Page 43 - The Decorative Painter Spring 2016

W&A T E R C O L O R BROOM
KATHIE GEORGE
Ihad always enjoyed creating batik techniques on fabric, but when my daughter was born years ago, I found that the process was too time- consuming and involved too many chemicals. It was by accident that I tried achieving the same effect using rice paper and watercolor in my
studio, but from my very first piece, I knew I was in love.
With batik, wax is used as a resist – just as masking fluid is used to keep the paint from penetrating the paper in watercolor. So, the wax blocks the areas that are not intended to receive the paint. I use very simple materi- als: rice paper, paraffin wax and watercolor. This process is not an exact science, so be prepared for mistakes such as unintentional drips of wax or oozing color. Believe it or not, these accidents actually add to the look
of the piece.
PREPARATION
Although many papers can be used, Awagami Ginwashi is my favorite and it comes in large sheets of approximately 25" x 37". The first step is to cut the paper to the size you need. Or, if you prefer a deckled edge, “draw” a line of water with a wet brush using only enough water to wet a thin line. Then simply tear along that wet line with your fingers. Presto! Deckled edge.
Place your original design underneath the transparent rice paper and using the Micron Pigma 05 pen, simply trace it only on the smooth side of the rice paper.
Melt the paraffin in a device with a temperature control. An electric frying pan works well. Or use a small wax/glue pot that automatically heats to the desired temperature without worry. Melt the wax slowly in a well-ventilated area to 200 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit – otherwise the wax could catch fire. Note: The wax shouldn’t smoke. Heat it slowly enough to keep it from smoking.
Next, place a piece of waxed paper beneath the rice paper, which keeps it from sticking to your work surface. Leave it in place during the entire waxing process. I have furnished diagrams to show specifically where to place the wax. These diagrams are “to size,” so you can also place this dia- gram underneath the transparent rice paper to wax, if you wish.
BIRDS
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