Friday, May 25, 2007
BEGINNER'S EQUIPMENT
The equipment you need to begin batik is fairly simple, and most of it can be found around the house.
Some old white sheets.
Old, torn white cotton sheets have the advantage of being already free from chemical finishes (which would otherwise prevent the dye from penetrating).
Note: all new fabrics must be boiled to remove the finishing.
Candles, at least one containing beeswax.
Double boiler for melting wax.
Good quality artist's paintbrush.
Cold water dye and fixative.
Charcoal, or pencil, for making preliminary sketch.
Old picture frame. (Batik is normally worked on a special frame on which the cloth is tacked to keep it taut, but for beginners an old picture frame will serve just as well.)
You will also need a double boiler or a boiling ring or chafing dish (such as a fondue dish with candles beneath) to melt the wax, and you will need access to a sink or bowl for dyeing.
Making the basic sketch. With a dark pencil or charcoal, begin to sketch your design on the cloth. It does not have to be elaborate-just a few guidelines.You can draw the first subject that comes to mind, or try the simple tree sketch in figure 1 below, which will give you some idea of the freedom of batik yet provide a basic guideline at the same time.
The tree motif illustrates another useful principle in batik-that it is often a good idea to work the surrounding spaces with wax rather than the object which is being depicted. So, in the case of the tree, it is the sky or the space around the tree that matters. This can be a whole new way of looking at things.
The equipment you need to begin batik is fairly simple, and most of it can be found around the house.
Some old white sheets.
Old, torn white cotton sheets have the advantage of being already free from chemical finishes (which would otherwise prevent the dye from penetrating).
Note: all new fabrics must be boiled to remove the finishing.
Candles, at least one containing beeswax.
Double boiler for melting wax.
Good quality artist's paintbrush.
Cold water dye and fixative.
Charcoal, or pencil, for making preliminary sketch.
Old picture frame. (Batik is normally worked on a special frame on which the cloth is tacked to keep it taut, but for beginners an old picture frame will serve just as well.)
You will also need a double boiler or a boiling ring or chafing dish (such as a fondue dish with candles beneath) to melt the wax, and you will need access to a sink or bowl for dyeing.
Making the basic sketch. With a dark pencil or charcoal, begin to sketch your design on the cloth. It does not have to be elaborate-just a few guidelines.You can draw the first subject that comes to mind, or try the simple tree sketch in figure 1 below, which will give you some idea of the freedom of batik yet provide a basic guideline at the same time.
The tree motif illustrates another useful principle in batik-that it is often a good idea to work the surrounding spaces with wax rather than the object which is being depicted. So, in the case of the tree, it is the sky or the space around the tree that matters. This can be a whole new way of looking at things.
Fabrics
FABRICS
Natural or vegetable fiber fabrics, such as cotton, linen and silk, are the ones to use for batik.
Viscose rayon can also be used, but avoid all synthetic fibers, no matter how closely they simulate natural fibers. Their true nature is revealed in the dyebath, by which time it is too late. They will not dye properly with cold dyes, which must necessarily be used for batik; otherwise the wax would melt in the dye bath.
To Test Fibers of which you are uncertain, try this quick test. Watch carefully as you hold a single fiber over a lighted match. The synthetic thread melts quickly into a hard residue. Organic fibers burn more slowly, and a soft ash is formed.
Silk is one of the best fabrics for batik - the finer the woven the better - and a finer waxed line can be drawn on silk than on any other fabric. To start with, however, silk is far from necessary, and the expense may inhibit your inventiveness since you will be less willing to "chance" a design.
Cotton is excellent, and some prefer it to silk on the grounds that the sheen of silk obscures the pattern.
In general, with coarser spun fabrics, more wax is absorbed and a fine sweeping line is harder to obtain, as the wax sinks rapidly into the cloth as it is applied. So, although you can batik canvas, calico and flannelette, these are only suitable for large, clear designs.
For intricate work and, in particular, pictures or wall hangings, fine linen or fine cotton is recommended. Especially delicate designs can be produced on batiste or cotton lawn - any thin cotton in fact which is not so transparent that your picture will look like an apparition.
Dye Batik dye must be a cold dye since hot water would cause the hardened wax to melt in the dyebath. Ordinary cold water dyes are best for beginners and all contain instructions for their use; but after some experience you may prefer to use special, fast-acting cold dyes or vat dyes, which involve the use of additional chemicals but which "take" a lot more quickly and, in the case of vat dyes, give exceptionally colorfast results.
Once you are used to working with wax you can begin to experiment more with mixing dyes, buying large amounts (less expensive) of the basic colors and making any others you need.
Wax The ideal mixture for batik work is 30% beeswax to 70% paraffin wax, and to try it for the first time you can easily melt down candles. If, however, you decide to do more batik, it makes sense to get the wax from a craft supply store in bulk.
Beeswax adheres well to fabric, whereas paraffin wax is brittle, cracking easily. So how you mix the two determines how much crackling you will get.
Crackling produces the fine lines that characterize most batik work. With pure paraffin wax there is the danger of it peeling off in the dye bath.
A mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax therefore assures adherence, plus decorative crackling effects.
Natural or vegetable fiber fabrics, such as cotton, linen and silk, are the ones to use for batik.
Viscose rayon can also be used, but avoid all synthetic fibers, no matter how closely they simulate natural fibers. Their true nature is revealed in the dyebath, by which time it is too late. They will not dye properly with cold dyes, which must necessarily be used for batik; otherwise the wax would melt in the dye bath.
To Test Fibers of which you are uncertain, try this quick test. Watch carefully as you hold a single fiber over a lighted match. The synthetic thread melts quickly into a hard residue. Organic fibers burn more slowly, and a soft ash is formed.
Silk is one of the best fabrics for batik - the finer the woven the better - and a finer waxed line can be drawn on silk than on any other fabric. To start with, however, silk is far from necessary, and the expense may inhibit your inventiveness since you will be less willing to "chance" a design.
Cotton is excellent, and some prefer it to silk on the grounds that the sheen of silk obscures the pattern.
In general, with coarser spun fabrics, more wax is absorbed and a fine sweeping line is harder to obtain, as the wax sinks rapidly into the cloth as it is applied. So, although you can batik canvas, calico and flannelette, these are only suitable for large, clear designs.
For intricate work and, in particular, pictures or wall hangings, fine linen or fine cotton is recommended. Especially delicate designs can be produced on batiste or cotton lawn - any thin cotton in fact which is not so transparent that your picture will look like an apparition.
Dye Batik dye must be a cold dye since hot water would cause the hardened wax to melt in the dyebath. Ordinary cold water dyes are best for beginners and all contain instructions for their use; but after some experience you may prefer to use special, fast-acting cold dyes or vat dyes, which involve the use of additional chemicals but which "take" a lot more quickly and, in the case of vat dyes, give exceptionally colorfast results.
Once you are used to working with wax you can begin to experiment more with mixing dyes, buying large amounts (less expensive) of the basic colors and making any others you need.
Wax The ideal mixture for batik work is 30% beeswax to 70% paraffin wax, and to try it for the first time you can easily melt down candles. If, however, you decide to do more batik, it makes sense to get the wax from a craft supply store in bulk.
Beeswax adheres well to fabric, whereas paraffin wax is brittle, cracking easily. So how you mix the two determines how much crackling you will get.
Crackling produces the fine lines that characterize most batik work. With pure paraffin wax there is the danger of it peeling off in the dye bath.
A mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax therefore assures adherence, plus decorative crackling effects.
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