Batik and Bookmaking

Project: Students will be combine two different techniques into one project. They will begin by batiking two pieces of muslin (11x11) apiece. Sketches will be completed a head of time before starting the batik process to ensure that students have a clear plan before they begin to apply wax and ink. The expectations for their batik are to include pattern, to recreate, not reproduce traditional or cliché symbols that we see everywhere (flowers, suns, stars, etc.) , and to make these symbols their own. They will be pushed to go outside of their comfort zone and will be required to use geometric shapes to recreate these designs. The students will go through the process of batik 3 times to apply 3 inks in order to understand the way in which the wax and dye process works. Once batik is complete, students will attach their batik cloth to doubled pieces of mat boards to create covers for books. That will be the next step of the project. Students will go through the process of bookmaking with me in order to successfully create a finished product. Once we have completed the project, we will complete an assessment and reflection about the process, it’s history, and the tools that are required to complete the projects.

Reflection- Students will be able to:
• Recognize the different types of textures and fibers in the composition of fabric/paper
• Recognize the different techniques of dyeing and resist
• Identify the unique characteristics of craft areas
• Expand visual vocabularies for increased perception of and response to crafts
Goals-Students will be able to:
• Identify how crafts have been utilized by various cultures and how these reflect the values and beliefs of these cultures
• Identify the various purposes and types of crafts in American and World cultures
• Identify how crafts are used in everyday life as functional and/or decorative objects
• Create with fibers (batik)
• Create crafts using a variety of forming and surface treatment techniques (batik and bookmaking)

Day 1: Students will be introduced into the first portion of the project- batik.
-Transition from printmaking into batik
-Talk about the elements of art with students and how they apply to this assignment
-Give a cultural connection to the project- Share information with them about the history of batik
-Tell them how batik and bookmaking will be related in this project
-Hand out the sketch paper for their designs
-Expectations for sketches: Geometric Designs, Not reproducing a cliché or traditional symbol but making it their own, Pattern
-Vocabulary

Day 2: Reiterate to students about the relation from relief to batik (Elements of design)
-Students work on sketches to break out of the traditional symbols
- Do a class example to show what I’m looking for (Do examples of how to create designs we’ve seen on the internet, how I would change a flower, sun, etc.)
-Reiterate the expectations for the assignment

Day 3: Do a demo over batik for the students
-Talk about safety measures with irons, hot wax, how to cover surfaces, etc.
-Show students two steps of the dyeing process/waxing process/ironing process
-Students continue to work on sketches
-Label their sketches in sections based on the color of ink and in what order they will be waxing/inking

Day 4: Do another demo with students to refresh memories before beginning to batik.
-Safety
-Necessary materials/Locations of needed materials
-Process
-How to use their sketches/plans to successfully achieve their images.
-Talk to students about how to store their pieces to dry at the end of class.
Students will receive their fabric pieces if ready.
-Patterns must be okayed by me before they receive these
-Drawing patterns on fabric with pencil.
-Students must have their sketches and plans out next to them while working so they have a clear direction

Day 5: Reiterate rules of class while batiking and safety measures
-Students batik- they should be first outlining their designs before beginning dyeing
-Available around the room for help and to answer any questions about the process.
-Remind them that this should be more of a quieter and slower environment t o prevent any accidents

Day 6: Students continue to work on batik, they should all be on this process by now.
-Reiterate:
-Safety
-Materials
-Storage

Day 7: Students continue to batik. If done with batik, talk to the students about our next step in the project: bookmaking.
-If some students are ready for this step, do a small demo for them while others work to get them started.
-Show them how to glue together mat boards to create our covers
-How to apply glue to the covers to attach our fabric to the covers

Day 8: Do a demo for the class showing the next steps of the project- moving into bookmaking
-How to attach the mat boards together to create stronger covers
-How to attach the batik to the mat covers
-How to apply the glue correctly so it doesn’t leave lines in the batik

Day 9: Demo how to finish applying the fabric to the covers
-Show students how to cut the fabric so that it folds over nicely to create corners
-Students work on applying both pieces of fabrics to covers/gluing, cutting corners, etc.
-Around the room to help students finish this step


Day 10: -Demo for students how to cut and attach the spine of the book
-How to attach these spines to the covers so it appears professional and clean
-No rough edges
-Clean cuts
-Glue applied correctly so it isn’t seeping out of the edges
-Be around the room to help students with questions about this step of the process

Day 11: Demo how to measure on my pages for sewing them together
-Measure even amounts of space
-Give them measurements
-Show them how to make the holes in the pages
-Talk about safety when doing this
-How to use the tools correctly in order be safe
-Be around the room to help students with questions about this step of the process

Day 12: Demo how to sew the pages together
-Safety
-How to thread the needle
-Pattern to sew in to create a strong and successful hold with pages
-Students work on this for remainder of class/Around to help students work on this step

Day 13: Students continue to sew their pages
-Reiterate:
-Safety
-How to thread the needle
-Pattern of sewing

Day 14: Demo for students how to complete the book
-Joining the pages and covers
-Covering the inside of the covers with decorative paper
-Trimming the pages to have even edges
-How a finished product should look

Day 15: Reiterate information from the demo the day 14
-Students work in class to finish

Day 16: Students continue to work and finish their books to turn in a completed product

Day 17: Do assessments and reflection with students
-Need to be completed and turned in with the assignment