technique to make batik
TECHNIQUE TO MAKE BATIK
TECHNIQUE TO MAKE BATIK
•
This refers to the processes involved in making batik, starting
from the white fabric (mori) until its end result, the batik itself.
• We can divide these processes into two stages, namely:
1. Preparation : processes that are done to the mori so that this
white fabric will be ready to undergo further treatment. This
involved stages of washing (nggirah/ngetel), starching
(nganji), and ironing/flattening (ngemplong).
2. The batik making processes itself, which has three major
components:
a. Application of wax onto the fabric
b. Application of dye onto the fabric
c. Removal of wax from the fabric
Next, we will discuss about each stages in more depth.
PREPARATION STAGE
1.Cutting the Fabric
•
White fabric (mori) that is still on factory-made size/piece will
be cut according to the intended use.
•
For long cloth ‘kain panjang’ or jarit:
Primissima & prima – good quality (length 17.5
yard, width 105cm/42 inches) will be cut into 6 pieces.
- Biro – medium quality (length 48 yards/42m, width
105cm/42 inches) will be cut into 19 pieces (normal
size) or 20 pieces (clothes size).
•
Other than the long cloth size, there are other sizes like
‘slendang’ or scarf, head band, masan dinding, sarong and
some others. After being cut to its desired size, the edges will
be sewed so that the the threads wont spray out.
2. Washing (nggirah)
•
The raw fabric that will later be used to make batik, usually
would be excessively starched so that the fabric looks thicker
and heavier. As the starch would have an adverse effect on
the end result of batik, we need to remove this starch and
then replace it with lighter starch. To remove the original
starch, the fabric will be soaked overnight in clean water then
in the following morning will be rinsed in moving water until
clean.
•
If the batik made is of the good quality (using
prima/primissima) the process wouldn’t end here, but will be
followed by a process called ‘ketel’ or loyor’. This process will
increase the fabric ability to absorb dye while at the same
time making the fabric more flexible. This process is similar to
mercerise process in which instead of cold water, cold
alkaline mixture is used.
3. ‘Ketel’ Process
•
material used in this process usually includes vegetable oil mixture and chemical
that has alkaline nature (ash soda, costic soda). This mixture will be applied to the
fabric repetitively in which between each session fabric will be dried or sun-dried.
• There are a number of ways this process can be done, some examples are as
followed:
1. Using the mix of peanut oil and costic soda. This mixture is used to make the low
quality batik.
For fabric with length of 15 yards (enough to make 5 pieces of batik)
a. The materials needed to make the mixture are:
70 gram of costic soda dissolved into 10 litres of water.
300 cc of vegetable oil
b. Application:
• 1st day: wet the fabric with 2 litres of normal water, followed by 2 litres
of the ketel mixture and the vegetable oil and then worked so that the
mixture will be absorbed and mixed into the fabric After that, fabric will
be folded or rolled and will be kept inside a container in a wet state.
• 2nd day, the fabric will be spread open then sun-dried. When it is dry, it
will be soaked in 1 ½ litres of costic soda mixture, be worked for a
while and then kept inside a container in a wet state.
• The second day action will be repeated for 5 days. And on the last day,
fabric will be rinsed and then dried.
2. Using the mix of peanut oil and ‘londo merang’. This mixture is used to make
medium to good quality batik.
For fabric with length of 17 yards:
a. The materials needed to make the mixture are:
10 bundles of rice stalks, burned and then soaked in 20 litres of
water (to make londo merang).
- 300 cc of vegetable oil
b. Application:
1st day: spread out the fabric, put it inside the special tub used in ketel
process, wet the fabric with water, followed by 2 litres of the rice stalk ash water
(londo water) and the vegetable oil and then worked so that the mixture will be
absorbed and mixed into the fabric After that, fabric will be kept inside the tub in
a wet state.
2nd day, the fabric will be worked again then sun-dried. When it is dry, it
will be soaked in 1 ½ litres of londo water, be worked for a while and then kept
inside a container in a wet state.
On 3rd day the process on the second day is repeated and repeated again
for 9 days. And on the last day, fabric will be rinsed, having light starch applied
to it and then dried.
3. Using the mix of peanut oil and ‘ash’ soda. This mixture is used to make medium
to good quality batik.
For fabric that’s already cut into batik size with length of 3 yards:
a. The materials needed to make the mixture are:
6 x 7.5 grams (45 grams) ‘ash’ soda dissolved into 3 litres of
water.
- 75 cc of vegetable oil
b. Application:
• Wet the fabric with water inside the special tub. Mix vegetable oil and
½ litre of ‘ash’ soda mixture and then pour this mix into the tub. Fabric
will then be worked so that the mixture will be absorbed and mixed into
the fabric and then the fabric will be dried. After it is dry, fabric will be
worked with ½ litre of ‘ash’ soda mixture and then dried again. We will
do this phase for 6 times.
•
This method doesn’t require the storing the fabric overnight in a wet
state, so it is possible to repeat this stage more than once in a day.
•
And on the last day, fabric will be rinsed, having light starch applied to
it and then dried.
•
There are other ways to do this ‘ketel’ process. Each
different batik central has different methodologies and
experiences.
•
There is also a way to remove the starch with acid hot bath
in which fabric will be soaked in an almost boiling acid
mixture (2 cc of hydro chloride/hydro sulfate per litre of water
for + ½ hour).
•
This method will increase the ability of the fabric to absorb
dye, however the resistance of the fabric will decrease (more
susceptible to tear).
4. Starching Process
•
This step is important so that the wax isnt absorbed by the
fabric and easier to remove. However, the starch itself
should not cause adverse reaction on the dyeing process.
•
Starch that will be used here is of the light variety.
•
We use about 20 grams of tapioca starch for every 1 litre
of water.
•
First the tapioca starch will be added to a little bit of hot
water and then diluted until the desired consistency is
reached.
•
We then apply the cold starchy water to the fabric and
then sun-dry the fabric.
4. Kemplong Process
•
The fabric that has gone through the washing and
starching process needs to be straightened or having its
surface flattened. This can be done by beating the fabric
numerous time. How is it exactly done?
