1Prepare the fabric.

Cut canvas or cotton fabric into the desired size. You can go with a small piece and later make it into a framed artwork or you can work on a larger fabric sheet that you can subsequently make into bandanas, bags, banners, flags, pillowcases, table cloths, and other projects.

You can also do glue batik directly onto plain and light-colored shirts, canvas bags, aprons, pillow cases, summer dresses, etc.

2Sketch a design.

If you are planning to do a detailed picture or design, it helps to lightly sketch your design on the fabric.

3Make a batik design with glue.

Place plastic wrap or a plastic placemat under your fabric in case the glue seeps through. Squeeze white glue or blue gel glue to make lines and designs on your fabric. You can make simple designs like flowers or geometric shapes, or do a complete picture. Young kids will surely enjoy squeezing random lines and shapes.

If you made a sketch, you simply have to apply glue along the lines of your drawing.

4Let the glue dry.

Once you are satisfied with your design, allow the glue to dry. This will take around 6 hours or more, depending on the weight of your fabric and the thickness of the glue lines. When completely dry, the glue lines will turn transparent.

5Prepare the paint.

Prepare two or more colors of fabric paint or acrylic paint on your palette. Watering down the paint can create a nice watercolor-like wash. However, be careful with adding too much water because your batik might look too washed-out.

On the other hand, too little water can make acrylic paint chip off from the fabric when dry. The best way to get the right balance is to find the best mix on a spare swatch of fabric.

6Paint the fabric.

Classic batik usually makes use of 1 or 2 colors but you can always make it as colorful as you like. Paint one solid color on your entire picture or use several colors to make random splotches or paint an ordered pattern like stripes or swirls.

You can also use the glue lines as the borders for the colors—just like painting any picture.

7Let the paint dry.

Once you've painted the entire fabric, set it aside to dry.

*See if the glue has effectively resisted the paint by checking the flip side of the fabric. The areas with glue should not absorb any of the colors.

8Remove the glue.

The glue can be removed either by soaking in water or by peeling off the dry glue.

Soak in water - soak the fabric in warm water for 15 to 30 minutes. You can do this in a basin or directly on the sink or bathtub. The glue will soften as it soaks longer. You can speed up the process by rubbing on the areas with glue. After all the glue has been removed, hang the fabric to dry.

Peel off the glue - peel off the dry glue lines directly from the fabric. This does not work for certain types of fabric. It worked well on my canvas batik but didn't on my cotton tank top.