FREE and ROYALTY-FREE.

The best way to do that is to READ THE LICENSE for each image.

To make it easy for yourself, only use images which are shown as CREATIVE COMMONS – but READ to make sure there is no other limitation (sometimes image licenses say “personal use only”, “not for commercial use”, etc).

Pixabay.com has a huge selections of photos, vector drawings and illustrations for free:

A sample of Vector Graphics I just searched for:

Selecting “illustrations” give similar results, but it’s always good to have a look and compare.

Here is an example of the same search on Pixabay, but using “photos” instead of “vector”:

 

1. VectEasy has some great illustrations – I cliked the CREATIVE COMMONS checkbox on the left of the screen, so this link shows only those you are totally free to use >>
2. You might also find more inspiration on TutsPlus.com

One way to make sure you are not infringing on any copyright or license, is to use these other images as INSPIRATION only. Create your own drawings and designs based on those you like, but not EXACTLY the same as the original.

NEVER, EVER, EVER use images straight from a Google Search.
Every image they show has come from someone else’s website.

They are not free. The responsibility lies with you to check EVERY image to see who owns it, where it appears on the original website (click the View button) and see if there is info about Privacy and Copyright for the image.

If you’re not 100% SURE — don’t use it. Instead, search for Creative Commons + the type of image you’re looking for.

Google says:  “Find images, text, and videos you can reuse
Go to Advanced Image Search for images or Advanced Search for anything else.
In the “all these words” box, type what you want to search.
In the “Usage rights” section, use the drop-down to choose what kind of license you want the content to have.
Select Advanced Search.” In the Advanced Search , go to Usage Rights and choose the last option:

 

My PDF of Halloween Images

Would you like to receive the PDF via email?

Just fill in your details here and it will be winging its way towards you at the speed of eeny weeny teeny tiny internet robots!

PS – you have 24 HOURS to download.

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“After I open your PDF Teena, how can I transfer the printed designs onto silk?”

Before you’ve printed the designs you want to use, you might want to resize them:

1. open the PDF on your computer
2. zoom in or out using the + or – at the top of the PDF
3. take a snapshot/screenshot with your computer
4. open the image it creates, adjust the Size if required, and Print.

 

After you’ve printed the designs you want to use

Next I make the outline bold so I can see it through the silk:

1. using a large black felt tip pen or Texta pen (depending on which country you’re in), trace around the outline so you can clearly see it through the silk
2. trim excess paper if necessary
3. I like to leave the felt tip outline to dry for an hour or so while I do other things
4. stretch the silk and pin to the frame of your choice
5. turn it over so it’s facing down on a clean table top
6. position the paper design facing down
7. use seamstress pins to attach to the silk
8. turn the frame up the right way
9. depending on how high the frame is up from the table top, I might put a few magazines or hard cover books under the silk so that I’ll be able to touch easily through the silk
10. after I test the gutta or outliner squeezy bottle, I carefully outline the design
11. when done, I pick the frame up and hold it towards the light
12. I search for GAPS in the gutta/outliner to make sure there are no spaces where the SILK DYE will sneak through
13. if needed, I add more designs to the silk in the same way, or use different techniques depending on the required result

Next I paint the silk design:

1. remove the books and magazines from under the framed silk
2. if necessary, I lift the frame up off the table (4 cans or 4 toilet rolls work well to give it some height and to help prevent your back from aching)
3. when the gutta/outliner is dry, I use my silk dyes to paint the design
4. if using STEAM-SET DYES like I do, the silk will need to be “steam set”
5. every silk dye manufacturer has different INSTRUCTIONS
6. make sure to read them and follow them – for my silk dyes, I steam for 3 hours
7. I leave the silk to “settle” overnight then I wash it the next day.

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Would you like to share your photos of your Halloween designs?

I’d love to see them!

Just fill in this form and add the images:

[contact-form-7 id=”1632″ title=”Contact form with image”]

 

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PS — If you’re on my mailing list, you will receive a PDF of 9 Halloween designs in my latest Newsletter.

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