•
Some pieces (+ 10 pieces) of the fabric that have been
starched and dried are rolled together and then put on top
of wood with smooth surface. The bunch of fabric and the
wooden base will be tied together and then beaten with a
wooden bat. After the fabrics are flat enough, the roll is
then opened and the fabric will then be individually folded
or moving on the next process straight away.
•
As this process done without any heating involved, the
starch on the fabric is easier to be removed by washing so
that the dyeing process wouldn’t be disrupted.
BATIK MAKING
1.Drawing/ stamping wax onto the fabric
Canting
Stamp/cap
batik
Before we move to this stage, if we’re applying wax by canting, we would need to
sketch the design on the fabric.
However if we’re using the stamp method, we don’t need to sketch the pattern on
the fabric first
Stages and types of wax application:
a. drawing or stamping klowong. This step is the first of series of application of
wax and this will be the foundation of the batik itself. For sogan (black-brown
batik) the area that is covered by this klowong would be the area that will be
dyed brown. There are two stages of this step. First is the ngengerengan stage
and then secondly we’ll have the nerusi stage. It just means that in the second
stage we block the area on the opposite side of the fabric.
b. Nembok and nerusi’. Nembok can directly be translated to ‘walled’ means we
cover/block the fabric that had already gone through the klowongan step with
stronger wax. This area covered with the stronger wax was meant to be left
without colour. This stage involves covering the surface, giving accent and
drawing ‘isen’ and ‘cecek’ .
c. Covering ‘bironi’ or ‘merining’. So that the area that’s already dyed certain colour
wouldn’t be absorbing other colour. This stage is done after the wax was removed
from the fabric but before the fabric is soaked in the last dye bath.
d. Jeblok stamp. What it is referring to is that if the klowong and nemblok stage are
not separated, we need to do this jeblok stamp to cover the area that will be
coloured brown or be left without colour. This step is usually used if we’re making
batik with lorodan technique.
e. Win Batik Painting. This is the most recent development in the technique used in
applying wax. This method has emerged as a side effect of the development of
batik pattern into a more modern and abstract style. So instead of using canting or
stamp, now we can use brush to apply the wax. Only people with arts/ painting
skills can do this type of wax application. And the batik made with this technique
will then be called ‘free-form batik’, ‘modern batik’, or ‘new style batik’.
f. There were other ways to apply wax onto fabric. In the olden days, people use the
mixture of water and glutionous rice starch to cover area that wouldn’t be
coloured. The batik made by using this technique is called ‘simbut’. This method
is no longer used. Another way to cover area that wouldn’t be coloured is by tying
up these areas. Batik that is made using this technique is called ‘jumputan’.
2. Dyeing/colouring process
•
Fabric that has wax applied on it will then be dyed so that the bare area
will be coloured and the covered area will not be subjected to this colour.
• These are the types of dyeing process involved:
a. ‘wedel’ : applying blue-black dye on the fabric after klowong and tembok
stage. For batik sogan ‘kerokan’ this is the first colour applied to the fabric.
Types of materials and chemicals used in this blue-black dyeing
process:
- organic colouring from the leaves of indigo-fern. As this dye
isnt as strong and is slow in leaving the colour on fabric, if we
use this dye, we need to dip the fabric into the dye numerous
time.
-
Indigo synthethic : chemical version of the first dye. Dipping
method used is the same as if we use the normal indigo.
Napthol dye : as it has a strong absorbant trait, so we
only needs to dip the fabric once.
b. Base colour bath : Instead of going through the wedel dyeing process,
colourful batik like pekalongan and cirebon batik will be given other colours
dye bath like green, red, purple, yellow, orange and other colours as base
colour. After going through this process, so that the colour wouldn’t be
covered by other colour we need to apply wax onto it again. Because of this,
we need dye that has a strong resistant like indigosol, napthol or
indanthreen dye.
c. ‘Gadung’ process’ : it refers to colouring method in which dye mixture will be
spilled/ sprayed onto the fabric that is spread out on a table. Tho we will be
able to use less dye in this process, as the dye mixture will be spread out
(after being spilled on the fabric) by brushing it on the fabric, the end result
might not be even. This process is used by crafter from pekalongan to dye
sarong batik or ‘bouquet’ batik.
d. ‘coletan’ process: it is a colouring method in which dye will be applied to
fabric using brush (like painting the colour onto the fabric). The edges of
area that are coloured this way will be covered by thin layer of wax so that
colour wouldn’t be spreading out onto other area. Dyeing agent of rapid and
indigosol are the dye usually used for this method. In northern coast of Java
like Gresik, this process is called ‘dulitan’ and the batik produced by using
this method is called batik ‘dulitan’. And the crafter from northern coast of
Java have been using this technique for a while.
e. ‘soga process’ : it is an application of brown colour onto batik. For batik from
Jogja and Solo, this is the last colouring process. In the past, crafter used
organic dye from the bark of soga tree (this is where the term ‘soga’
originated). However, nowadays we use synthetic dyeing agent like soga
ergan, soga chroom, soga kopel, naphtol, indigosol and some other mixture
of the above mentioned agents.
Naphthol
Indigosol
Soga
Natural
dye
3. Breaking the wax process
This actually refers to a process in which that the areas of the
fabric that’s already blocked with wax will be fractured so that
respective colours like soga can sip into these fracture lines.
This process usually is done when the fabric is in a wet state.
This process usually is used to make a style of batik called
‘wonogiren’ batik because in the old days, only batik coming
from the district of Wonogiri that has fracture-lines colouring.
4. Wax Removal Process
There are two ways of removing the wax .
1. partial removal :
removing the wax at desired area by scraping the wax with tools like knives ‘kerik’.
For sogan batik from Solo and Jogja,this is done to the fabric after the wedel
(blue black dye application) process. This is done so that the area in which wax
is removed would receive the soga (brown) colour.
