Free Art Lesson Plans: Caribbean Faux Batik

Geography: Caribbean Faux Batik Iron-Ons

Create you own iron-on transfers that have the look of Caribbean batik - without all the mess of hot wax!

The age-old folk art of Batik is practiced in India, Indonesia and the Caribbean. Batik artists create designs on fabric by painting with hot wax then dyeing the fabric in bright colors. The wax is removed, leaving the design free from dye.

Supplies:

Sandpaper (any grit will do)
Wax Crayons (Crayola is best)
Pencil
White T-shirt (or other white fabric item)
Iron
White paper

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Directions:

1. To create the look of batik, the main design must be left uncolored, with the background all around it colored in. With that in mind, sketch a design on the sandpaper of tropical objects such as shells, palm leaves, flowers, fish or the sun. Use the pencil. (You may want to practice it on a piece of white paper first.)

2. Choose 3 or more bright colors and color all around the main object, leaving it blank. You must press VERY HARD with the crayons or it won't work!

3. Lay a piece of white paper on your ironing board, then place the top layer of your t-shirt over the paper. Now position the sandpaper (design side down) in the place that you want the design to be. Lay another piece of white paper over the sandpaper.

4. Iron with a hot iron for about 30 seconds. Lift off the paper and the sandpaper and see your design!

Here are some more design ideas:


Try simple flower	How about a sun?	Try using leaves as stencils!