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Batik, the Traditional Cloth of Indonesia

It would be impossible to visit or live in Indonesia and not be exposed to one of the country's nearly highly developed art forms, batik. On your first visit to a batik shop or factory you will undoubtedly experience an overwhelming stimulation of the senses - due to the many colors, patterns and the bodily smell of batik. Only through repeated visits and a flake of study will the types of designs and their origins go apparent.

The word batik is idea to be derived from the discussion 'ambatik' which translated means 'a cloth with little dots'. The suffix 'tik' means picayune dot, driblet, point or to make dots. Batik may also originate from the Javanese word 'tritik' which describes a resist process for dying where the patterns are reserved on the textiles by tying and sewing areas prior to dying, similar to tie dye techniques. Another Javanese phase for the mystical experience of making batik is "mbatik manah" which means "cartoon a batik pattern on the heart".

A Brief History

Although experts disagree as to the precise origins of batik, samples of dye resistance patterns on cloth tin be traced back one,500 years agone to Egypt and the Middle East. Samples have also been institute in Turkey, Republic of india, China, Nihon and West Africa from past centuries. Although in these countries people were using the technique of dye resisting ornament, within the textile realm, none have developed batik to its nowadays twenty-four hours art form as the highly developed intricate batik plant on the island of Java in Indonesia.

Although there is mention of 'fabrics highly busy' in Dutch transcripts from the 17th century, near scholars believe that the intricate Javanese batik designs would only accept been possible later the importation of finely woven imported material, which was outset imported to Republic of indonesia from India around the 1800s and afterward from Europe beginning in 1815. Textile patterns can be seen on rock statues that are carved on the walls of ancient Javanese temples such every bit Prambanan (AD 800), however in that location is no conclusive evidence that the cloth is batik. Information technology could perhaps be a pattern that was produced with weaving techniques and not dying. What is articulate is that in the 19th century batik became highly adult and was well ingrained in Javanese cultural life.

Some experts feel that batik was originally reserved as an art class for Javanese royalty. Certainly it's majestic nature was clear as certain patterns were reserved to be worn only by royalty from the Sultan's palace. Princesses and noble women may take provided the inspiration for the highly refined blueprint sense axiomatic in traditional patterns. Information technology is highly unlikely though that they would be involved in whatever more than than the commencement wax application. Virtually likely, the messy work of dyeing and subsequent waxings was left to court artisans who would work nether their supervision.

Javanese royalty were known to exist great patrons of the arts and provided the support necessary to develop many art forms, such equally argent ornament, wayang kulit (leather puppets) and gamelan orchestras. In some cases the fine art forms overlap. The Javanese dalang (puppeteer) not only was responsible for the wayang puppets but was also an important source of batik patterns. Wayang puppets are usually made of goat skin, which is then perforated and painted to create the illusion of wear on the puppet. Used puppets were oft sold to eager ladies who used the puppets as guides for their batik patterns. They would blow charcoal through the holes that ascertain the patterns of clothing on the puppets, in order to re-create the intricate designs onto the textile.

Other scholars disagree that batik was only reserved as an art form for royalty, as they too feel its use was prevalent with the rakyat, the people. Information technology was regarded an important part of a young ladies achievement that she be capable of handling a canting (the pen-similar instrument used to utilize wax to the cloth) with a reasonable amount of skill, certainly as important as cookery and other housewifery arts to Central Javanese women.

Selection and Preparation of the Cloth for Batik

Natural materials such every bit cotton or silk are used for the cloth, so that it can absorb the wax that is applied in the dye resisting process. The fabrics must exist of a high thread count (densely woven). It is important that textile of high quality accept this high thread count so that the intricate pattern qualities of batik can be maintained.

The cloth that is used for batik is washed and boiled in water many times prior to the application of wax and so that all traces of starches, lime, chalk and other sizing materials are removed. Prior to the implementation of mod day techniques, the cloth would have been pounded with a wooden mallet or ironed to make it smoothen and supple then it could best receive the wax pattern. With the finer auto-fabricated cotton available today, the pounding or ironing processes tin can be omitted. Normally men did this step in the batik procedure.

