Batik Tjanting Tools - How Do You Prevent The Wax From Dripping When Painting With Beeswax?

Batik Tjanting Tools - How Do You Prevent The Wax From Dripping When Painting With Beeswax?

How do you prevent the batik wax from dripping when you are painting with a tjanting tool, or a "batik pen"? 


tjanting tool dripping while painting batik

 

I'm often asked about this when I'm painting a batik in a live video.  In fact, today one of the students in The Art of Creative Batik
online workshop asked me: "I see the drip coming usually right out of the pot I watch for it.  I allow for it, but I would love to know if there is a way to avoid it?  I
have watched your videos and I cannot figure out how you do not seem to have that issue.  I generally use pretty fine-holed tjanting.  Could this be a part of my problem?  And I am just listening to you talking about flaws and that they are our strengths.  Love it.  However, I would like to be able to control it if possible any thoughts on this?"

Batik Tjanting Tool - Too Many Drips!  

It's a great question and something I am asked a lot and I'll tell you there is a two part answer to this dilemma.  There might be three part dilemma regarding your
curiosity.   Regarding the size of the batik tool that you're working with, I work with the largest spectrum of tjanting spouts that I can find - with the copper tool. The copper is really the best.  The steel ones actually have a larger spout, but I do not enjoy the angle of the tool, since I paint upright. 
So what she's talking about when I go from the batik wax pot to the clothing with the tool?  How do I prevent the drips?  Why is my fabric not covered in all the little drips, despite the fact that I'm using the largest tool possible and the largest spout possible? 

Practice is key.

After awhile you get to know what to expect, and it's just something that takes a little while to master, but it's not impossible.  You will get it. 

A couple of tricks have to do with how close your fabric is to the wax pot.  I try to keep mine as close as possible when I'm painting, without actually touching, of course.  And although I do work fast, sometimes it's worse the faster you are painting.  Let me know in the comments if you guys have gone through that too!  Do you incorporate your mistakes into the design?  Because that's actually something that I do.

The other thing is that looks are deceiving. I actually do make lots of mistakes.

There are a lot of batiks that have drips on them.  Maybe even the one I'm wearing.
Actually no, there's no drips on this one, but I do have batiks with drips on them.
Another thing, notice my workstation.  There's wax everywhere.
There's wax all over every space between the wax pot and the fabric so drips do happen but if I can move that wax fast enough - and deliberately enough - I can let that first drip that's bound to come out of our tool hit the fabric and that starts the design.   And that's how I actually use the momentum in my favor when I'm painting with beeswax for batik.
If you are interested in learning more about batik and leveling up your skills while joining an amazing community of batik artists who are passionate about this craft,
check out the Art of Creative Batik Workshop and sign up for our next opening.
I really encourage you.  It's actually an amazing an amazing workshop.   
Happy batiking!
- Victoria 
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