Prepare a work station. Find a large flat surface on which you can prepare your silk panel. Place a drop sheet on the floor to avoid any gesso splatters.
Arrange the stretcher bars. Stretcher bars are used to stretch the silk in preparation for painting. They can be found at art stores and some office supply stores. Place the stretcher bars in the formation of a square. Press the corners together as far as they will go by pushing the corners together by hand.
Secure the stretcher bars. Using a small hammer, lightly tap each corner until it locks into the other. Use a right angle, found at hardware stores, to ensure the corners are square. Use a staple gun to staple each corner together at the seam where they meet. Ensure that this is done on the back of the stretcher bars where the measurement readings can be found. Only one staple per corner is needed. This will ensure the stretcher bars stay square when the silk is being stretched over them.
Cut the silk. Lay the silk to be stretched flat. Place the stretcher bars over the silk. Cut the silk larger than the frame of the stretcher bars.Ensure that the silk panel is large enough to fold over the edges of the bars.
Stretch the silk panel. Fold the top of the silk over the top stretcher bar. Place a staple in the centre of the frame, securing the silk to it. Pull the silk over the bottom frame parallel to the top. Fold the bottom edge over the bottom frame. Ensure that the silk is taught and smooth. This can be done using canvas pliers, however it may be done manually to ensure no tearing of the delicate silk. Pull the right side of the silk panel over the right stretcher bar. Staple the silk to the bar. Pull the left side of the silk panel over the left stretcher bar, pulling it taught. Staple the silk panel to the final side of the stretcher bars.
Tighten the silk panel. Wooden keys are used to tighten canvas and materials that are stretched using stretching bars. They are usually given away for free when buying stretcher bars from art stores. Often they come in the same packaging as the bars. Flip the frame over and lay it down on a flat surface. Remove the four staples that were put into the joining corners of the frame to keep it square. In each corner where the bars meet, there are open gaps . Place the pointy side of the wooden key into each gap. There are two per corner. Lightly hammer keys in place until the silk panel is tightened around the frame. Do not hammer them in too far, only enough that the silk tightens.
Finish stapling the silk panel to the frame. Staple down any extra fabric to the frame, including the corners.
Prepare the gesso. Gesso comes in pre-made in various size containers. It is a thick white liquid and can be found at art stores and hobby shops. Generally gesso needs to be thinned out with water. Place the desired amount of gesso into a separate container. Add small amounts of water, stirring with a paint stick as the water is added. Use as much water as it takes to create a paint-like consistency. This will vary depending on the brand of gesso used. Some brands are thicker than others.
Apply the gesso to the silk panel. Use a nylon gesso brush to apply an even layer of gesso to the silk. Apply each stroke in a verticle direction across the silk. Allow the first coat to dry for approximately one hour. When applying the second coat, paint each stroke horizontally in the opposite direction of the first coat. Allow to dry for one hour.