Batik is a fascinating craft but one many people hesitate to try
because the old process is tedious and time consuming. Batik may be used for
pillow tops, wall hangings, place mats or scarves. Big, bold designs in bright
colors are most striking.
The word batik (pronounced Bateek) means "wax written" and this
is basically what batik is. It is a way of decorating cloth by covering part of it with a
coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. The waxed area keeps its original color and when
the wax is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed area makes the pattern.
The exact origins of batik are unknown, but they are almost certainly in
the Orient where the technique was used, long before printing, to enhance the appearance
of fine garments. Batik became most deeply rooted in Indonesia, particularly the
island of Java, where it was a highly developed art by the 13th century.
Batik was considered a fitting occupation for aristocratic ladies whose
delicately painted designs, based on bird and flower motifs, were a sign of cultivation
and refinement, just as fine needlework was for European ladies of a similar position.
Java is still famous for batik and the traditional patterns, developed
over centuries, are still part of Javanese dress, although very few are made by the
traditional method of wax painting. This, instead, has been rediscovered and put to use by
craftsman all over the world who find the freedom of working with liquid was, and the
control of color possible through dyeing, makes batik an exciting and uniquely expressive
medium to work in. Increasingly, the all-over patterns of Oriental batiks are being
replaced by imaginative pictures and designs of all sorts, which are sued to make wall
hangings and soft sculpture as well as decorations for clothing and household items.
Part of the attraction of batik is its simplicity and the fact that you
don't have to be artistic in the conventional sense to produce beautiful results. Some of
the best effects in batik are in fact the work of chance. This is particularly true of the
way in which the wax cracks to let small quantities of dye through, adding an unexpected
and interesting effect to any design. This hairline detail, or "crackling", is a
special characteristic of most batik work.
Because batik wax is applied hot it is necessary to work fairly rapidly
and this can produce a freedom (or loss of self-consciousness) that makes many people who
think they cannot draw find, to their amazement, that they can. Of course, designs can be
worked out beforehand and for many things, such as borders and trimmings, this is
necessary; but designs drawn spontaneously in wax, or according to the briefest sketch,
can bring surprising rewards.
Combined with the pleasure of drawing freehand is the fascination of
working creatively with dyes-blending and mixing different colors-to get as vivid or as
subtle as you want.
FABRICS
Natural or vegetable fiber fabrics, such as cotton, linen and silk, are
the ones to use for batik.
Viscose rayon can also be used, but avoid all synthetic fibers, no matter
how closely they simulate natural fibers. Their true nature is revealed in the dyebath, by
which time it is too late. They will not dye properly with cold dyes, which must
necessarily be used for batik; otherwise the wax would melt in the dyebath.
To Test Fibers of which you are uncertain, try this quick
test. Watch carefully as you hold a single fiber over a lighted match. The synthetic
thread melts quickly into a hard residue. Organic fibers burn more slowly, and a soft ash
is formed.
Silk is one of the best fabrics for batik - the finer the
woven the better - and a finer waxed line can be drawn on silk than on any other fabric.
To start with, however, silk is far from necessary, and the expense may inhibit your
inventiveness since you will be less willing to "chance" a design.
Cotton is excellent, and some prefer it to silk on the
grounds that the sheen of silk obscures the pattern.
In general, with coarser spun fabrics, more wax is absorbed and a fine
sweeping line is harder to obtain, as the wax sinks rapidly into the cloth as it is
applied. So, although you can batik canvas, calico and flannelette, these are only
suitable for large, clear designs.
For intricate work and, in particular, pictures or wall hangings, fine
linen or fine cotton is recommended. Especially delicate designs can be produced on
batiste or cotton lawn - any thin cotton in fact which is not so transparent that your
picture will look like an apparition.
Dye Batik dye must be a cold dye since hot water would
cause the hardened wax to melt in the dyebath. Ordinary cold water dyes are best for
beginners and all contain instructions for their use; but after some experience you may
prefer to use special, fast-acting cold dyes or vat dyes, which involve the use of
additional chemicals but which "take" a lot more quickly and, in the case of vat
dyes, give exceptionally colorfast results
