Name: Carla

Message: Hi Paula,
I just started working with batik.  My designs are large scale abstracts which I am looking to wax onto a large piece of rayon fabric.  So far I have been working with a small brush but as my designs get bigger, the small brush does not cover enough fabric. I was wondering if you know of a wide brush or tool which I can use to cover large areas of fabric with wax.

Go to the hardware store and buy a decent-quality natural-bristle brush in the painting department. Use this brush only for wax, not for paint or dye or anything else. There are several available widths. They are less expensive than fine artist's paintbrushes.

To keep the brush from slipping down into the wax pot, you can take a roll of masking tape and wrap many layers of tape around and around one point on the handle, creating an edge that will rest on the rim of the wax pot.

Do not try to clean the wax out of your brush when you are done applying wax, because you will never be able to use the brush for anything besides wax in the future. It won't hurt anything to leave some wax in the brush to harden. You can wrap it in aluminum foil for storage. When you go to use the brush for wax again, place the bristles into the wax pot for the wax on them to melt.

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