This picture shows a person holding a Tjanting tool waxing on a piece of cloth.
What is Batik?
The word batik is thought to be derived from the word 'ambatik' which translated means 'a cloth with little dots'.
The suffix 'tik' means little dot, drop, 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 “drawing a batik design on the heart”.
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. Wax is heated in a pot and then applied to the fabric using tjantings, brushes or home made/found tools.
The wax acts as a resist to dyes and prevents colour from penetrating the fabric.
The design can be built up by layers of wax and dyes.
Traditional colours include indigo, dark brown, and white, which represent the three major Hindu Gods (Brahmā, Visnu, and Śiva) are usually used on Batik.
This is related to the fact that natural dyes are most commonly available in indigo and brown.
Certain patterns can only be worn by nobility.
Traditionally, wider stripes or wavy lines of greater width indicated higher rank.
During Javanese ceremonies, one could determine the royal lineage of a person by the cloth he or she was wearing.
Other regions of Indonesia have their own unique patterns that normally take themes from everyday lives, incorporating patterns such as flowers, nature, animals, folklore or people.
