A Quick and Easy Step-by-Step : How To Make Batik

	Step 1 The first wax is applied over the penciled-in outline of the pattern. Almost always the original cloth is white or beige.
	Step 2 The cloth is dyed in the first dye bath. In this case the first dyebath is indigo blue. The area of the cloth where the wax was applied in Step 1 will remain white.
	Step 3 Second application of wax is applied. In this case it is a dark brown color. A poorer quality of wax is used to cover larger areas of cloth. The darker color helps to differentiate it from the first wax applied. Any parts that are covered with this wax application will remain the indigo color.

	Step 4 The cloth is dyed in the second dye bath. In this case it is a navy blue. Any areas that are not covered by wax will become dark blue.
	Step 5 All the wax that has been applied thus far is removed. This is done by heating the wax and scraping it off and also by applying hot water and sponging off the remaining wax.
	Step 6 Wax is applied to the area of the fabric that the artist wishes to remain the indigo blue color.

	Step 7 Wax is applied to the area of the fabric that the artist wishes to remain white.
	Step 8 The fabric is submerged in the final dye bath. In this case it is brown. Any areas of the cloth that have not been covered with wax will become brown.
	Step 9 The finished cloth after all of the wax has been removed.

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The Wax

Wax is the material used to batik. The wax is not "lost", until it is removed during the final process, when the cloth is turned into an ornamented textile. The following describes the wax:
1. Wax Types and Mixtures
There are many qualities of wax used in batiking. The quality particularly affects the power of absorbing, the base color of cotton fabric, degree of liquidity, and so forth. Therefore, the price is also variable. But in use, our need is paramount.
The types of wax are:

a. Beeswax - The wax is obtained from separation of the waxy cells of the honeycomb from the bees' eggs through boiling
b. Klanceng Beeswax - the wax from the klanceng bee obtained in the same manner as above
c. Timur Wax - the best type; source and composition unknown
d. Sedang Wax - source and composition unknown

e. White Paraffin - factory-made, obtained from petroleum.
f. Yellow Paraffin - factory-made, obtained from petroleum
g. Songkal Paraffin - factory-made, obtained from petroleum, black
h. Keplak - an additive kind of fruit
i. Gandarukem - (resin) and additive
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Canting (Stylus)

As we've already known, canting is the most important thing in batik tulis process. Without the canting, you can't call your result as Batik. Of course, there are important parts of the canting itself. Also, there's a lot of canting type based on the function, the size of the spout and the number of spouts. But before we learn this, we must know what IS canting itself.

So, what is canting?



The canting is the primary utensil used in the batik process which determines whether the results of the work may be called batik or not. The canting is used to write (draw with liquid wax), making the batik motifs desired. It is made of copper. Copper has the quality of lightness, is easily bent, and is strong, though thin.

Parts of Canting

1. Gagang Terong
The Gagang Terong is the tail end of the canting utensil, placed on the back, to be appended to the real handle. Gagang = stem; terong is the name of the trumpet-flowered or Solanaceae species (eggplant)
2. Nyamplungan
The nyamplunga is the main part of the canting, the body or basin. It is used to scoop the liquid wax out of the wajan (pan) just before batiking. It is called nyamplungan because its form and size reminiscent of the nyamplung, a small round fruit like a ball (Rhegma family)
3. Carat or Cucuk
The carat or cucuk is the part formed like a bent pipe which forms the channel through which the liquid wax in the basin passes intin the cloth in the batik process. Cucuk actually means a bird's beak. Carta is a drinking vessel.

TYPES OF CANTING

1. By function:
a. The Rengrengan Canting
This canting is used to draw the initial figuration or outlines- i.e the rengrengan. Performing this work is called ngrengreng. The  pattern followed in this initial figuration is in copy of a specimen. Rengrengan can also be interpreted as framework. Usually the Renrengan Canting is used to make this framework (i.e the outline), whereas the fill-in (isen) of the field is batiked with the Isen Canting in accordance with the details desired. The resultant batiked cloth shows the pattern in either outline or, when filled-in, the entire motif. The Rengrengan canting has a medium-sized, single spout.

b. The Isen Canting
The Isen canting is a stylus used in filling-in the field with complementary motifs. It has a small spout and may have one or more sprouts.

2. By the size of the spout:
a. Small-spouted canting
b. Medium-spouted canting
c. Large-spouted canting

3. By the number of spouts:
a. Cecekan Canting
The Cecekan Canting has one small spout, used to make small dots. Making small dots with this tools is called "nyeceki". The cecekan Canting may also be used to draw little lines.
b. Loron Canting
The world loron derives from 'loro' which is the number 2. This stylus has two spouts, one on top oh the other, used to make double lines.
c. Telon Canting
The word telon derives from 'telu' which is the number 3. This stylus has three spouts in triangular placement. When it used to batik, small triangles formed of three dots appear in the fill-in.
d. Prapatan Canting
The word prapatan derives from the word 'papat' which is the number 4. Therefore, this canting has four spouts, used to make the four corners of a square to fill-in the field.
e. Liman Canting
The world liman derives from the word 'lima' which is the number 5. The stylus has five spouts to make small squares formed of four corner dots with one dot in the centre.
f. Byok Canting
The Byok Canting is a stylus which has 7 or more spouts, used to form small dotted ellipses; the number of dots determined by the number of spouts or the size of the ellipse. The spouts of the Byok canting are ordinarily odd in number.
g. Renteng/Galaran Canting
The word galaran derives from 'galar' which is a sleeping mat made from bamboo split lengthwise. Renteng is a series sof something placed paralelly; a method of connecting or combining through pricking. A Renteng or Galaran Canting has always an even number of spouts, four to six, laid from bottom to top. Click here to read more!

