Magento Commerce

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Where can I buy Susho?

To ensure the complete satisfaction of our collectors, King Silk Art only sells Susho at special events. Currently, King Silk Art is not selling Susho online. Each work of Susho is completely handmade. Although our artists recreate designs, the handwork makes each piece unique. We feel it is important to see Susho in person when you are collecting. Please contact us for information about upcoming events.

Question 2: What is the red stamp in the corner of Susho?

The red stamp represents the “House of Zhang”. The Zhang family has been creating Susho in Suzhou for 2,200 years. This stamp identifies Susho created for King Silk Art by the artists of the “House of Zhang”

Question 3: With Susho, what is the difference between an Artist, a Master Artist and a Grand Master Artist?

The top Susho Grand Master Artists in China are quite famous for their talent and craftsmanship. The prices of Susho in China are based on the reputation of the Susho artist.

There is a formal procedure to becoming a Grand Master Artist. At least fifteen years of experience and a formal test of skill and talent that few pass. Master Artists have ten or more years of experience and Artists, (a combination of students and teachers) have less than that.

Question 4: How do I keep Susho in good condition?

Susho is very easy to maintain and keep in perfect condition. There are just three important rules to care for this natural product.

  • 1. No Direct Sunlight
  • 2. No Dust
  • 3. No Moisture

 

The most important rule for maintaining Susho is no direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will fade the colors of the silk. Silk artwork should be artificially lit, we recommend using halogen lights at about 50-60 Watts. You can find halogen picture lights online or at any hardware store.

Other types of lights cast color, which filters the natural colors of the silk. Higher wattages tend to visually flatten the sheen of the silk, and you lose some of the natural dimension we create by layering the silk stitches. When your Susho is lit properly, you will notice the 3-D effect. The colors of the silk will appear to change if you look at the Susho from different angles.

For proper care, Susho must be protected by glass. Silk artwork, made from natural fibers, attracts dust. Frames with normal glass will be fine in a somewhat dark room, but you might consider using UV glass with glare protection, in a room with more light.

The last threat to the longevity of your Susho is moisture. The silk fibers are sensitive to moisture, so a moist or humid environment can do damage. We do not recommend hanging Susho outdoors, even away from direct sunlight. Indoors, it is better to avoid areas with a lot of steam.

Question 5: How does Susho last over time?

Handmade Susho is very durable and if it's not exposed to the elements, the entire piece and it's colors will look the same for generations. By comparison, machine-made, synthetic embroidery will show its age much sooner.

Question 6: How do I judge the quality of Susho?

It's easy to judge high quality Silk Art, just by looking at it.
  • Colors – The more colors, the higher the quality.
  • Length – The shorter the stitches, the higher the quality.
  • Thickness – The thinner the thread, the higher the quality.
  • Layers – The more layers, the higher the quality.
  • Design – The more curved lines, the higher the quality.

Question 7: How does Susho compare to paintings?

  • Susho is 3D - Paint flattens on a canvas, even as an artist blends layers of color. Silk fibers stay intact as the stitches are layered, creating true three dimensional artwork.
  • Susho is more colorful - Silk Art is comprised of a multitude of tiny, colorful stitches instead of cruder brush strokes. Silk Art has a much higher resolution than most paintings. High Definition TV versus Standard TV.
  • Susho colors last longer - The chemicals in paint degrade over time, pure silk and vegetable dyes last far longer.
  • Silk Artistry - Silk Artist must master several important skills and require a lifetime of training to create Silk Art. Painting is a far simpler process.

Question 8: How can I tell the difference between handmade Susho and machine-made embroidery?

1.Stitches - Only handmade Susho varies the types of stitches, creating depth and dimension.

2.Appearance - Compare original artwork to a print. Only one has life and character, and is unique.

3.Thread - Handmade Susho uses pure silk threads of varying thicknesses. Embroidery machines cannot handle the delicacy of silk and use synthetic threads of one standard thickness.

4.Background - The backgrounds of handmade Susho are filled with small knots. Silk Artists change thread frequently and knot the ends. Machine-made embroidery is perfectly uniform, several pieces can be made with a single thread, so there are no knots.

5.Collectible Value - Handmade artwork is inherently more valuable than mass-produced.

Question 9: If two works of Susho use the same design, will they be identical?

No. When artwork is handmade, each work has its own unique execution. Our artists aren't machines. Even when working from the same design, every individual silk artist will put their own human touch into each work.

There may be very slight variations in color, as each artist will interpret tone as the image emerges. And, each piece is hand-stitched, so no two pieces will have identical stitching, even if the same artist created both pieces. As with musicians playing a familiar composition in concert, there will always be slight variations from any other performance, bringing each individual piece to life.

This quartet of koi provide a perfect example of the variation in color between two images. You will notice the light yellow of the leaves on the left, becomes more of an almond color on the right. And for the fishes themselves, the faces of the koi on the right are more high contrast, with relatively prominent eyes. The koi on the left are more low-contrast, with the color of the faces more prominent.

These two beautiful scallop seashells illustrate the differences you might find in stitching between two works of Susho. It may be hard to spot the differences, but if you will focus on the white section at the center of the base of the shells, it is easier to spot the difference in the stitching. The base of the shell on the right, has stitching that is a little higher on its left side and the reverse is true of the shell on the left.

Question 10: These two works of Susho are the same size, why are they two different prices?

The short answer is complexity. Some of the more complex pieces have backgrounds that are completely stitched, some simpler pieces have silk-screened backgrounds.

The complexity of stitches is also a factor in the pricing. As you can see with the flowers below, while the red tulips on the left have depth and shading, the stitches themselves have a greater degree of simplicity when compared to the detail and variation required by the irises on the right.

Question 11: These two works of Susho are the same size and the same design, why are they two different prices?

Again, the answer is complexity. As you can see with the two parrots below, two Silk Artworks based on the same design can vary the complexity of the stitch pattern. The parrot on the right has far more definition and resolution than the parrot on the left. Complex stitch patterns take much longer to execute, are much more expensive to produce, and are priced accordingly.
Copyright 2011 KingSilkArt.com | Designed and developed by SAI IT Solution