Strict industry standards differentiate the unlike qualities of the cloth used today, which include Primissima (the best) and Prima. The textile quality is often written on the edge of the pattern. A lesser quality textile which is often used in Blaco.

Batik Design Tools

Although the art form of batik is very intricate, the tools that are used are all the same very simple. The canting, believed to be a purely Javanese invention, is a pocket-size thin wall spouted copper container (sometimes called a wax pen) that is connected to a short bamboo handle. Normally it is approximately xi cm. in length. The copper container is filled with melted wax and the artisan and so uses the canting to draw the design on the cloth.

Canting have different sizes of spouts (numbered to correspond to the size) to achieve varied design furnishings. The spout can vary from one mm in diameter for very fine detailed piece of work to wider spouts used to fill in big pattern areas. Dots and parallel lines may be drawn with canting that accept up to ix spouts. Sometimes a wad of cotton is attached over the mouth of the canting or attached to a stick that acts equally a brush to fill in very big areas.

For shut-upwards pictures of canting.

Wajan

The wajan is the container that holds the melted wax. It looks similar a pocket-size wok. Normally information technology is made of iron or earthenware. The wajan is placed on a modest brick charcoal stove or a spirit burner called an 'anglo'. The wax is kept in a melted state while the artisan is applying the wax to the cloth.

Wax

Different kinds and qualities of wax are used in batik. Common waxes used for batik consist of a mixture of beeswax, used for its malleability, and paraffin, used for its friability. Resins can exist added to increase adhesiveness and animal fats create greater liquidity.

The best waxes are from the Indonesian islands of Timor, Sumbawa and Sumatra; iii types of petroleum-based methane series (white, yellowish and black) are used. The amounts mixed are measured in grams and vary co-ordinate to the design. Wax recipes can exist very closely guarded secrets. Varying colors of wax make it possible to disguise different parts of the blueprint through the various dying stages. Larger areas of the blueprint are filled in with wax that is cheaper quality and the higher quality wax is used on the more intricately detailed sections of the pattern.

The wax must be kept at the proper temperature. A wax that is besides cool will clog the spout of the canting. A wax that is too hot volition menstruum too quickly and be uncontrollable. The artisan volition often blow into the spout of the canting before applying wax to the cloth in order to clear the canting of any obstructions.

Cap

Creating batik is a very fourth dimension consuming craft. To run into growing demands and make the fabric more affordable to the masses, in the mid-19th century the . cap. (copper stamp - pronounced chop) was developed. This invention enabled a higher book of batik production compared to the traditional method which entailed the tedious application of wax past hand with a canting.

Each cap is a copper cake that makes up a design unit. Cap are fabricated of 1.5 cm broad copper stripes that are aptitude into the shape of the design. Smaller pieces of wire are used for the dots. When complete, the pattern of copper strips is fastened to the handle.

The cap must be precisely made. This is specially truthful if the pattern is to be stamped on both sides of the fabric. It is imperative that both sides of the cap are identical so that pattern volition be consistent.

Sometimes cap are welded between ii grids like pieces of copper that volition make a base of operations for the top and the bottom. The block is cut in one-half at the center and so the blueprint on each half is identical. Cap vary in size and shape depending on the pattern they are needed for. Information technology is seldom that a cap will exceed 24 cm in bore, equally this would make the handling too difficult.

Men commonly handle the application of wax using cap. A slice of cloth that involves a complicated design could crave as many as ten sets of cap. The usage of cap, as opposed to canting, to apply the wax has reduced the amount of time to brand a cloth.

Today, batik quality is defined past cap or tulis, the 2nd pregnant hand-drawn designs which use a canting, or kombinasi, a combination of the two techniques.

Dyes

Traditional colors for Central Javanese batik were made from natural ingredients and consisted primarily of beige, blue, brown and black.

