Wax Batik in Watercolor
Watercolor Batik uses wax as a resist, and then it is completely removed at the end.
I learned this method of painting about 12 years ago, and I love it. Each artist, of course, has their own twist on how to do it, what works for her . I love the look, but it takes some preparation. Here are a few that I have done in batik:
Today's project: Snowman Card
"Feed Me"
Katy
"It's a Jungle Out Here"
This time we are doing a simple (about 4 waxes) Christmas Card. If you are just learning the technique, you need to keep it simple, with very few small shapes. Keep the size around 12 inches...much bigger takes a lot more time; smaller makes the shapes so small it is hard to control the wax.
Supplies:
Rice paper, about 30gsm, like ginwashi, kinwashi, or unryu
A wax pot (I use a small skillet) that can be set to temp of 180 to 200
Old brushes that will only be used for waxing
wax paper/butcher paper
water proof pen
brushes and watercolor paints
Before I begin the steps, I want to give some safety measurements and caution.
1. The wax must be kept at 180 to 200 degrees. Cooler, it will clump up. Higher... and you will see it smoke...it can burn and catch fire. I am using silicon padding underneath it.
SO: please turn it off when not in use. And give the person using it some space.
2. This paper is strong enough when dry, but fragile when wet. ALWAYS keep a backing on it (like the wax paper) when moving it or drying it. Small tears can be repaired, but it's better not to rip it.
3. ONLY USE WAX BRUSHES. They are just brushes designated to be used with wax. Do not use your good brushes. Once you dip a brush in the wax, that is all that brush is good for.
Step One
Draw your sketch and shrink it to about half a sheet of copy paper. You are going to make a "map" of values to show which areas to wax 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.
Leave everything that will be white, white on the paper. This is everything that you will wax first, before you paint your first layer.
Color in everything that is the next (light) value with a colored pencil or marker, say blue. This is your second wax...after you paint your first layer, before your 2nd layer of paint.
Color your next value with another colored pencil, say red. That will be your third wax, before you paint a third layer of paint.
Continue until you have all your values a different color.
This "map" is about 4 x 6
Step Two
After you have designed your painting, it should be drawn to the size of the paper you want to use.
Set the sketch underneath the rice paper and trace the picture.
Then use a water-proof fine tip marker to trace over the lines. (You don't HAVE to do this,
but water will wash away your lines, and you might have to redraw if in pencil)
Step Three - 1st WAX
Heat the wax to 180-200 degrees F. NO HIGHER. It can cause a fire.
Use ONLY brushes designated for wax...it does not come out.
Set your rice paper sketch on top of the shiny side of the butcher paper. This is to protect the work surface from the wax.
Melt the wax and pick some up with your brush. You have to work quickly, as it dries fast.
Carefully wax all the areas that will remain white. (See all the #1's in the sketch...
The white areas in the colored pencil drawing in step 1)
I also SPATTER wax before painting to get some snowflakes. I ignored the face features and just waxed over the entire face...I'll put the tiny details in later.
Step 4 - PAINT
Here is one area where I learned differently from some of the videos. I paint everything over with a light value, even if it will eventually be a dark value. In the videos, they paint mostly the areas that are light value. Either way, you next dry the painting completely. I often use a fan to help with this. You can use a hair dryer on LOW only....otherwise the wax can remelt.
STEP 5 - WAX Again
Look for the areas with a #2 or blue on my map. Wax only these areas next. Then paint a darker value over these areas. (Again, I paint everything, gradually increasing my other values, but you can do just those areas.) Spatter again.
Step 5 - Paint again
Paint everything over with a darker value. You can choose those colors in specific places if you want to.
Repeat wax-paint-dry- cycle until you have the darkest values you want in your picture.
If your wax gets a bit out of control or you accidentally drip on something unintended, don't get upset. We can fix anything.
Next week:
Finishing the batik/waxing off/mounting/making corrections.
Here are some tutorials you might want to watch:
Kathy George: 2-hour tutorial
(371) Little French Pitcher Batik - Watercolor Lesson with Guest Artist Kathie George - YouTube
Angela Fehr with guest batik artist: 30 min
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