2. Full removal:
there are two types of full wax removal:
- one that is done in the middle of the batik process ‘lorod’. With this
process, there will not be ‘kerok’ process, but instead, for areas with
colour that’s meant to be covered, these areas will be covered in wax
again. This method is used in making banyumasan and pekalongan
batik.
One that is done at the end of batik making process ‘mbabar’.
This method is done using hot water in such that the wax will melt and then
automatically be removed from the fabric. Into this hot water, we usually add a
mixture of starch (for batik using organic dye) or ‘ash’ soda (for batik using
synthetic dye). While for silk batik we will soak the fabric into petrol (beware of
fire hazard). For silk batik, to be on a safer side, we could instead use wax that
can be easily melted into hot water, or soaking the fabric in alkaline water.
With all the above mentioned methods and processes there are
a number of different ways to make batik like:
1. Scraping process (kerokan).
2. Removal of wax process (nglorod).
3. Bedesan process.
4. Radioan process.
BATIK KEROKAN
Parang Rusak Barong
Udan Liris
This type of batik making method is usually used in Jogja and Solo,
however nowadays batik crafters in Solo use the lorodan technique.
BATIK KEROKAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Wax applied to the fabric (klowongan process)
4. Wax applied to the fabric by blocking desired area (tembok process)
5. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process)
6. Partial removal of wax by scraping some of the wax with knives (kerik
process).
7. Covering the area that is coloured blue black with wax, and fixing some wax
block so that there will not be fracture lines (bironi and nyulami process).
8. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga) dye bath (soga process).
9. Full removal of wax by immersing the fabric in hot water (mbabar process).
BATIK LORODAN
Batik
Kesikan
Essentially this method of batik making is similar to batik
kerokan, however instead of scraping the wax partially, we
remove all of the wax in the middle of the process so that the
fabric will undergo this full removal of wax twice.
BATIK LORODAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Wax applied to the fabric (klowongan and tembok process) by using jeblok
wax that doesn’t break easily.
4. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process)
5. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot water (nglorod process).
6. Preparing the fabric by starching and ngemplong. (so that the surface fabric
will be soft and is easier to have wax applied on it again and at the end be
easier to remove the wax fully.)
7. Covering the area that is coloured blue black with wax, and fixing some wax
block so that there will not be fracture lines (bironi and nyulami process).
8. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga) dye bath (soga process).
9. Full removal of wax by immersing the fabric in hot boiling water (mbabar
process).
The next step is finishing. In this stage, the finished batik some will have starch
lightly applied to it while some others won’t. After it dries up, the batik will
be stacked and then put in a vacuum state overnight, after that the batik
can be stored or distributed.
BATIK BEDESAN
Kain
Ciamis
This method that is used to make batik sogan bedesan is a
quicker method to make batik using steel stamp method.
The sequence in which this process is done is a reverse of ones
we mentioned before and doesn’t have the kerik/nglorod, and
bironi stage.
BATIK BEDESAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Wax applied to the fabric (tembok process) by using the stamp method using
jeblok wax.
4. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga) dye bath (soga process). The dye
agent used is one that is resistant to any wax spill.
5. Wax applied to the fabric (klowong process) by using the stamp method
using jeblok wax to cover the areas that are designed to be coloured brown.
6. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process). But as the
uncovered fabric has already received brown dye, this area will later become
black.
7. Full removal of wax by immersing the fabric in hot boiling water (mbabar
process).
The batik made using this method will not have any blue-black colour, but
instead will have brown and black colour. As we can see that some of the
processes are done in reverse, like tembok process is done before
klowong process, soga process is done before medel process.
BATIK RADIOAN
Kelopak
Marun
This method is another quick ‘stamp’ process and is intended to make low
to medium quality batik. There exist a step of ruining the colour or
bleaching colour (to make them white).
So the brown dye used is one that can be bleached but at the same time is
resistant to wax spill (soga ergan).
A character of batik made using this ‘radio’ method is that we wouldn’t find
the colour black in the batik as there is no brown on top of blue-black
colour unless during the medel process instead of using blue-black, black
is used. This method is not that popular as it uses dye and bleach that are
foreign to batik crafters who live in the rural area.
BATIK RADIOAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga ergan) dye bath (soga process).
4. Fabric then will be starched and underwent the ngemplong process
5. Wax applied to the fabric (klowongan process) to cover area that is intended
to be left brown.
6. Bleaching the fabric so that area that isn’t covered by wax will lose the
colour.
7. Wax applied to the fabric (tembok process) by using the stamp method so
that this covered area will stay without colour.
8. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process)
9. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot boiling water (nglorod
process).
The bleaching process uses a mixture of kalium permanganate in the
acidic state and hydro sulfate mixture. After that fabric will be soaked in a
mixture of 9grams of natrium hydrosulfate per litre of water and then rinsed
until clean.
BATIK PEKALONGAN
This type of batik usually comes as a sarung, for its unusual
pattern, special method is used to make batik Pekalongan. In
sarung batik, approximately a quarter of the fabric will have
pattern that differs from the rest of the batik. This part of the
sarung is called the head or ‘sorot’ of the sarung.
Batik Pekalongan is one of the most popular batik.
BATIK PEKALONGAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. ‘Rengsi’ stage. The white fabric will be stamped or have wax applied to it
with canting with pattern of bouquet, then followed with its ‘tembok’ in which
the base and area that will be left without colour is covered with wax
4. ‘colet’ stage’. This is a dyeing process that’s been mentioned above in which
dye is applied to the fabric by using brush. After this fabric is washed and
after dried up, the area that’s cover with ‘colet’ colour will be covered with
wax
5. first dye bath. This is done to apply the base colour into the fabric. The head
part of the sarung will be covered in wax.
6. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot boiling water (nglorod
process). At the end of this stage, the batik will be half finished.
7. Covering the area that is intended to be coloured (through colet and first dye
bath) and area that is left without colour with wax (similar to bironi process)
8. Second dye bath. Fabric is soaked in dye bath with colour that is different
from the first colour or we can use yellow soga.
9. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot boiling water (nglorod
process). With pekalongan batik, there is no medel or soga process as the
colour used are usually not of the brown nor blue-black variety.
