Learn how to make Paper Batik Art with Wax Crayons, a technique that captures the pretty stained glass look of fabric batik. It’s a colorful, easy art project to do with kids using materials you have on hand.
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Cute Craft Alert: Paper Batik!
I loved seeing the fabric batik art projects students created in the high school where I used to teach. They were beautiful designs made by applying melted wax to a piece of fabric and then placing the fabric in a dye bath.
You make the desired design or pattern by applying hot wax and dye over and over. The artist removes the wax and it leaves the pretty dyed pattern on the fabric. The fabric batik process is complex.
Now I'm excited to share this idea for how to make paper batik! It imitates the look of the fabric batik with a simple wax crayon resist instead.
Follow the steps to help kids make their own beautiful patterns with a simple art idea. I’m excited to see what they create!
Supplies
You don’t need many supplies to bring batik art on paper to life!
- Wax crayons- You will use crayons as the wax for your project. This is a great opportunity to use up those broken crayons.
- Paper- Use a medium weight white paper like sketching paper. Copy paper would probably be too light for this paper batik technique.
- Watercolor paint and brush- You will use watercolor paint and a brush to apply color over your drawing.
- Other supplies- Newspaper, paper towel, glass for water to clean your brush.
Steps to Make a Paper Batik Designs
How to batik paper
Draw a design or picture on your paper with pencil. For paper batik art this should be a simple line design like a coloring book.
Color in your entire drawing with crayon. As you color use hard pressure to make sure the paper is covered with crayon. This is the wax that will resist the paint in a later step.
Take your paper and crumple it into a ball. Gently unfold it and flatten again. Do this two or maybe three times. Gently press the paper out flat.
Paper batik painting with watercolor
Get out your watercolor paint. Using water, get a dark color wet. Use either blue, purple, or black paint color.
Paint with this color over the entire surface of your painting. The paint is going to soak down into the little cracks you made when you crumpled your paper.
Use a paper towel to blot up the extra paint. Do not allow the paint to dry without blotting it.
Let your picture dry completely.
You can leave the picture as it is and frame it or put it up on the bulletin board. Or you can cut it into pieces and make a note card or a bookmark.
It looks like stained glass, doesn't it? Want to try more stained glass crafts? We've tried other crafts that make easy versions of stained glass, like these stained glass candle holders or these glass pebble ornaments. These sharpie bookmarks also look a bit like stained glass!
This is such a pretty, colorful, and easy project. Hoping this tutorial made crayon batik on paper easy!
Craft Tips
These tips can help you as you learn how to do batik on paper.
- Coloring book- A coloring book would be a good source of ideas for your drawing.
- Don’t black line- Do not black line outline your pencil drawing before coloring it in, it will smudge as you color. Black line the drawing after coloring (optional step).
- Press- Press hard with your crayons as you color the paper or it will absorb the color of the paint.
- White- An area of the paper that is to be white, color it in with white crayon. The white wax will resist the paint and remain white.
- Sponge- You can use a sponge instead of a brush to cover the colored picture with paint.
Craft Variations
Here are a few variations you’re welcome to try with this crayon batik on paper tutorial.
- Picture Drawing- Try a design and make a paper batik. Then try a picture drawing and make a paper batik. Which picture do you like best?
- Make a Bookmark- Cut your batik up into pieces and make bookmarks that are approximately 1 ½ inch wide and 6 inches tall as a rectangle. Punch a hole in the top and add a ribbon or yarn as a tassel.
- Make a Notecard- Make a card out of paper. Cut a piece of the batik to fit the front of the card. Glue the batik to the card. Who do you know that could use a card today?
- Create wrapping paper- Use the batik picture to wrap a small gift.
- Frame the art- Finish your paper batik and place it in a frame. They are colorful and pretty and would be great for a gift!
FAQ
Completely cover your paper with a crayon coloring. Wad the paper up 2-3 times to and then flatten it out again. This cracks the wax. Cover the surface with a dark watercolor paint wash. This post shares the details of how to batik on paper so check it out!
Learning how to make batik paper is quite simple. A crayon drawing is wadded up to make cracks in the wax then spread out flat again. Paint over the drawing with a dark color of watercolor paint. The paint goes down into the small cracks and makes a beautiful stained glass look.
Batik paper art is easy to do and creates a lovely fabric batik look alike. Take a crayon drawing and wad it into a ball. Lay it flat again and then use watercolor paint to cover the drawing. The paint will create the fabric batik look on paper.
More Easy Art Ideas for Kids
Looking for more easy paper crafts to try? Here are a few of our favorites:
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How to Make Paper Batik Art with Wax Crayons
Equipment
- none needed
Items Required
- crayons
- sketching paper
- watercolor paint and a brush
- Other supplies- Newspaper, paper towel, glass for water to clean your brush
Instructions
How to batik paper
- Draw a design or picture on your paper with pencil. For paper batik art this should be a simple line design like a coloring book.Color in your entire drawing with crayon. As you color use hard pressure to make sure the paper is covered with crayon. This is the wax that will resist the paint in a later step.
- Take your paper and crumple it into a ball. Gently unfold it and flatten again. Do this two or maybe three times. Gently press the paper out flat.
Paper batik painting with watercolor
- Get out your watercolor paint. Using water, get a dark color wet. Use either blue, purple, or black paint color.Paint with this color over the entire surface of your painting. The paint is going to soak down into the little cracks you made when you crumpled your paper.Use a paper towel to blot up the extra paint. Do not allow the paint to dry without blotting it.Let your picture dry completely.
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