MIXED MEDIA

Wax Poetic: A Batik Intensive

Name: Wax Poetic: A Batik Intensive
Brand: Debqi
Price: 520.0 CAD
Availability: InStock

Batik is part painting, part dyeing, part controlled chaos. In this two-day hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the full wax-resist process using hot wax and cold-water dyes to build colour, texture, pattern and imagery layer by layer. You’ll work with traditional batik tools, experiment with different marks and resist effects, and move through multiple stages of waxing, dyeing and finishing. By the end, you’ll leave with a completed batik artwork plus the basic materials knowledge and recipes needed to continue experimenting at home.

All Materials Included

Cotton fabric, beeswax, paraffin wax, cold-water dyes, dye chemistry, tjantings, brushes, wax pots, frames and finishing materials are provided.

ART HUB

Hands-on workshop at the Urban Art Collective Art Hub.

Small Class Size

6 minimum · 12 maximum

SKILL LEVEL

No Experience Needed

COURSE RUNDOWN

Day 1: Wax, Resist & First Layers

Explore the basic history of batik and how the wax-resist process works. Learn how beeswax and paraffin behave differently on fabric, get familiar with tjantings, brushes and other wax tools, and experiment with marks, lines, patterns and found objects to create different resist effects. Prepare your cotton fabric, begin developing your design, apply your first layers of wax and cold-water immersion dye, and learn the basic dye recipes and preparation needed to continue the process independently.

Day 2: Layer, Dye & Finish

Continue building your artwork through additional wax and dye layers while experimenting with colour relationships, overlapping resist areas, texture and variation. Work through the final dyeing and finishing stages with instructor support, then remove the wax and reveal the completed batik.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

By The End Of This Workshop, You Will:

Understand the basic process behind wax-resist batik.
Know how beeswax, paraffin wax and cold-water dyes are used together.
Use tjantings, brushes and other tools to apply wax and create resist patterns.
Build colour and imagery through multiple stages of waxing and dyeing.
Understand the basic materials and recipes needed to continue making batik at home.
Experiment with different marks, textures, patterns and colour combinations.
Complete a finished batik artwork.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Debqi

Debqi is a mixed-media artist, chaos goblin and enthusiastic experimenter who approaches art with one recurring question: “What if I...?” She loves exploring unfamiliar materials, combining techniques and helping people get comfortable making something without needing to know exactly where it is going.

VIEW FULL BIO →

Clothing: Wear clothes you do not mind getting wax or dye on.
Time Commitment: This is a two-day intensive. Plan to attend both consecutive days to complete the full process.

Have a question about the course or need to discuss accessibility or accommodations before class? Contact us at learn@urbanartcollective.ca.

Parking is available at 1088 Somerset St W at the UAC Art Gallery, as well as at 50 Bayswater Ave. The parking area at 50 Bayswater is accessed from Somerset St W, not from Bayswater Avenue.

Cancellation Policy

14+ days before the first class: Full refund to your original payment method.
7–13 days before: Full-value UAC LAB credit.
Less than 7 days before: No refund or credit.

Registrations can be transferred to another person at no charge before the class begins. Missed classes or sessions are not eligible for refunds, credits or individual make-up classes.

If UAC LAB cancels a class, you can choose a full refund or full-value UAC LAB credit. If we reschedule and the new date does not work for you, you may also request a refund or credit.

UAC LAB Class Registration, Cancellation & Refund Policy