The oldest color that was used in traditional batik making was bluish. The color was made from the leaves of the Indigo plant. The leaves were mixed with molasses carbohydrate and lime and left to stand overnight. Sometimes sap from the Tinggi tree was added to act as a fixing amanuensis. Lighter blueish was accomplished past leaving the cloth in the dye bath for short periods of time. For darker colors, the material would exist left in the dye bath for days and may have been submerged up to 8 - 10 times a 24-hour interval.

In traditional batik, the second colour applied was a brown color called soga. The color could range from light yellow to a night brown. The dye came from the bark of the Soga tree. Another colour that was traditionally used was a dark red color called mengkuda. This dye was created from the leaves of the Morinda Citrifolia.

The final hue depended on how long the cloth was soaked in the dye bath and how often it was dipped. Skilled artisans can create many variations of these traditional colors. Bated from blue, light-green would exist achieved by mixing blue with yellow; royal was obtained past mixing blue and red. The soga brown color mixed with indigo would produce a dark bluish-blackness color.

Design Process

The outline of the blueprint is blocked out onto the textile, 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 non demand to depict 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 material on a drinking glass tabular array that is illuminated from beneath which casts a shadow of the blueprint onto the cloth. The shadow is so traced with a pencil. In large batik factories today, men normally are in charge of drawing the patterns onto the cloth. Click here to see the step-past-step process of making batik.

Waxing

Once the design is drawn out onto the cloth it is so set to exist waxed. Wax is applied to the material over the areas of the blueprint 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 utilise the wax with a canting. The fabric that they are working on is draped over light bamboo frames called gawangan to let 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 basin of the canting.

Artisans use the wax to retrace the pencil outline on the cloth. A small drop cloth is kept on the woman. s lap to protect her from hot dripping wax. The stem of the canting is held with the right hand in a horizontal position to forbid any accidental spillage, which greatly reduces the value of the last fabric. The left hand is placed behind the cloth for support. The spout does not bear upon the material, just it held just above the area the artisan is working on. To ensure the pattern is well defined, batik is waxed on both sides. Truthful tulis batik is reversible, equally the pattern should be identical on both sides.

The nearly experienced artisans ordinarily do outset 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 textile, the artisan will attempt to remove the unwanted wax by sponging it with hot water. Then a heated atomic number 26 rod with a curved cease 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 unremarkably done past men. The cap are dipped into melted wax. Just nether the surface of the melted wax is a folded textile approximately 30 centimeters square. When this cloth is saturated with wax information technology acts like a postage pad. The cap is pressed into the textile until the design side of the cap is coated with wax. The saturated cap is then stamped onto the material, leaving the blueprint of the cap. This process is repeated until the entire cloth is covered. Often cap and canting methods are combined on the aforementioned piece of cloth.

Better quality batik may be waxed utilizing canting in 1 part of Indonesia and then sent to another part of Republic of indonesia where the cap part of the process is completed. On better quality cap fabric great care is taken to friction match the pattern exactly. Lower grade batik is characterized by overlapping lines or lightened colored lines indicating the cap was non applied correctly.

Dyeing

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

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

When the desired colour has been achieved and the cloth has dried, wax is reapplied over the areas that the artisan wishes to maintain the first dye color or another color at a after stage in the dying process.

When an area that has been covered with wax previously needs to be exposed then that it can be dyed, the practical 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 upshot is desired, the wax is intentionally cracked before beingness placed in the dye bathroom. The dye seeps into the tiny cracks that create the fine lines that are feature of batik. Traditionally, cracks were a sign of inferior cloth especially on indigo color batik. On chocolate-brown batik, yet, 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 piece of work that a single or two-color piece. Numerous dye processes are usually reflected in the price of the cloth. Nowadays, chemical dyes take pretty much replaced traditional dyes, and so colors are endless and much more than liberally used.

