Batik

Batik - A wax resist Dyeing Technique

Batik is an Indonesian wax-resist dyeing technique. The word Batik comes from Indonesia and from two Javanese words: amba (to write) and titik (dot). The most traditional type of batik the patterns are drawn with pencil and redrawn with hot wax using canting (a pen-like instrument consisting of a small copper reservoir with a spout on a wooden handle). The whole process of making batik is complex and time-consuming. 

To make a batik, selected areas of the design are blocked out by applying hot wax over them, a dye is applied on top, and the parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain the original color. A simple batik maybe just one layer of wax and one dye, but this process of waxing and dyeing can be repeated many times if necessary, to create more elaborate and colorful designs. After the final dyeing the wax is removed (usually in hot water) and the cloth is ready for wearing or displaying. 

Nowadays Batik is becoming more popular and well known among contemporary artists all over the world. There are more than a couple of theories on how and where Batik started, but its existence has been traced back to the 4th century BC where oiled cloth-wrapped mummies have been found exhibiting properties of Batik.