Printed Batik (Batik Cap) Equipment

These days, we can found any kind of Batik. One of them is Printing Batik (Batik Cap). Printing Batik is a Batik that is made using printing tool. It is different from the Traditional Batik because Traditional Batik uses canting. The equipments for making printing Batik are:

a. Mattress (Bantalan
It is made from cotton that is wrapped with cloth, functions as mori cloth layer that will be printed.

b. Table cloth (Taplak)
It is made from cotton cloth function as mattress layer.

c. Stove (Kompor)
Made from iron by using wick, function as the fire when melting malam candle.

d. Big Anglo
It is made from earthenware, function as a fire place in which in the middle, stove is put to protect fire from the wind so that fire can burn still.

e. Table
It is made from wood, function to put mattress.

f.Loyang
It is made from iron and forms as a frying pan with flat base and has a diameter 40 cm, functions as a candle place when being heated.

g. Angsang
It is made from copper with the surface of plaited line which is put on loyang. The function is a basic layer on loyang surface.

h. Rough Serak and Soft Serak
They are made from cotton cloth with the form like gauze, function as layer on angsang to put the print when taking

i. Londo
Like small container containing water and ash, function to wet the mattress in order to be wet when it will be used to put mori to be printed.

j. Printing Tool
It is made from copper with iron combination with a surface of batik motive. This tool is to put malam candle with batik motive on mori surface.
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Today is Batik Day!

Yes, it's clearly stated! Today, Indonesia is celebrating Batik day because of UNESCO’s decision to include batik in its list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" items (and of course, stating that Batik is Indonesian's culture), as I've stated in our previous posts. Here's the full news about it:

From Kompas.com:
Employees of state-owned companies and government institutions have for years adhered to a tradition of wearing batik on every Friday of the week.
   
But today is special because President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on all Indonesians to wear batik on that day to celebrate UNESCO’s decision to include batik in its list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" items.
   
"Batik is regarded as a cultural icon with its own uniqueness. It conveys certain symbols and a profound philosophy, including man’s life cycle,  and it has been touted  by Indonesia as a non-material element of its cultural heritage," Coordinating Minister for people’s welfare Aburizal Bakrie told a press conference at Bogor State Palace on Sept. 7, 2009.
    
"We’ve been told that batik has been recognized as an element of global cultural heritage produced by Indonesians. The President has called on all Indonesians to wear batik on Oct. 2, to celebrate batik," the minister said.
   
Indonesia’s Batik, together with the Tango of Argentina and Uruguay, the traditional Ainu dance of Japan and France’s Aubusson tapestries were among the 76 elements inscribed on 30 September in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, WAM, the United Arab Emirates’ news agency, reported on Wednesday.These 76 inscriptions were decided by the 24 Member States of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage, currently holding its 4th session in Abu Dhabi, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, 2009,  under the chairmanship of Awadh Ali Saleh Al Musabi of the United Arab Emirates.
   
UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization)’s list describes Indonesian Batik as: The techniques, symbolism and culture surrounding hand-dyed cotton and silk garments known as Indonesian Batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end: infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik.
   
The president’s call for batik dress has been supported by regional heads in a number of provinces and district, such as the Jakarta Governor, the East Java governor, and the Cirebon district head.
     
Earlier, on September 25, Jakarta Governor  Fauzi Bowo had issued an official appeal to  all Jakarta residents to wear Batik on October 2.
     
"Students, people who work in hotels and bars as well as those who work for private companies are also urged to wear Batik although there will be no sanctions if they fail to do so," said Aurora Tambunan, deputy for cultural and tourism affairs to the Jakarta governor, recently. 
      
UNESCO has already acknowledged the Keris (ceremonial dagger) and the Wayang (puppet show) as part of Indonesia`s cultural heritage. "Traditional music instruments namely Angklung and Gamelan are also in the process of being registered with UNESCO," Aurora said.
    
In the spirit of supporting Jakarta residents who wear Batik on October 2, the Jakarta city government would give special discounts to those entering recreation centers  in the city. "Museums run by the Jakarta regional government will give free tickets in the period October 3-7, 2009 only for those who wear Batik," chief of Jakarta city’s culture and tourism office, Arie Budhiman, said.
    
Among the museums to give free tickets are the Jakarta History Museum, Ceramic and Art Museum, Maritime Museum, Joeang Museum, MH Thamrin Museum and Textile Museum. "We will also distribute  Batik pins among visitors wearing Batik to the museums," Arie added.
    