BATIK KALIMANTAN
Batik
Kalimantan Barat
Batik Dayak
•In terms of batik development, kalimantan joined this later than
their Javanese counterpart. However batik from Kalimantan has
its own pattern and colour palatte.
•Batik Kalimantan is made using a very simplistic method and
this is in line with the kind of fabric and dyeing agent that are
available in those area.
•Batik from this area mainly uses ‘kawung’ pattern while in
terms of colour scheme it mainly uses just the brown (soga)
colour.
BATIK KALIMANTAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. Stamping the white fabric with wax.
After the white fabric is prepared (cut, washed, sarched and flattened), the
fabric will then be stamped with one kind of wax. The mixture used is
comparately simple as it only uses paraffin that is mixed with bee wax.
2.
Brown (soga) dye bath.
After the application of wax, the fabric is soaked in dye bath that is made
from organic material. The soaking process is done numerous time until
the desired sharpness is reached.
3. Nglorod process.
The wax is fully removed by immersing fabric into boiling water.
Batik Kalimantan is similar to batik kelengan, however instead of blue in
colour, it is brown in colour.
BATIK KELENGAN
Kelengan Pekalongan
•Batik kelengan is batik that only has one colour, blue-black. So in the process of
making this batik, after the white fabric is stamped with wax, it will just undergo one
colouring process which is the ‘wedel’ process. After this, the fabric will undergo
‘nglorod’ process and after that the batik is ready to be stored or distributed.
•This method of making batik is one of the oldest method, probably slightly more
modern than ‘simbut’ method in which white fabric is painted with glutionous rice
starch then soaked in blue-black colour bath, and when the starch is removed, we will
find a blue-black fabric with white pattern.
•Perhaps in the past, before batik technique is developed as we know it know, batik
kelengan might have been the most sophisticated method there was. Some of the
pattern like ‘klengenan truntum’ still has some loyal follower. A more modern variation
to this methos is called ‘batik ganefo’ (around 1964) in which instead of using blueblack colour, the crafters used colours like red, green, purple and the likes and
applying patterns that are suitable for clothing purposes like shirt or skirt.
BATIK KELENGAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. Stamping the white fabric with wax.
After the white fabric is prepared (cut, washed, sarched and flattened), the
fabric will then be stamped with wax.
2.
Medel process. (blue-black dye bath).
After the application of wax, the fabric is soaked in dye bath that is made
from organic material (from indigo-fern). The soaking process is done
numerous time until the desired sharpness is reached.
3.
Nglorod process.
The wax is fully removed by immersing fabric into boiling water.
The end result is batik kelengan that is blue black in colour with pattern in
white.
BATIK MONOCHROME
•This type of batik is similar to klengenan batik, only it uses
colours like red, violet, green and the likes (just like batik
ganefo).
•This type of batik is used for skirt, shirt and table cloths.
•Although the method used is the same as klengenan, the
patterns used are so much more variative using the special
stamp used only to make this type of batik.
KAIN JUMPUTAN
•At a glance, kain jumputan looks like batik in which it uses wax as a colour
resistant agent. However it is not the case, as to get certain parts of the fabric to
be resistant to the colouring process, these areas will be tied with a rope.
•Before fabric is soaked into the dye bath, the areas that are intended to not be
coloured will be pulled ‘jumput’ and then tied with a rope. The covered area will
be immune to the colouring process. After going through the dyeing process,
the centre of the area that was tied with rope will then be coloured using ‘colet’
method.
•One characteristic of this type of batik is that the border between the coloured
and white part of the fabric will not be straight lines, but instead will be wavy.
•Kain jumputan usually is used as scarf and is made of silk or silk synthetic.
Kain jumputan also usually is called the rainbow fabric.
BATIK BECAK
•This batik refers to a period of struggle against foreign colonialisation. As batik
becak is part of the history of batik indonesia as a whole, we will touch on the
history of it a little bit.
•Batik Becak started around 1943-1945, when Indonesia was at the brink of its
independence under japanese colonialisation. At that time, food and clothing
were scarce, and for that reason there emerged a type of batik with lower
quality than that is of under normal condition. Instead of using white ‘mori’
fabric, batik becak used a rough white fabric called ‘keci’ with measurement of
width 91 cm and length of 182 cm.
•After being stamped with one type of low quality wax (usually paraffin), fabric
will then be soaked in dye bath and then having the wax removed fully using
nglorod method. Batik becak only has one colour, either blue or red. As the
width of the fabric used is shorter than one used as women’s kain, for taller
women, fabric needs to be added to the width by sewing. While for men, batik
becak has to be made into sarung eventhough the pattern used is not of sarung
pattern.
•Usually, batik becak uses lereng pattern. This batik no longer exists and is now
a mere part of the history of our struggle for independence.
MODERN BATIK
•What is refered to here as ‘modern batik’ is all the type of batik in
which pattern and style do not fall under the traditional norm. With
traditional batik, the sequences of the pattern are bound by certain
connection with specific fillers. If we divert the pattern, style or filler
from this norm, we can no longer call it batik traditional.
•Since 1967, there was a shift and modernisation in pattern and
style used in batik, and in 1970 this movement received a positive
support from batik crafters and the market.
MODERN BATIK
In the following year, some of the more modern batik crafters, artists had
played a part in the development of this modern batik, so that as a result,
there are a couple of different type of modern batik, namely:
1. the dynamic abstract style, for example depicting flying bird, the trajectory of
an arrow, bouquet of flower, rooster fight, blown gun, and the likes.
2. Combination style : mix and match of different styles and patterns from
different areas to make a beautiful combination.
3. Painting style: this is similar to canvas painting, like scenery, architecture
with fillers that are artsy.
4. Special depiction of olden days story, for example an excerpt from ramayana
or mahabarata. This style also feels like a combination between real pattern
and a more abstract pattern.
Thank You
The End
TECHNIQUE TO MAKE BATIK
•
This refers to the processes involved in making batik, starting
from the white fabric (mori) until its end result, the batik itself.
