Where is batik originated from

Here, Chinese, Arab, Indian and European traders bought and sold textiles and batik is first specifically mentioned on a cargo bill in the midth century. From around , textile manufacturers in Holland started attempts to mechanise the production of batik using copper rollers and a resin resist. In Java, textile merchants responded to the threat by finding a way to speed up the time consuming method of hand drawing the design.

Wooden block printing was adapted to batik with the invention of copper stamps or tjaps as they are known to apply hot wax. Imitation batik cloth was produced in numerous European textile printing companies throughout the 20th century, most notably in the UK and Holland, and to this day is still made in just one - Vlisco in Helmond, the Netherlands — a reminder of a colonial past.

In Europe, these exotic cloths sparked a wave of creativity. In the s in Amsterdam, a group of young artists introduced the batik technique to interior decoration, furnishings and later to fashion. This proved very successful, and from the the beginning of the 20th century, batik was practised by thousands of European and American artists and craftspeople. The peak of its popularity was between and when it was popular in Holland, Germany, France, Poland and the UK. When the dyeing process is finally over, the artist removes the wax and the fabric is ready to use.

The fabric used in batik is first washed and then boiled in plain water. This is done several times before the wax blend is applied as it helps remove any traces of lime, starch and chalk. A Batik artist may use a variety of different wax and dyes on silk, cotton and other pure fabrics.

Batik typically works really well on cotton fabrics. Silk, on the other hand, is a little difficult to handle because of its peculiar wicking properties. The Batik fabric has grown to become quite popular all over the world, especially in Asian countries. One of the reasons for this popularity is that the technique allows an artist to be extremely creative.

They can utilize actual drawings for applying patterns instead of using thread weaving. Also, Batik fabric is known for its durability. This means that colours used have a much higher resistance to wear as compared to printed or painted fabrics.

Batik fabrics are also less likely to fade early and hence last for several years! While modern batik fabrics take much inspiration from the past, they have very few similarities with the traditional styles. For instance, an artist might use discharge dyeing, etching, stencils and wax blends with custom resist values. Batik is known to be among the most artistic techniques of fabric dyeing.

It is also a very subtle resist method and allows artists to discover unique processes that help create innovative patterns for customers. Skilled artisans can create many variations of these traditional colors. Aside from blue, green would be achieved by mixing blue with yellow; purple was obtained by mixing blue and red. The soga brown color mixed with indigo would produce a dark blue-black color.

The outline of the pattern is blocked out onto the cloth, traditionally with charcoal or graphite. Traditional batik designs utilize patterns handed down over the generations.

It is very seldom that an artisan is so skilled that he can work from memory and would not need to draw an outline of the pattern before applying the wax. Often designs are traced from stencils or patterns called pola. Another method of tracing a pattern onto a cloth is by laying the cloth on a glass table that is illuminated from below which casts a shadow of the pattern onto the cloth.

The shadow is then traced with a pencil. In large batik factories today, men usually are in charge of drawing the patterns onto the cloth. Click here to see the step-by-step process of making batik. Once the design is drawn out onto the cloth it is then ready to be waxed. Wax is applied to the cloth over the areas of the design that the artisan wishes to remain the original color of the cloth. Normally this is white or cream.

Female workers sit on a low stool or on a mat to apply the wax with a canting. The fabric that they are working on is draped over light bamboo frames called gawangan to allow the freshly applied wax to cool and harden. The wax is heated in the wajan until it is of the desired consistency. The artisan then dips her canting into the wax to fill the bowl of the canting. Artisans use the wax to retrace the pencil outline on the fabric.

A small drop cloth is kept on the woman. The stem of the canting is held with the right hand in a horizontal position to prevent any accidental spillage, which greatly reduces the value of the final cloth. The left hand is placed behind the fabric for support. The spout does not touch the fabric, but it held just above the area the artisan is working on. To ensure the pattern is well defined, batik is waxed on both sides.

True tulis batik is reversible, as the pattern should be identical on both sides. The most experienced artisans normally do first waxings. Filling in of large areas may be entrusted to less experienced artisans. Mistakes are very difficult to correct. If wax is accidentally spilt on the cloth, the artisan will try to remove the unwanted wax by sponging it with hot water. Then a heated iron rod with a curved end is used to try and lift off the remaining wax.