Special Treatments to the Batik Cloth

Prada or Gold Cloth

For special occasions, batik was formerly decorated with gold lead or gold dust. This fabric is known as Prada textile. Gilt leafage was used in the Jogjakarta and Surakarta expanse. The Primal Javanese used gilt dust to decorate their Prada cloth. It was practical to the material using a handmade glue consisting of egg white or linseed oil and yellow globe. The gilt would remain on the cloth even afterward it had been done. The golden could follow the pattern of the textile or could take on its own design. Older batiks could be given a new look by applying gold to them. Gold decorated material is nonetheless made today; however, aureate pigment has replaced gold dust and foliage.

Batik Designs

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 sure cloth had mystical powers to ward off sick fortune, while other pieces could bring expert luck.

Certain batik designs are reserved for brides and bridegrooms as well every bit their families. Other designs are reserved for the Sultan and his family or their attendants. A person's rank could exist determined by the pattern of the batik he/she wore.

In general, there are ii categories of batik design: geometric motifs (which tend to be the earlier designs) and free course designs, which are based on stylized patterns of natural forms or imitations of a woven texture. Nitik is the almost famous design illustrating this upshot.

Sure areas are known for a predominance of sure designs. Cardinal Javanese designs are influenced by traditional patterns and colors. Batik from the due north coast of Coffee, most Pekalongan and Cirebon, have been profoundly influenced by Chinese culture and effect brighter colors and more than intricate blossom and cloud designs.

High fashion designs drawn on silk are very pop with wealthy Indonesians. These exceptionally loftier-quality pieces can take months to create and costs hundreds of dollars.

Kawung

Kawung is some other very old pattern consisting of intersecting circles, known in Coffee since at least the thirteenth century. This design has appeared carved into the walls of many temples throughout Coffee such equally Prambanan near Jogjakarta and Kediri in Eastward Java. For many years, this pattern was reserved for the royal courtroom of the Sultan of Jogjakarta. The circles are sometimes embellished inside with 2 or more small crosses or other ornaments such equally intersecting lines or dots. Information technology has been suggested that the ovals might stand for flora such every bit the fruit of the kapok (silk cotton) tree or the aren (saccharide palm).

Ceplok

Ceplok is a general name for a whole series of geometric designs based on squares, rhombs, circles, stars, etc. Although fundamentally geometric, ceplok can too represent abstractions and stylization of flowers, buds, seeds and fifty-fifty animals. Variations in color intensity can create illusions of depth and the overall effect is non unlike medallion patterns seen on Turkish tribal rugs. The Indonesian population is largely Muslim, a religion that forbids the portrayal of animal and human forms in a realistic manner. To get around this prohibition, the batik worker does not attempt to express this thing in a realistic class. A single element of the form is chosen and then that element is repeated over again and again in the blueprint.

Parang

Parang was in one case used exclusively by the royal courts of Cardinal Java. It has several suggested meanings such every bit 'rugged rock', 'knife pattern' or 'broken blade'. The Parang pattern consists of slanting rows of thick knife-like segments running in parallel diagonal bands. Parang usually alternated with narrower bands in a darker contrasting colour. These darker bands contain another design element, a line of lozenge-shaped motifs call mlinjon. At that place are many variations of this basic striped pattern with its elegant sweeping lines, with over 40 parang designs recorded. The most famous is the 'Parang Rusak' which in its most classical class consisting of rows of softly folded parang. This motif also appears in media other than batik, including woodcarving and every bit decoration on gamelan musical instruments.

Washing Batik

Harsh chemical detergents, dryers and drying of fabrics in the dominicus may fade the colors in batik. Traditionally dyed batiks should exist washed in soap for sensitive fabrics, such every bit Woolite, Silky or Halus. Fine batik in Republic of indonesia is washed with the lerak fruit which can be purchased at most traditional markets. A bottled version of this detergent is also available at batik stores. Exist certain to line dry batik in a shady area and not in straight sunlight.

