The Art of Don Baker

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at Don@DonBakerSilks.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What type of art do you specialize in?

Color Splash specializes in dance flags for the flow arts community.

What is your process for commissioning a set of flags?

I am not accepting custom commissions at this time.

How long does it take to complete a set of flags?

The time is dictated by details. Tie-dyes can take a few minutes to a couple of hours. Painted designs can take a few hours to a couple of days.

Is the price for one flag or a set of two?

All items are priced as a set of two flags, weighted and ready to play / fly.

Are your flags UV reactive in black light?

Yes, all flags are created with UV reactive silk dyes. Some dyes and colors glow more than others in black light. The lighter and yellow based colors glow more in black light than the darker colors, but all dyes are UV reactive, except for black silk dye, which creates a negative space in the flags under black light.

What shipping carrier do you use?

I use USPS Priority Mail, unless a different shipper is required by the customer for delivery. With USPS Priority Mail, I do not have to purchase shipping packaging, and am able to ship multiple sets in one package for a flat rate of approximately $8 USD, tracked and insured anywhere in the US with 1 to 3 day delivery. International shipping is more expensive, but I still use USPS as my preferred carrier.

Did your flag prices recently increase?

I recently increased the price of sets of flags. See the Pricing link for more information.

I don't see some designs that used to be here, can I still order them?

Sometimes I remove older designs for various reasons. If you message me, I may be able to create them for you. I recently discontinued white flags and solid color flags. This change was made because those items did not include any art. The solid colored dyed flags required a lot of dye to create, and I did not find them satisfying to make.

Do you use fabrics other than silk for your flags?

I only create flags that are made from silk and dye. There are many fabrics that can be used to create flags. My specialty is silk art, specifically silk paintings. I encourage everyone to make their own sets of flags. There are instructions for sewing and dyeing on the Flagger Central website.

Do you offer flag repair services?

I offer flag repair for sets that I have created in the past, for a nominal fee. Usually they need to be re-weighted. Most sets that are repaired this way will be reduce in size by a small amount. Message me for more information.

What is reinforced weighting?

This link is all about weighting the flags.

Why don't the flags I made glow like yours in black light?

I use highly reactive fluorescent silk dyes procured from various dye suppliers. Not all silk dyes have this glow property. Wash your silk with an optic whitener/brightener before dyeing. Most laundry detergents have this chemical already added. If you use a microwave to set the dyes, the dyes will not be fully set. I use a professional silk steamer to fully set my dyes into the fabric. It is only when the silk steams for three or more hours that the dyes reach their true and fullest brilliance.

Where do you get your black lights, and what are the best?

I think the best black lights are the old style 48" fluorescent tube lights, but they can be cumbersome, with a lot of lugging around of the rig. These days I do like the lights from Onforuleds. I always get the RGB sets because they double as flood lights for my house when I'm not using them for flagging. But the plain black light ones are great too. I suggest 100 watts or more, but with black light, more is better. Great Lights, Great Prices. There are coupons available on their site as well.

You have a lot of designs on the site. Do you keep them in a physical inventory, or do you make them when they are ordered.

I make most things when they are ordered, unless they are listed in the "Ready To Ship" section of my site. The painted sets take many hours for even the simple designs, so keeping an inventory is unrealistic. This also allows me to tailor them a bit when ordered. I can make subtle changes without doing a full re-design, or change up colors on request. Just add a comment at checkout or reach out to me via email after placing your order, for any of these special changes.

Do I have to create an account to order things on your site?

Account creation is NOT required to place orders in my online store. I do not store your payment information and associate it with a login account in any way. So no, you don't need to create an account.