Batik is a method of cold water dying that is used on fabric. The word “Batik” comes from the traditional dying process used in Indonesia. In Batik, a wax resist is used to control and limit the spread of dye on fabric. In its traditional Javanese use, Batik is used to create patterns on fabric for clothing. Wax resist pictures or patterns can be made on fabric by either drawing them by hand with a tjanting tool, or with carved wood blocks.
The techniques of batik have been adopted is several other countries such as Japan, India, Iran, and China. In these countries, batik was applied to bring life to tradition styles and motifs. Batik has also found practitioners among Westerners involved in traditional crafts or modern art. While Indonesian Batik has a particular style of its own, the basic method of using a wax resist has been adopted throughout the world to create new styles of Batik for clothing, wall hangings and art.
Materials you will need
- Beeswax or paraffin wax
- cotton fabric
- cold water fiber reactive dyes
- salt
- a dye activator such as soda ash (sodium carbonate)
- Tjanting tool
- pot for melting wax
- rubber gloves
- large container for dye bath
Basic Explanation of Method:
A picture or design for dying on a piece of fabric has to be planned. To do this, one often has to think in terms of negative space or reversing the image. Wax is applied to the fabric with a tjanting tool (for lines), blocks for repeated patterns or shapes, or sometimes with a brush to cover larger spaces. The applied wax will prevent the dye from affecting the fabric; only the unwaxed areas will be dyed.
The fabric is then put in a cold water bath (see dyeing instructions below). Since the fabric often has to be folded to fit in a dye bath the wax will often have sections that crack and allow in little cracks of dye. Part of the charm of Batik, at least for Westerners, lies in the unplanned, random crackles that show in the final product.
The final step is removing the wax. This may be done a few ways. The method, or combination of methods chosen, for removing the wax may depend on how much wax there is to remove and the resources available.
The most basic method would be to put the fabric in boiling water to melt it out of the fabric.
A second method would be to melt the wax out using a hot iron. To do this it is necessary to use paper to absorb the melted wax. One should first place paper down, then place fabric on top of it, and finally place a layer of paper to go between the upper side of the fabric and the iron. (The iron should not be placed directly on the wax.) If you use this method, you must use a good amount of paper to absorb the wax. Also, it may be best if the iron and ironing board are dedicated for this purpose alone. That is, you probably will not want to use them on your regular clothes.
A final way to remove the wax is by using an industrial solvent such as Benzene. With materials like these, one must be careful to follow the safety warnings, wear gloves and protective clothing, be careful of the fumes and wash the fabric thoroughly afterwards.
More advanced Batik techniques
More complex Batik projects require more time and care and more work. A project will be more complex or advanced as a result of the number of colors that are required or the number of dye baths that will be required.
Sometimes many colors can be included in a piece by simply painting on several different colors of dye. The only concern is to keep the dyes from bleeding into each other by using the wax resist. This type of project may require several applications and removals of wax.
Sometimes new colors are included by using a dye bath over a section of fabric that has already been dyed. For example, imagine your goal is that on your fabric you want to show a red heart shape in a field of purple. A logical way to achieve this is to first dye your fabric red. Then, using wax, draw a heart shape and fill it in with wax. Next, dye the fabric again in a blue dye bath. The exposed red fabric will turn purple when subjected to the blue dye. The fabric covered by the wax will remain red (it will be the red heart shape). All that remains to be done is remove the wax. Time and experience using dyes will greatly influence one’s ability to be successful doing complex projects requiring this technique.
Cold Water Dyeing Instructions
Please note: the instructions given here are of a general nature to give you an idea of the process. These instructions are not intended to replace the instructions for the particular dye product you buy.
Cold water dyes, also known as fiber-reactive dyes, are designed for use on plant-based (cellulose) fabrics. They are pretty colorfast because the dye and the cellulose of the fabric form a covalent bond. Plant based fabrics include cotton, linen, jute, hemp, rayon, ramie and sisal. Cold water dyes are not generally used for protein-based fabrics such as wool, silk or nylon.
First you must wash and rinse your fabric. Before putting your fabric in a dye bath it is good to wet it again to improve absorption. Next you will make a paste with your dye and a couple tablespoons of cold water. Add a cup of hot water to your dye paste to dissolve it. In another container, dissolve 2.5 cups of salt into 2 quarts of hot water (see instructions on your product for specific measurements). In a large container, mix the dye solution and salt water and add more water if desired. This will be your dye bath. The temperature must be low enough not to affect the wax. Between 85° and 100° is a good range.
Add fabric to the dye bath. Wait 5-10 minutes, then add a solution of 4 tablespoons of soda ash dissolved in a cup of water. The soda ash solution activated the dye and causes the reaction.
Although generally, longer exposure in a dye bath creates deeper color, keep in mind that the soda ash in the dye will degrade the wax. Therefore, it is better to keep dying time to a minimum; perhaps 15-30 minutes.
Remove fabric from dye bath and rinse with cold water.
Resources
Article describing dyeing process in simple language, includes an experimental procedure for testing different types of fabric: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-brightest-dye/
Example of instructions on Batik technique given by the Earth Guild: http://www.earthguild.com/products/riff/webbpdfs/wbatik.pdf
chemicalstore.com is a reliable supplier for beeswax, paraffin wax, soda ash (sodium carbonate), and urea