Mod Batik

Mod batik, although having strong ties to traditional batik, utilizes linear treatment of leaves, flowers and birds. These batiks tend to exist more dependent on the dictates of the designer rather than the potent guidelines that have guided traditional craftsmen. This is also apparent in the use of color that modern designers employ. Artisans are no longer dependent on traditional (natural) dyes, equally chemical dyes tin can produce whatever color that they wish to accomplish. Modern batik nevertheless utilizes canting and cap to create intricate designs.

Fashion designers such as Iwan Tirta have aggressively introduced batik into the world manner scene. They have done much to promote the Indonesian art of batik dress, in its traditional and modern forms.

The horizon of batik is continuing to widen. While the blueprint process has remained basically the same over the last century, the procedure shows great progress in contempo decades. Traditionally, batik was sold in 2 one/iv meter lengths used for kain panjang or sarong in traditional apparel. At present, not simply is batik used equally a material to clothe the man body, its uses also include furnishing fabrics, heavy sheet wall hangings, tablecloths and household accessories. Batik techniques are used past famous artists to create batik paintings which grace many homes and offices.

Fine quality handmade batik is very expensive and the production of such works is very limited. However, in a world that is dominated past machines in that location is an increasing interest in materials that accept been handmade. Batik is one of these materials.

During your stay in Republic of indonesia, take reward of your time here to learn more than about the fascinating world of batik. Have a batik dress or men'south business shirt made for you by a seamstress or tailor. Visit batik factories in Jogjakarta, Surakarta or Pekalongan to see for yourself how the intricate process is conducted or ask questions of batik artisans giving demonstrations in stores such equally Sarinah or Pasaraya in Jakarta. You will come abroad with sense of wonder over the fourth dimension, effort and patience put into the creation of each batik cloth. Yous likewise may soon grow to love the distinctive waxy smell of batik and your batik acquisitions volition provide many memories of your stay in Indonesia. Your support of the batik industry volition also ensure that this art form grows to even greater peaks.

Batik Dwelling Furnishings

One of the distinct pleasures of living in (or visiting) Indonesia is the opportunity to purchase some truly magnificent home furnishings fabricated of batik. As the fabric is truly unique to Indonesia, this is definitely the best place to purchase authentic batik! Batik factories tin production batik to your order, with custom colors and designs in large rolls, ready to use for your home decoration projects. The 100% cotton fabric is usually preshrunk in the batik dying process and other fabrics are unremarkably available with the batik design, should your design requirements warrant. Higher end shops as well have design consultants who tin help you with the layout of the room you are planning to design with your batik fabric and work with y'all on boosted effects (pillows, bed covers, and cushions) to complete your color scheme.

If you are unable to visit Republic of indonesia, simply are still interested in batik fabric, the best place to commencement is by looking for batik prints in major material stores, or store online for batik fabric. With the beautiful batik designs bachelor, you will be on your fashion to creating your ain batik creations for your home. The timeless designs of beautiful batik motifs have been utilized by skilled fabric designers around the world who want to share the beauty of batik with an even wider audition beyond the world. You'll presently be getting compliments from visitors to your home nigh the beautiful home furnishings made of batik, or your new wardrobe pieces!

Tailored Batik Vesture

Tailors and Dressmakers throughout Republic of indonesia can custom tailor clothing made from batik for office habiliment, daily wear or elegant occasions. Meet Men's and Women's Tailoring in Indonesia for more information.

Additional information on Batik in Indonesia

Batik Designs: A Cultural Development Influenced by Changes in Time & Surround
Batik Canting - beautiful wall hangings from antique batik
Canting Batik - traditional mitt batiking tool from Indonesia

Kebaya - Indonesian Traditional Dress for Women - read about the blouse that is worn with the batik kain (sarong) in much of Indonesian traditional apparel.

Sentinel a YouTube video past Piet Verboven of the batik making process!

Hand Dying - tips for dying batik

This folio was awarded the Golden Crane Creativity honor for its contributions towards providing instructional information on batik.

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Source: https://www.expat.or.id/info/batik.html

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