How to Batik/the techniques of Batik

BATIK Making fabric prints

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• fabric
• dyes
• paraffin (wax)
• small brush

1. Batik is a way of creating a design on fabric by waxing any parts of the fabric that you don't want changed and then immersing the piece in a dye solution. when the wax is removed , the design is colored but not the rest of the fabric.
2. The best fabric for Batik is plain, light-colored cotton.
   Don't use a synthetic fabric- dyes won't penetrate. If the fabric is new, wash it in hot soapy water and rinse and dry it.
   Tack the fabric, stretched tight, to a picture frame or a canvas stretcher.sketch a design on the fabric with a pencil or colored chalk.
3. Prepare the wax by gently heating one pound of wax in a double boiler until a candy thermometer reads 170 degrees.
   Use only cold-water dyes so that the wax won't melt. if the design requires more than one color, start with the lightest.
   Prepare the first dye according to package directions.
4. With a small brush, apply melted wax over the parts of the design you don't want dyed with that color.
   Untack the fabric.
   Soak it in the dye for 20 minutes.
   Rinse it thoroughly, and let it dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Removing the wax.
• Cover an ironing board with newspaper.
• Place the dry fabric on it between layers of paper toweling.
• with a dry iron at one setting below cotton, press the fabric on both sides, changing the toweling as wax accumulates.