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Batik & Preparatory Work 04.04.19

04/04/19
Workshop 7
Batik & Prep Work 

I actually began teaching batik as I was learning it. This was a great way for me to share my step by step process with my pupils and theirs with me. Batik is a process of using wax and dye on fabric to create your artwork. Like the 3D your batik design wont look exactly how you drew. There is several factors contributing to this, these include the dye concentration, and the wax and where it is applied. After some research and due to the summer approaching, I was inspired by bright colour, wild flower, trees, and fruit blooming, and nature getting back into its stride. 

As I was drawing bees and wild flowers my thoughts went to my Grandmother garden on the Greek island of Limnos where she grows all her own vegetables. I began to look at pictures I had taken from the previous summer of her peppers, tomatoes, aubergines, and lemon tree. 

As I drew I did a series of test dips and topical application of the dye on the fabric, I also practiced drawing with the wax to get used to the material. When dipping the fabric in the dyes I timed each piece varying from 5 minutes to 25 minutes in order to gauge how long I would leave my final piece in for. 
I made a guideline to help be with the process of creating my batik. I utilised both topical application and dipping the fabrics into the dye baths to create my piece. I painting on my aubergines, the stems and heads of the flowers, after waxing these areas the remainder was dipped into yellow and red dye baths. Finally I covered the entire piece with wax an ironed it off leaving me with my finished piece.  I really enjoyed the batik process and so did my pupils, however there is great preparation in the discipline, not just in the piece itself but organising the materials. The room must be set up to allow the dye baths near the sinks to rinse off the fabric in between dipping, the wax pots must be in a secure place with ventilation, and lastly the dye itself must be made. This is done by dissolving the powered dye with boiling water and adding 2 to 3 more litres. Still I plan on creating more batiks during the summer as I really enjoyed this discipline.
Batik Guideline 

Final Batik 


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