Coyote Moon by Sylvia Austen
Coyote Moon

Art: Batik on Paper

For this form of batik I found that Winsor Newton Drawing Inks and BestTest Rubber Cement were the best products to work with.  The inks dry quickly and there is no residue that can be smeared while rubbing off dried cement from the page. 

Between cement applications layers of colors are dabbed on with a small sponge,  (one for each color.)

BestTest works better than any other brand I know because it picks up easily and cleanly.  I use it as runny as possible, and in that form it can be toxic to sensitive people. Therefore, good ventiliation and skin protection is required.

Moving a hand rapidly above the surface, the cement drools off the brush like honey.  The paper has to be completely dry in order for the cement to stick. An indoor fan speeds the drying time between layers.

To make the starry sky in Coyote Moon I sprinkled granules of salt over the final layers of wet ink on the paper.