Is it Watercolor or Is It Silk?

There are many similarities between watercolor painting and silk painting. Both are done with thin consistency colors whether it be dyes or paints. Both can use blocking agents like gutta, resists, masking fluids, wax,etc. both should be painted with the surface flat to avoid the paint running where you don't want it to go  (unless you want it to run) or to preserve white areas or the painting

The main difference is the painting surface- to a point. If you've ever painted on rice paper or unsized paper like printmaking papers, you know, like silk, the paint soaks right in and can't be easily lifted. However, if you paint watercolors on regular watercolor paper you'll notice the surface is much harder than unsized paper therefore making it easier to manipulate the paint before it dries and even after it dries, the paint can be wet again and manipulated again to some extent.

Silk fabrics tend to be more like unsized rice paper  in that it is very absorbent and color, once applied is next to impossible to lift out without leaving a mark on the silk surface. Silk fabric can be sprayed with sizing to help prevent the color from soaking in so much, yet it still leaves a brush mark that results in a hard edged noticible spot on the silk. 

Another big difference is that silk fabric/painting can be made into garments, scarves, banners, and such while watercolor paper cannot, should not, be worn as clothing elements. I guess that's a given in the nature of silk fabric.  I guess it's possible to sew watercolor paper but I can't see it as being practical, maybe in a haute couture piece, but that's another post entirely.

Below are two examples on the same design, one on silk and the other on watercolor paper. On the silk, I used silk paints instead of dyes ( never had good luck steaming dyes) and the watercolor uses regular watercolor paints. I'm currently experimenting with watercolor paint on silk. We'll see how that goes.  Perhaps the two can be blended into an interesting effect. 

Anyway, these are just a few differences in using two mediums which yield a very similar effect.

The painting on the top. is silk, the one on the bottom is watercolor. The paints on the watercolor tend to sit on the surface giving a brighter color than that on the silk, which soaks up the color , giving it a softer,mulled tone, I've learned that watercolor & silk painting is very similar in technique, only with a few differences.