• We can divide these processes into two stages, namely:
1. Preparation : processes that are done to the mori so that this
white fabric will be ready to undergo further treatment. This
involved stages of washing (nggirah/ngetel), starching
(nganji), and ironing/flattening (ngemplong).
2. The batik making processes itself, which has three major
components:
a. Application of wax onto the fabric
b. Application of dye onto the fabric
c. Removal of wax from the fabric
Next, we will discuss about each stages in more depth.
PREPARATION STAGE
1.Cutting the Fabric
•
White fabric (mori) that is still on factory-made size/piece will
be cut according to the intended use.
•
For long cloth ‘kain panjang’ or jarit:
Primissima & prima – good quality (length 17.5
yard, width 105cm/42 inches) will be cut into 6 pieces.
- Biro – medium quality (length 48 yards/42m, width
105cm/42 inches) will be cut into 19 pieces (normal
size) or 20 pieces (clothes size).
•
Other than the long cloth size, there are other sizes like
‘slendang’ or scarf, head band, masan dinding, sarong and
some others. After being cut to its desired size, the edges will
be sewed so that the the threads wont spray out.
2. Washing (nggirah)
•
The raw fabric that will later be used to make batik, usually
would be excessively starched so that the fabric looks thicker
and heavier. As the starch would have an adverse effect on
the end result of batik, we need to remove this starch and
then replace it with lighter starch. To remove the original
starch, the fabric will be soaked overnight in clean water then
in the following morning will be rinsed in moving water until
clean.
•
If the batik made is of the good quality (using
prima/primissima) the process wouldn’t end here, but will be
followed by a process called ‘ketel’ or loyor’. This process will
increase the fabric ability to absorb dye while at the same
time making the fabric more flexible. This process is similar to
mercerise process in which instead of cold water, cold
alkaline mixture is used.
3. ‘Ketel’ Process
•
material used in this process usually includes vegetable oil mixture and chemical
that has alkaline nature (ash soda, costic soda). This mixture will be applied to the
fabric repetitively in which between each session fabric will be dried or sun-dried.
• There are a number of ways this process can be done, some examples are as
followed:
1. Using the mix of peanut oil and costic soda. This mixture is used to make the low
quality batik.
For fabric with length of 15 yards (enough to make 5 pieces of batik)
a. The materials needed to make the mixture are:
70 gram of costic soda dissolved into 10 litres of water.
300 cc of vegetable oil
b. Application:
• 1st day: wet the fabric with 2 litres of normal water, followed by 2 litres
of the ketel mixture and the vegetable oil and then worked so that the
mixture will be absorbed and mixed into the fabric After that, fabric will
be folded or rolled and will be kept inside a container in a wet state.
• 2nd day, the fabric will be spread open then sun-dried. When it is dry, it
will be soaked in 1 ½ litres of costic soda mixture, be worked for a
while and then kept inside a container in a wet state.
• The second day action will be repeated for 5 days. And on the last day,
fabric will be rinsed and then dried.
2. Using the mix of peanut oil and ‘londo merang’. This mixture is used to make
medium to good quality batik.
For fabric with length of 17 yards:
a. The materials needed to make the mixture are:
10 bundles of rice stalks, burned and then soaked in 20 litres of
water (to make londo merang).
- 300 cc of vegetable oil
b. Application:
1st day: spread out the fabric, put it inside the special tub used in ketel
process, wet the fabric with water, followed by 2 litres of the rice stalk ash water
(londo water) and the vegetable oil and then worked so that the mixture will be
absorbed and mixed into the fabric After that, fabric will be kept inside the tub in
a wet state.
2nd day, the fabric will be worked again then sun-dried. When it is dry, it
will be soaked in 1 ½ litres of londo water, be worked for a while and then kept
inside a container in a wet state.
On 3rd day the process on the second day is repeated and repeated again
for 9 days. And on the last day, fabric will be rinsed, having light starch applied
to it and then dried.
3. Using the mix of peanut oil and ‘ash’ soda. This mixture is used to make medium
to good quality batik.
For fabric that’s already cut into batik size with length of 3 yards:
a. The materials needed to make the mixture are:
6 x 7.5 grams (45 grams) ‘ash’ soda dissolved into 3 litres of
water.
- 75 cc of vegetable oil
b. Application:
• Wet the fabric with water inside the special tub. Mix vegetable oil and
½ litre of ‘ash’ soda mixture and then pour this mix into the tub. Fabric
will then be worked so that the mixture will be absorbed and mixed into
the fabric and then the fabric will be dried. After it is dry, fabric will be
worked with ½ litre of ‘ash’ soda mixture and then dried again. We will
do this phase for 6 times.
•
This method doesn’t require the storing the fabric overnight in a wet
state, so it is possible to repeat this stage more than once in a day.
•
And on the last day, fabric will be rinsed, having light starch applied to
it and then dried.
•
There are other ways to do this ‘ketel’ process. Each
different batik central has different methodologies and
experiences.
•
There is also a way to remove the starch with acid hot bath
in which fabric will be soaked in an almost boiling acid
mixture (2 cc of hydro chloride/hydro sulfate per litre of water
for + ½ hour).
•
This method will increase the ability of the fabric to absorb
dye, however the resistance of the fabric will decrease (more
susceptible to tear).
4. Starching Process
•
This step is important so that the wax isnt absorbed by the
fabric and easier to remove. However, the starch itself
should not cause adverse reaction on the dyeing process.
•
Starch that will be used here is of the light variety.
•
We use about 20 grams of tapioca starch for every 1 litre
of water.
•
First the tapioca starch will be added to a little bit of hot
water and then diluted until the desired consistency is
reached.
•
We then apply the cold starchy water to the fabric and
then sun-dry the fabric.
4. Kemplong Process
•
The fabric that has gone through the washing and
starching process needs to be straightened or having its
surface flattened. This can be done by beating the fabric
numerous time. How is it exactly done?
