Batik is a process of decorating
cloth by covering a part of
it with a coat of wax and then
dyeing the cloth. The waxed
areas keep their original color
and when the wax is removed
the contrast between the dyed
and undyed areas gives the pattern.
One of the significant features
of this art is that it is very
simple and can be done by anyone.
Past
The history of Indian batik
can be traced as far back as
2000 years. Indians knew resist
method of printing designs on
cotton fabrics long before any
other country had even tried
it. Indian cotton and dyes were
very popular. The indigo blue
was one of the earliest dyes
to be used. The elaborate process
of dyeing and waxing was one
of the hitch that caused the
art to decline.
Key Centers
of Batik
Batik art received an impetus
when it was introduced as a
subject at the famous university
of Shantiniketan in Calcutta.
Chola Mandal in Madras is also
popular for its Batik product.
Outside India, Indonesia is
considered the cradle of batik
with its many designs, which
are restricted for different
wearers and occasions. Indonesian
batik has characters of mystic
and ritualistic connection.
Objects like flowers, trees,
birds have a significant meaning.
The Sawat in Javanese batik
has its origins in Hindu mythology,
as it is the decorative form
of Garuda, Lord Vishnu's bird.
'Sidomukti' is another Hindu
influence in batik. 'Mukti'
means happiness and prosperity
in the Hindu mythology. While
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand
are known for their block printing
(tjab) method to create batik
on a large scale, in Sri Lanka
batik is still made by hand.
The art of Batik is also practiced
in some African countries.
Batik
Technique
The art of batik is a three-stage
process of waxing, dyeing and
dewaxing (removing the wax).
There are also several sub-processes
like preparing the cloth, tracing
the designs, stretching the
cloth on the frame, waxing the
area of the cloth that does
not need dyeing, preparing the
dye, dipping the cloth in dye,
boiling the cloth to remove
wax and washing the cloth in
soap.
The characteristic effects
of the batik are the fine cracks
that appears in the wax, which
allow small amounts of the dye
to seep in. The use of wax properly
is also important to get the
desired pattern. 30 per cent
beeswax and 70 per cent paraffin
wax should be used. During application
wax should not be overheated
or it will catch fire. Cloths
like cambric, poplin, voiles,
and pure silk are used. Natural
colors derived from barks of
trees, leaves, flowers and minerals
were used.
Today, tjaping with a copper
block is also used to meet the
demand of the customers.
Various
Methods
Batik is created in several
ways like splash method, screen-printing
method, and hand painting one
is by a Kalamkari pen.
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