Spilled wax can never be completely removed so it is imperative that the artisans are very careful. If the cap method is utilized, this procedure is normally done by men. The cap are dipped into melted wax. Just under the surface of the melted wax is a folded cloth approximately 30 centimeters square. When this cloth is saturated with wax it acts like a stamp pad. The cap is pressed into the fabric until the design side of the cap is coated with wax.

The saturated cap is then stamped onto the fabric, leaving the design of the cap. This process is repeated until the entire cloth is covered. Often cap and canting methods are combined on the same piece of cloth. Better quality batik may be waxed utilizing canting in one part of Indonesia and then sent to another part of Indonesia where the cap part of the process is completed. On better quality cap fabric great care is taken to match the pattern exactly. Lower grade batik is characterized by overlapping lines or lightened colored lines indicating the cap was not applied correctly.

After the initial wax has been applied, the fabric is ready for the first dye bath. Traditionally dying was done in earthenware tubs. Today most batik factories use large concrete vats. Above the vats are ropes with pulleys that the fabric is draped over after it has been dipped into the dye bath.

The waxed fabric is immersed in the dye bath of the first color. The amount of time it is left in the bath determines the hue of the color; darker colors require longer periods or numerous immersions. The fabric is then put into a cold water bath to harden the wax.

When the desired color has been achieved and the fabric has dried, wax is reapplied over the areas that the artisan wishes to maintain the first dye color or another color at a later stage in the dying process. When an area that has been covered with wax previously needs to be exposed so that it can be dyed, the applied wax is scraped away with a small knife.

The area is then sponged with hot water and resized with rice starch before it is re-immersed in the subsequent dye bath. If a marble effect is desired, the wax is intentionally cracked before being placed in the dye bath. The dye seeps into the tiny cracks that create the fine lines that are characteristic of batik. Traditionally, cracks were a sign of inferior cloth especially on indigo color batik.

On brown batik, however, the marble effect was accepted. The number of colors in batik represents how many times it was immersed in the dye bath and how many times wax had to be applied and removed. A multicolored batik represents a lot more work that a single or two-color piece. Numerous dye processes are usually reflected in the price of the cloth.

Nowadays, chemical dyes have pretty much replaced traditional dyes, so colors are endless and much more liberally used. For special occasions, batik was formerly decorated with gold lead or gold dust. This cloth is known as Prada cloth. Gold leaf was used in the Jogjakarta and Surakarta area. The Central Javanese used gold dust to decorate their Prada cloth.

It was applied to the fabric using a handmade glue consisting of egg white or linseed oil and yellow earth. The gold would remain on the cloth even after it had been washed. The gold could follow the design of the cloth or could take on its own design. Older batiks could be given a new look by applying gold to them. Gold decorated cloth is still made today; however, gold paint has replaced gold dust and leaf.

Although there are thousands of different batik designs, particular designs have traditionally been associated with traditional festivals and specific religious ceremonies. Previously, it was thought that certain cloth had mystical powers to ward off ill fortune, while other pieces could bring good luck. Certain batik designs are reserved for brides and bridegrooms as well as their families. Other designs are reserved for the Sultan and his family or their attendants.

In general, there are two categories of batik design: geometric motifs which tend to be the earlier designs and free form designs, which are based on stylized patterns of natural forms or imitations of a woven texture. Nitik is the most famous design illustrating this effect. Certain areas are known for a predominance of certain designs. Central Javanese designs are influenced by traditional patterns and colors.

Batik from the north coast of Java, near Pekalongan and Cirebon, have been greatly influenced by Chinese culture and effect brighter colors and more intricate flower and cloud designs. High fashion designs drawn on silk are very popular with wealthy Indonesians. These exceptionally high-quality pieces can take months to create and costs hundreds of dollars. Kawung is another very old design consisting of intersecting circles, known in Java since at least the thirteenth century.

This design has appeared carved into the walls of many temples throughout Java such as Prambanan near Jogjakarta and Kediri in East Java. For many years, this pattern was reserved for the royal court of the Sultan of Jogjakarta.