Paste Resist

Paste resist is a really good way of introducing children to the idea of batik. Paste Resist involves using a simple flour and water paste with the consistency of double cream to outline an image drawn onto fabric.

For paste resist you will need:

·         Plain Flour,

·         White fabric,

·         Brusho Inks in which ever colours you desire.

·         Squeezy bottle for example washing-up liquid bottle or shampoo bottle.

·         Paint brushes

 

 

1.       First you will need to mix up a paste of flour and water, the paste  should be of a consistency of double cream. Once you have made up the paste transfer into a bottle such as a washing-up liquid bottle or shampoo bottle which will allow you to squeeze the paste out in a continuous line. This should be done the night before you intend to use as the paste needs to be left overnight.

2.       Children should fist sketch out a design before drawing on fabric once they have done this the children can draw out their design You can either have a piece of fabric for each child or larger pieces of fabric and ask the children to work collaboratively in a group. It is important  to remind the children that their images to be large, this will prevent when applying the paste the paste all running into one blob, this is what can happen if the images that the children are applying the paste too are too small. The children should use pencil when drawing on their design, it is important to remind the children that any mark they make on the fabric cannot be removed.

3.       Once the children have drawn out their design it’s time to go over the outline using the paste, it is important to demonstrate this process to the children showing the children how a little is a lot!! They do not need to use a lot of paste. If the children accidently apply to much paste then they can use a fine paint brush to spread the paste along the lines. Once all the lines are covered the design needs to be left over night or until the paste has dried hard.

 

4.       Once dried the children can then fill in different sections of the design with the Brusho ink. The paste creates a barrier to the fabric leaving the parts covered in the paste white whilst you apply colour to the areas that have no paste. It is a good idea to do this on some plastic dust sheets  and news paper as the area can get very wet!! Again this needs to be left over night to dry.

5.       Once the Ink has dried you can peel off the paste, I find that this is difficult for little hands and using spoons to peel off the paste is much easier. Once you have peeled off your paste you should see your design in the fabric.

 

This activity is great with EYFs and once you have done this activity with the children fully guided I see no reason as to why the children couldn’t do this independently if the activity was set up for them. I have used this activity twice in school the first was with a KS2 class who made pieces around things important to them as a collaborative piece looking at Grayson Perry. I also completes this activity KS1 and EYFS with an under the sea theme to fit in with the childrens topic work, both times they worked brilliant and where a massive success!

With older children you could even work in to the design once you have peeled off the paste with stitching, and different types of applique to make this more of a textiles piece making cross curricular links with Design and technology. If working collaboratively you could look at introducing P.S.H.E and being respectful of others and their work as this is really important to creating a collaborative piece.