Techniques of Batik Pattern

Melted wax is applied to fabric earlier than being dipped in dye. This process is general for people to apply a combination of beeswax and paraffin wax.

The beeswax will grip the fabric and the paraffin wax will permit cracking, which is a characteristic feature of batik design. Wherever the wax has bleed throughout the fabric, the dye will not enter into that particular area. At times several colors can be used with a sequence of dyeing, drying and waxing steps.

Thin wax lines are completed with a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup and a tiny spout, out of which the wax bleeds.

After the final dyeing, the fabric is hung up to dried out. Then it is dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to take up the wax and expose the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik patterns.

This traditional method of batik making is called batik tulis.

For batik pattern, gold leaf was used in the Yogjakarta and Surakarta cities. The Central Javanese used gold dust to embellish their pattern cloth. It was practically applied to the cloth using handmade glue consisting of white egg or linseed oil and fair soil.

The gold would remain on the cloth even after it had been washed. The gold could follow the pattern of the fabric or it could take on its own design. Older batiks could be given a new looking by applying gold to them.