The Batik Process- Waxing

The most common question I am asked is, "Exactly what is batik?" So, over the next few posts, I thought it would be fun to do a virtual demo of the batik process, complete with photos of each step. Ready?

What is batik?....Batik, an Indonesian word meaning, “wax writing,” is a process in which an artist “writes” or paints on fabric or paper. The wax prevents the dye from being absorbed by the fabric when it is either immersed in or painted with the dyes. A new waxing and dying process must be repeated for each color and layer of the design.

Here is my work station: tools, melted wax and cotton fabric.



Getting ready to paint with the melted wax.






Here I am painting the fabric with a sumi brush and the melted wax.











More progress.











This piece of cotton is ready for dye!








Tomorrow...painting with the dyes.

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