Make Your Own Batik

When we come to a country, one of the things we wish we could do is learn about their culture. If you visit Indonesia, you may know that batik is one of their cultures even it is Indonesian clothes that have its celebration day. If you are into batik and want to learn how to make Indonesian batik, feel free to learn because there are so many places with different batik cultures in Indonesia.

Where to Learn

It is very important where you learn batik. You know, each region have a different kind of patterns. Where you should learn of course related to what kind of patterns you wanted to make. From batik class, you will learn batik from basic. Usually, in batik class, they will teach you about materials and tools they used, the techniques for painting with tjanting and brush, the color combination and dye technique, wax removal and of course there will be finishing. They will give you knowledge about its history as well.

The Materials and Tools

Preparing the materials and tools for batik, i.e the pencil and eraser for drawing, the cloth (known as mori cloth), beeswax or usual batik’s wax, the hoop so the cloth unmoving, tjanting (to draw), stove and pot, dye fabric coloring.

The Steps

First, prepare your cloth neatly, clean the crumpled part of the fabric. Draw your cloth with your favorite patterns. Then heat the wax in the pot, stabilized the temperature so the melting liquid is perfect. Put the melting wax to the tjanting by dipping the tjanting in the wax. Draw the dots and the lines with the tjanting. You need to blow the tjanting first before you draw, so the wax in the tjanting is unclogged. Draw it slowly and sequentially so you will get it cleanly. When you don’t want to dye it directly, be careful when saving and fold the cloth so the wax isn’t broken. Then, dye bathing the cloth so it will have pretty color. Do the wax layering to get more color combinations. The next process is removing the wax by boiling in water. Wash in clean water and dry naturally by hanging it in a shaded place, don’t place it under the direct sun to make your batik preserved.

Here you are! You have your batik handmade! You can give batik souvenirs to your lovely ones or even keep it for yourself!