On October 5, Ragunan Zoo would  give free tickets only to those who come wearing batik dress. On the same day, Ancol recreation park will give a 50-percent discount on tickets at its main gates, Atlantis and Gelanggang Samudera park.  Dunia Fantasi would  also give a 40-percent discount on the same day.
    
Batik, which has been developed for centuries particularly on Java Island, is cloth which traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique.  But, thanks to modern advances in the textile industry, the term has been extended to include fabrics which incorporate traditional batik patterns.
    
Some scholars believe that batik was originally reserved as an art form for Javanese royalty in Central Java around Yogyakarta and Solo under the patronage of the Sultan and his court.  But, other scholars disagree and believe that batik was prevalence even to the common folk.

It was regarded an important part of a young ladies accomplishment that she be capable of being able to skillfully hand draw batik using the canting (the pen-like instrument used to apply wax to the cloth).  Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are also found in several countries such as Malaysia, Japan, China, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and Singapore.
    
But, unlike in other countries, Indonesia is particularly very proud of its batik which is considered as formal dress in official functions.  Batik are usually made of cotton or silk, which are comfortable to wear. And this benefits not only Indonesians, but also some foreign diplomats who prefer to use batik, and avoids suits, amidst Indonesia’s heat.
     
The government, through some of its agencies concerned, was giving special attention to batik makers as part of the efforts to perpetuate and  develop the Batik trade. The government, according to Cultural and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, has provided the batik-making industry with assistance in the form of low-interest credits and  training in production processes and design making in several potential areas across Indonesia.
     
First Lady Ani Yudhoyono recently had called on all parties to expedite the regeneration of traditional batik craftsmen and women so as to preserve the craft as part of the nation’s cultural legacy. "It is a pity that batik development does not happen hand in hand with the regeneration of traditional batik craftspeople. Doing batik work actually needs patience but the skill can be bequeathed to the younger generation," Ani Yudhoyono said.
   
She said the younger generation should be immediately involved in the development of batik craftsmanship so that they can keep the craft alive and even make masterpieces themselves, and prevent batik from being claimed by other countries. "UNESCO itself has asked  Indonesia to ensure regeneration in the craft as a precious world cultural heritage," the first lady said.
    
Meanwhile, neighboring Malaysia, which shares a number of similar cultures with Indonesia including on batik but with its own unique specification, said it would study UNESCO’s decision, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 17.
     
The government would make the study to ensure whether the decision would have a bearing on the traditional batik making in the country, he said.
    
"I do not have the full details (UNESCO’s decision) because Malaysia too has batik. We will analyse the actual meaning of the decision and whether the decision will affect the production of batik here," Yassin told reporters.

From The Jakarta Post: 
If 60 million people - a quarter of the Indonesian population - will wear batik today that will be a special day indeed. Never was our traditional fabric put on the national pedestal in such a way in recent memory.
Being recognized by UNESCO as an Indonesian cultural contribution to the world is a valid reason to celebrate this beautiful traditional fabric and the garments made from it.
Although batik is found in other countries like China, Africa and Egypt, still the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has now acknowledged that the dyeing technique is uniquely Indonesian. This will give this technology some degree of protection under the UNESCO charter.
This is not the first time UNESCO has recognized the nation's contribution to the world heritage. It singled out the wayang (puppets) and keris (daggers) for similar treatment in 2003.
Many Indonesians think that batik is a typical Javanese product. This is not true although it is understandable because stories about batik in the regions are quite rare. However batik is to be found throughout the thousands of islands of the archipelago from Sumatra in the west to Papua in the east.
This recognition from the world body should spur the government to support batik producers, particularly, the smaller traders.
Batik promotional visits overseas to help make Indonesian batik an international icon in the world of global fashion, is something to be applauded. There should be more of such efforts.
A well-founded concern in the country is that foreigners often appear to appreciate our cultural heritage more than we do ourselves. The younger generation, for example, tends to ignore the age-old traditions of batik dyeing techniques, although they are more interested to wear batik garments in recent years.
Young Indonesians also tend to shun other traditional icons like the wayang, angklung (the light bamboo instruments), the gamelan (the Javanese orchestra), traditional dances or even local dialects.
On the other hand, many universities abroad have gamelan classes. A steady stream of foreign students comes to places like Yogyakarta and Bali to learn about our traditional dances. Maritime students come to Sulawesi to learn about traditional boat making.
And several international organizations are racing with time to record some of our almost extinct local languages, before they are gone forever.
Excesses do occasionally occur, like the case of the Balinese silver crafters who are no longer able to produce some of their own creations that have been patented by unscrupulous foreigners abroad, without their knowledge.
As we celebrate the UNESCO charter in Abu Dhabi today, by wearing batik here in Indonesia and abroad, we should become more aware that we still have a lot of homework to do to safeguard our cultural heritage.

Our Thoughts:
As Indonesians, we're really happy about this (of course!). We're really looking forward for today! And yes, we've worn Batik today to celebrate Batik Day.  

Happy Batik Day!

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