•
Some pieces (+ 10 pieces) of the fabric that have been
starched and dried are rolled together and then put on top
of wood with smooth surface. The bunch of fabric and the
wooden base will be tied together and then beaten with a
wooden bat. After the fabrics are flat enough, the roll is
then opened and the fabric will then be individually folded
or moving on the next process straight away.
•
As this process done without any heating involved, the
starch on the fabric is easier to be removed by washing so
that the dyeing process wouldn’t be disrupted.
BATIK MAKING
1.Drawing/ stamping wax onto the fabric
Canting
Stamp/cap
batik
Before we move to this stage, if we’re applying wax by canting, we would need to
sketch the design on the fabric.
However if we’re using the stamp method, we don’t need to sketch the pattern on
the fabric first
Stages and types of wax application:
a. drawing or stamping klowong. This step is the first of series of application of
wax and this will be the foundation of the batik itself. For sogan (black-brown
batik) the area that is covered by this klowong would be the area that will be
dyed brown. There are two stages of this step. First is the ngengerengan stage
and then secondly we’ll have the nerusi stage. It just means that in the second
stage we block the area on the opposite side of the fabric.
b. Nembok and nerusi’. Nembok can directly be translated to ‘walled’ means we
cover/block the fabric that had already gone through the klowongan step with
stronger wax. This area covered with the stronger wax was meant to be left
without colour. This stage involves covering the surface, giving accent and
drawing ‘isen’ and ‘cecek’ .
c. Covering ‘bironi’ or ‘merining’. So that the area that’s already dyed certain colour
wouldn’t be absorbing other colour. This stage is done after the wax was removed
from the fabric but before the fabric is soaked in the last dye bath.
d. Jeblok stamp. What it is referring to is that if the klowong and nemblok stage are
not separated, we need to do this jeblok stamp to cover the area that will be
coloured brown or be left without colour. This step is usually used if we’re making
batik with lorodan technique.
e. Win Batik Painting. This is the most recent development in the technique used in
applying wax. This method has emerged as a side effect of the development of
batik pattern into a more modern and abstract style. So instead of using canting or
stamp, now we can use brush to apply the wax. Only people with arts/ painting
skills can do this type of wax application. And the batik made with this technique
will then be called ‘free-form batik’, ‘modern batik’, or ‘new style batik’.
f. There were other ways to apply wax onto fabric. In the olden days, people use the
mixture of water and glutionous rice starch to cover area that wouldn’t be
coloured. The batik made by using this technique is called ‘simbut’. This method
is no longer used. Another way to cover area that wouldn’t be coloured is by tying
up these areas. Batik that is made using this technique is called ‘jumputan’.
2. Dyeing/colouring process
•
Fabric that has wax applied on it will then be dyed so that the bare area
will be coloured and the covered area will not be subjected to this colour.
• These are the types of dyeing process involved:
a. ‘wedel’ : applying blue-black dye on the fabric after klowong and tembok
stage. For batik sogan ‘kerokan’ this is the first colour applied to the fabric.
Types of materials and chemicals used in this blue-black dyeing
process:
- organic colouring from the leaves of indigo-fern. As this dye
isnt as strong and is slow in leaving the colour on fabric, if we
use this dye, we need to dip the fabric into the dye numerous
time.
-
Indigo synthethic : chemical version of the first dye. Dipping
method used is the same as if we use the normal indigo.
Napthol dye : as it has a strong absorbant trait, so we
only needs to dip the fabric once.
b. Base colour bath : Instead of going through the wedel dyeing process,
colourful batik like pekalongan and cirebon batik will be given other colours
dye bath like green, red, purple, yellow, orange and other colours as base
colour. After going through this process, so that the colour wouldn’t be
covered by other colour we need to apply wax onto it again. Because of this,
we need dye that has a strong resistant like indigosol, napthol or
indanthreen dye.
c. ‘Gadung’ process’ : it refers to colouring method in which dye mixture will be
spilled/ sprayed onto the fabric that is spread out on a table. Tho we will be
able to use less dye in this process, as the dye mixture will be spread out
(after being spilled on the fabric) by brushing it on the fabric, the end result
might not be even. This process is used by crafter from pekalongan to dye
sarong batik or ‘bouquet’ batik.
d. ‘coletan’ process: it is a colouring method in which dye will be applied to
fabric using brush (like painting the colour onto the fabric). The edges of
area that are coloured this way will be covered by thin layer of wax so that
colour wouldn’t be spreading out onto other area. Dyeing agent of rapid and
indigosol are the dye usually used for this method. In northern coast of Java
like Gresik, this process is called ‘dulitan’ and the batik produced by using
this method is called batik ‘dulitan’. And the crafter from northern coast of
Java have been using this technique for a while.
e. ‘soga process’ : it is an application of brown colour onto batik. For batik from
Jogja and Solo, this is the last colouring process. In the past, crafter used
organic dye from the bark of soga tree (this is where the term ‘soga’
originated). However, nowadays we use synthetic dyeing agent like soga
ergan, soga chroom, soga kopel, naphtol, indigosol and some other mixture
of the above mentioned agents.
Naphthol
Indigosol
Soga
Natural
dye
3. Breaking the wax process
This actually refers to a process in which that the areas of the
fabric that’s already blocked with wax will be fractured so that
respective colours like soga can sip into these fracture lines.
This process usually is done when the fabric is in a wet state.
This process usually is used to make a style of batik called
‘wonogiren’ batik because in the old days, only batik coming
from the district of Wonogiri that has fracture-lines colouring.
4. Wax Removal Process
There are two ways of removing the wax .
1. partial removal :
removing the wax at desired area by scraping the wax with tools like knives ‘kerik’.
For sogan batik from Solo and Jogja,this is done to the fabric after the wedel
(blue black dye application) process. This is done so that the area in which wax
is removed would receive the soga (brown) colour.
2. Full removal:
there are two types of full wax removal:
- one that is done in the middle of the batik process ‘lorod’. With this
process, there will not be ‘kerok’ process, but instead, for areas with
colour that’s meant to be covered, these areas will be covered in wax
again. This method is used in making banyumasan and pekalongan
batik.
