batik- removing the wax

drying the fabric

batik - waxing and dyeing

Batik tables are covered in newspaper first then paper off the roll from the paper cart. Batiks are pegged to drying lines strung underneath.There are two tables set up in the studio with two electric frying pans each. The wax is an even split of bees wax and parrafin melted to about 250 degrees fahrenheit.

This is the second waxing. Areas of color are preserved in wax before the next dye bath. The fabric darkens when the wax penetrates it properly. We use only primary colours, but a wide variety of colour combinations are possible. Analogous colour schemes are encouraged.


Complementary colours need to be painted on. THis design calls for green grass as well.

perspective and landscape

With one eye closed, we measured by spreading our fingers to pinch the top and the bottom of shapes. Do you have to adjust your fingers between close up and far away? We first practiced with each other, noticing how the head of a person close to me barely fits between my fingers, while a head across the room fits easily.

line to shape in fabric

landscapes etc.

Hi Katrine,
How about shape collage? It lends itself to teaching background and foreground because shapes of diminishing size suggest perspective and the picture plane is flexible. Pictures can be arranged and rearranged until the problem is satisfied. It is also a good setting for a story.

We'd need black felt or burlap background fabric, and a variety of coloured felt and other fabrics for cutting. Good cutting scissors and some volunteers to precut a variety of natural and geometric shapes of all sizes and colours. But 1. avoid fabric prints, 2. avoid cutting shapes that are also symbols like a heart or cloud, flower etc.
Ewa

from line to shape