Surveys the principles and procedures of working in batik and tie-dye and illustrates examples of art and fashion

In this comprehensive, generously illustrated handbook, textile artist and teacher Nancy Belfer leads readers step by step through the technique required to successfully create imaginative and beautiful batiks and tie-dyed textiles. Even beginners, following the instructions in this thorough, thoughtful guidebook, can create colorful and exciting textiles that will add distinctive touches to clothing, home furnishings, and more. The author first reviews the early uses of dyes and the application of resist dye processes to textiles, then explores the history and tradition of batik, emphasizing the traditional Javanese batik method. She then covers every facet of the process of designing and making batiks, from selecting proper equipment and supplies, setting up a studio and making preliminary drawings and sketches to preparing the wax, applying the wax to cloth, applying dyes, and setting color. Ms. Belfer follows a similar format in reviewing the history and traditions of tie dye and the art of designing with tie resist techniques, clearly demonstrating each stage of the process, including tritik, clamping, and discharge methods. Over 100 photographs and 28 diagrams make it easy to follow the various procedures. A helpful list of materials and equipment suppliers rounds out this excellent guide.

Stenciling, batik, block printing, tie dyeing, freehand painting, silk screen printing, and a number of novelty decorations such as relief and ball point painting, flocking, and transferring pictures are all covered in this well-known introduction. If you have ever wanted to create your own fabric designs, from adding stenciled or printed details to creating overall designs with batik or tie dying, this book will guide you quickly and easily to the best techniques. Through over 350 illustrations and complete step-by-step explanations, the author leads you through every step of each technique from gathering materials and creating designs all the way through until the finishing touches have been completed. Along the way you will have learned basic design considerations — the way each technique creates its own design limitations, two- and three-color processes, the best inks and dues for each technique, the tools (including how to make many of them), the working area set up, and many unusual effects with basic exercises, specific projects, and the best procedures for using all the basic methods you are likely to use. With so many methods contained in one book, you can easily discover the ones best suited to your own time, budget, and needs. In addition, a number of illustrations of completed items give you a better idea of the possibilities of each technique and show the best examples of each. Artists, designers, students, and craftsmen will welcome this opportunity to learn a number of techniques for the hand decoration of fabric. By the time you finish you will be well acquainted with the most successful methods that you can use and can go on to design and decorate fabrics on your own.

Explains simple batik and tie-dye techniques and provides instructions for a variety of projects.