One that is done at the end of batik making process ‘mbabar’.
This method is done using hot water in such that the wax will melt and then
automatically be removed from the fabric. Into this hot water, we usually add a
mixture of starch (for batik using organic dye) or ‘ash’ soda (for batik using
synthetic dye). While for silk batik we will soak the fabric into petrol (beware of
fire hazard). For silk batik, to be on a safer side, we could instead use wax that
can be easily melted into hot water, or soaking the fabric in alkaline water.
With all the above mentioned methods and processes there are
a number of different ways to make batik like:
1. Scraping process (kerokan).
2. Removal of wax process (nglorod).
3. Bedesan process.
4. Radioan process.
BATIK KEROKAN
Parang Rusak Barong
Udan Liris
This type of batik making method is usually used in Jogja and Solo,
however nowadays batik crafters in Solo use the lorodan technique.
BATIK KEROKAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Wax applied to the fabric (klowongan process)
4. Wax applied to the fabric by blocking desired area (tembok process)
5. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process)
6. Partial removal of wax by scraping some of the wax with knives (kerik
process).
7. Covering the area that is coloured blue black with wax, and fixing some wax
block so that there will not be fracture lines (bironi and nyulami process).
8. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga) dye bath (soga process).
9. Full removal of wax by immersing the fabric in hot water (mbabar process).
BATIK LORODAN
Batik
Kesikan
Essentially this method of batik making is similar to batik
kerokan, however instead of scraping the wax partially, we
remove all of the wax in the middle of the process so that the
fabric will undergo this full removal of wax twice.
BATIK LORODAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Wax applied to the fabric (klowongan and tembok process) by using jeblok
wax that doesn’t break easily.
4. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process)
5. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot water (nglorod process).
6. Preparing the fabric by starching and ngemplong. (so that the surface fabric
will be soft and is easier to have wax applied on it again and at the end be
easier to remove the wax fully.)
7. Covering the area that is coloured blue black with wax, and fixing some wax
block so that there will not be fracture lines (bironi and nyulami process).
8. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga) dye bath (soga process).
9. Full removal of wax by immersing the fabric in hot boiling water (mbabar
process).
The next step is finishing. In this stage, the finished batik some will have starch
lightly applied to it while some others won’t. After it dries up, the batik will
be stacked and then put in a vacuum state overnight, after that the batik
can be stored or distributed.
BATIK BEDESAN
Kain
Ciamis
This method that is used to make batik sogan bedesan is a
quicker method to make batik using steel stamp method.
The sequence in which this process is done is a reverse of ones
we mentioned before and doesn’t have the kerik/nglorod, and
bironi stage.
BATIK BEDESAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Wax applied to the fabric (tembok process) by using the stamp method using
jeblok wax.
4. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga) dye bath (soga process). The dye
agent used is one that is resistant to any wax spill.
5. Wax applied to the fabric (klowong process) by using the stamp method
using jeblok wax to cover the areas that are designed to be coloured brown.
6. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process). But as the
uncovered fabric has already received brown dye, this area will later become
black.
7. Full removal of wax by immersing the fabric in hot boiling water (mbabar
process).
The batik made using this method will not have any blue-black colour, but
instead will have brown and black colour. As we can see that some of the
processes are done in reverse, like tembok process is done before
klowong process, soga process is done before medel process.
BATIK RADIOAN
Kelopak
Marun
This method is another quick ‘stamp’ process and is intended to make low
to medium quality batik. There exist a step of ruining the colour or
bleaching colour (to make them white).
So the brown dye used is one that can be bleached but at the same time is
resistant to wax spill (soga ergan).
A character of batik made using this ‘radio’ method is that we wouldn’t find
the colour black in the batik as there is no brown on top of blue-black
colour unless during the medel process instead of using blue-black, black
is used. This method is not that popular as it uses dye and bleach that are
foreign to batik crafters who live in the rural area.
BATIK RADIOAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. Soaking the fabric in the brown (soga ergan) dye bath (soga process).
4. Fabric then will be starched and underwent the ngemplong process
5. Wax applied to the fabric (klowongan process) to cover area that is intended
to be left brown.
6. Bleaching the fabric so that area that isn’t covered by wax will lose the
colour.
7. Wax applied to the fabric (tembok process) by using the stamp method so
that this covered area will stay without colour.
8. Blue black colour is applied to the fabric (medel dyeing process)
9. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot boiling water (nglorod
process).
The bleaching process uses a mixture of kalium permanganate in the
acidic state and hydro sulfate mixture. After that fabric will be soaked in a
mixture of 9grams of natrium hydrosulfate per litre of water and then rinsed
until clean.
BATIK PEKALONGAN
This type of batik usually comes as a sarung, for its unusual
pattern, special method is used to make batik Pekalongan. In
sarung batik, approximately a quarter of the fabric will have
pattern that differs from the rest of the batik. This part of the
sarung is called the head or ‘sorot’ of the sarung.
Batik Pekalongan is one of the most popular batik.
BATIK PEKALONGAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. the white fabric is cut according to desired sizing and then having the edges
sewed.
2. The fabric then is prepared (ketel, starch then kemplong)
3. ‘Rengsi’ stage. The white fabric will be stamped or have wax applied to it
with canting with pattern of bouquet, then followed with its ‘tembok’ in which
the base and area that will be left without colour is covered with wax
4. ‘colet’ stage’. This is a dyeing process that’s been mentioned above in which
dye is applied to the fabric by using brush. After this fabric is washed and
after dried up, the area that’s cover with ‘colet’ colour will be covered with
wax
5. first dye bath. This is done to apply the base colour into the fabric. The head
part of the sarung will be covered in wax.
6. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot boiling water (nglorod
process). At the end of this stage, the batik will be half finished.
7. Covering the area that is intended to be coloured (through colet and first dye
bath) and area that is left without colour with wax (similar to bironi process)
8. Second dye bath. Fabric is soaked in dye bath with colour that is different
from the first colour or we can use yellow soga.
