Batik Landscapes

Batiking is the process of drawing with hot wax, allowing the wax to harden, and dyeing the areas around the wax with different colors. Later, the wax is washed away, leaving behind a crisp, white outline.

Using hot wax would probably not fall under the “safe for children” category. Not to worry though, we’ll use a minty paste alternative and ultimately, the process will be the same. We’ll draw our designs using our white paste, wait a few days for them to dry, paint the fabric with acrylic paint, and wash away the paste leaving behind a clean white drawing.

In lesson 1, we’ll compare and contrast works by Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso for their use of line, then create 4 drawing studies based on their work.

In lessons 2 and 3, we’ll learn about abstraction, draw 5+ abstract landscapes, and transfer them to our fabric.

In lessons 4 and 5, we’ll practice creating a gradation using primary colors and later incorporate this method into our batiks.

The magic will happen in lesson 6, where students will watch their white paste wash away, and leave behind a perfectly distinct white outline.