How to Do a Watercolor Batik Painting on Paper©
Posted: Monday, January 23, 2012
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
This week’s email question asks, “I saw a painting you did called “The Koi Fish©” and it said the style was Watercolor Batik. What is watercolor batik and how is it done?”
The materials needed for this process is watercolor paper or rice paper, watercolor paint and brushes, clear paraffin to melt, a small jar and a small pan in which to melt the paraffin, an old brush to apply the melted wax, water proof black India ink and a pen, some old newspapers and an iron.
Take your choice of paper and draw out your painting and then ink in the outlines with waterproof India ink and pen. While that is drying I cut up some of the paraffin and put it in a small glass jar and set the jar in a small pan of water on top of my stove stirring the paraffin with the old brush until all is melted. Next I apply the hot wax to any part of the paper that I want to remain white or to receive no paint such as certain parts of the lily pads, flowers and fish.
Once that is done I apply my paint in any area that I want color and in “The Koi Fish©” painting it was the lily pads, flowers and fish. I let these areas dry and then add any second or third layers of paint where I want darker colors. Do not at any point use a hair dryer to speed up the drying of your watercolors as it will simply melt the wax areas again. The paint dries quickly by itself and once it is dry I apply more melted wax on top of any color that I want to stay true as I will be added other layers of paint. At this point you may have to reheat your wax as you want it to flow smoothly. Keep doing this until you have your painting to the point of putting your final watercolor wash on. In “The Koi Fish©” painting my final wash was the blue for the water. It is just before your final watercolor wash that you will crumple your rice paper in the event you are using rice paper since this will create a lot of cracks in the hardened wax and your final wash will seep into those cracks creating some interesting effects.
Please note here that rice paper has no sizing so the less paint you have on your brush the more control you will have applying your colors.
Now apply your final wash and let dry. It is usually at this point I leave my studio and go out to my kitchen counter where I have laid down a couple of layers of old newspaper on the counter and plugged in the iron. I use the cotton or linen setting and never use the steam setting. I put the painting on top of the newspapers and take one of the several pieces of torn newspaper and lay it on top of the painting and gently apply the hot iron and the wax will melt and soak up into that piece of paper. I continue doing this quickly, each time using a new piece of torn newspaper until the painting is completely devoid of wax. This usually takes less than a minute. Now I can sign and date the finished painting and it is ready to be matted and framed.
For anyone who would like to acquire an affordable Giclee print of The Koi Fish painting please click the below link now.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-koi-fish-arlene-wright-correll.html
May the Creative Force be With You.
Arlene Wright-Correll
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