9. Fully removing the wax by immersing it in hot boiling water (nglorod
process). With pekalongan batik, there is no medel or soga process as the
colour used are usually not of the brown nor blue-black variety.
BATIK KALIMANTAN
Batik
Kalimantan Barat
Batik Dayak
•In terms of batik development, kalimantan joined this later than
their Javanese counterpart. However batik from Kalimantan has
its own pattern and colour palatte.
•Batik Kalimantan is made using a very simplistic method and
this is in line with the kind of fabric and dyeing agent that are
available in those area.
•Batik from this area mainly uses ‘kawung’ pattern while in
terms of colour scheme it mainly uses just the brown (soga)
colour.
BATIK KALIMANTAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. Stamping the white fabric with wax.
After the white fabric is prepared (cut, washed, sarched and flattened), the
fabric will then be stamped with one kind of wax. The mixture used is
comparately simple as it only uses paraffin that is mixed with bee wax.
2.
Brown (soga) dye bath.
After the application of wax, the fabric is soaked in dye bath that is made
from organic material. The soaking process is done numerous time until
the desired sharpness is reached.
3. Nglorod process.
The wax is fully removed by immersing fabric into boiling water.
Batik Kalimantan is similar to batik kelengan, however instead of blue in
colour, it is brown in colour.
BATIK KELENGAN
Kelengan Pekalongan
•Batik kelengan is batik that only has one colour, blue-black. So in the process of
making this batik, after the white fabric is stamped with wax, it will just undergo one
colouring process which is the ‘wedel’ process. After this, the fabric will undergo
‘nglorod’ process and after that the batik is ready to be stored or distributed.
•This method of making batik is one of the oldest method, probably slightly more
modern than ‘simbut’ method in which white fabric is painted with glutionous rice
starch then soaked in blue-black colour bath, and when the starch is removed, we will
find a blue-black fabric with white pattern.
•Perhaps in the past, before batik technique is developed as we know it know, batik
kelengan might have been the most sophisticated method there was. Some of the
pattern like ‘klengenan truntum’ still has some loyal follower. A more modern variation
to this methos is called ‘batik ganefo’ (around 1964) in which instead of using blueblack colour, the crafters used colours like red, green, purple and the likes and
applying patterns that are suitable for clothing purposes like shirt or skirt.
BATIK KELENGAN
The order in which this method is run through is as followed:
1. Stamping the white fabric with wax.
After the white fabric is prepared (cut, washed, sarched and flattened), the
fabric will then be stamped with wax.
2.
Medel process. (blue-black dye bath).
After the application of wax, the fabric is soaked in dye bath that is made
from organic material (from indigo-fern). The soaking process is done
numerous time until the desired sharpness is reached.
3.
Nglorod process.
The wax is fully removed by immersing fabric into boiling water.
The end result is batik kelengan that is blue black in colour with pattern in
white.
BATIK MONOCHROME
•This type of batik is similar to klengenan batik, only it uses
colours like red, violet, green and the likes (just like batik
ganefo).
•This type of batik is used for skirt, shirt and table cloths.
•Although the method used is the same as klengenan, the
patterns used are so much more variative using the special
stamp used only to make this type of batik.
KAIN JUMPUTAN
•At a glance, kain jumputan looks like batik in which it uses wax as a colour
resistant agent. However it is not the case, as to get certain parts of the fabric to
be resistant to the colouring process, these areas will be tied with a rope.
•Before fabric is soaked into the dye bath, the areas that are intended to not be
coloured will be pulled ‘jumput’ and then tied with a rope. The covered area will
be immune to the colouring process. After going through the dyeing process,
the centre of the area that was tied with rope will then be coloured using ‘colet’
method.
•One characteristic of this type of batik is that the border between the coloured
and white part of the fabric will not be straight lines, but instead will be wavy.
•Kain jumputan usually is used as scarf and is made of silk or silk synthetic.
Kain jumputan also usually is called the rainbow fabric.
BATIK BECAK
•This batik refers to a period of struggle against foreign colonialisation. As batik
becak is part of the history of batik indonesia as a whole, we will touch on the
history of it a little bit.
•Batik Becak started around 1943-1945, when Indonesia was at the brink of its
independence under japanese colonialisation. At that time, food and clothing
were scarce, and for that reason there emerged a type of batik with lower
quality than that is of under normal condition. Instead of using white ‘mori’
fabric, batik becak used a rough white fabric called ‘keci’ with measurement of
width 91 cm and length of 182 cm.
•After being stamped with one type of low quality wax (usually paraffin), fabric
will then be soaked in dye bath and then having the wax removed fully using
nglorod method. Batik becak only has one colour, either blue or red. As the
width of the fabric used is shorter than one used as women’s kain, for taller
women, fabric needs to be added to the width by sewing. While for men, batik
becak has to be made into sarung eventhough the pattern used is not of sarung
pattern.
•Usually, batik becak uses lereng pattern. This batik no longer exists and is now
a mere part of the history of our struggle for independence.
MODERN BATIK
•What is refered to here as ‘modern batik’ is all the type of batik in
which pattern and style do not fall under the traditional norm. With
traditional batik, the sequences of the pattern are bound by certain
connection with specific fillers. If we divert the pattern, style or filler
from this norm, we can no longer call it batik traditional.
•Since 1967, there was a shift and modernisation in pattern and
style used in batik, and in 1970 this movement received a positive
support from batik crafters and the market.
MODERN BATIK
In the following year, some of the more modern batik crafters, artists had
played a part in the development of this modern batik, so that as a result,
there are a couple of different type of modern batik, namely:
1. the dynamic abstract style, for example depicting flying bird, the trajectory of
an arrow, bouquet of flower, rooster fight, blown gun, and the likes.
2. Combination style : mix and match of different styles and patterns from
different areas to make a beautiful combination.
3. Painting style: this is similar to canvas painting, like scenery, architecture
with fillers that are artsy.
4. Special depiction of olden days story, for example an excerpt from ramayana
or mahabarata. This style also feels like a combination between real pattern
and a more abstract pattern.
Thank You
The End