HOW TO MAKE A BATIK
Make your own Batik
cold water dyes|
paint brushes [bristle]
thin silk or cotton
masking tape or drawing pins
pencil or felt tip pen
First you need a sketch. Keep it simple, the beauty of batik is in the unplanned bits when the wax runs or cracks and the dye penetrates.|
It is up to you to choose which colours you are going to use. Prepare some dyes in plastic bowls following manufacturers instructions.
Your sketch needs to be bold because next you place some tracing paper and fabric over it and you need to see your sketch through both layers. Natural transparent fabric like silk or very thin cotton is best because synthetics will not hold the dye.
Secure fabric to work surface with pins or masking tape.
Now paint melted wax on to the parts you want to stay white then lift the fabric off the work surface and place in a dye bath for your first colour. Keep checking and remember that you will be adding more dye so this first colour should not be too dark.
When dry you can repeat the procedure only this time paint wax over the bit that is going to be your first colour. Dip the fabric in the dye for your second colour and when the right depth is reached take the fabric out dry and apply next layer of wax and dye again.
After several dye baths the silk or cotton should be coloured all over and have a covering of wax and now you need to remove the wax by laying your batik between two layers of blank newsprint and ironing to melt the wax. The paper will absorb the wax and you have to keep going with several fresh papers until no more wax comes out.
This is your finished batik
Tel: 01904 631749