The Cotton Cloth Used In Batiking

Cotton fabric is the raw material used in batiking. There are many qualities, and the type used very much determines the nature of the resultant batik. Since the cotton fabric required varies with the kind of finished cloth desired, the following discourse may be useful.

1. Measurements

The measurement of the cotton fabric needed depends upon the lenght of the finished cloth desired. Some requirements have been standardised, such as that for a headcloth. The headcloth measure is more or less standar; therefore, its size cannot be varied according to its use. But the measurements of the skirt wrapping are not sepecific, the longer, the more excellent the use thereof.

The lenght of the cotton fabric does not normally employ a specific standard, but traditional measurement. This traditional measure is called 'kacu'. A kacu is a kerchief, generaly square shaped. Therefore, one kacu is the square determined by width (weft) of the cotton cloth itself. Thus one kacu of one brand of cotton cloth will differ from one kacu of another. The width of the cotton fabric will determine the lenght of each piece, although the number of kacu may be identical.

The method of making such measurement is by holding both corners of the fabric on one (weft) end and folding the cloth diagonally on one corner, lying the cut (weft) end along the lenght (warp) of the fabric. This is one kacu. Several kacu would be measured by folding the fabric back and forth down the (warp) lenght using the kacu as the lenght of each fold.

2. Required Lengths

A dodot cloth requires 7 kacu of cotton fabric. The dodot is usually worn by members of Royal Courts or Classical dancers. Since the dodot is rather expensive, dancers may subtitute it with an ordinary skirt-wrapping of sufficient length. A skirt-wrapping requires 2 - 2,5 kacus, according to the preference of sized of the wearer. The headcloth required one kacu.

3. Processing The Cotton Fabric Prior To Batiking

Before a cotton fabric can be batiked it must be processed. And the quality of the processing will determine the quality of the batik. The processing is as follows.

The cotton fabric, already cut into lengths along the weft, is hemmed along it's cut edges to prevent fraying.

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Canting (Stylus) For Batik Process

The Canting is the primary utensil used in batik process which determines wheter 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 is light is easily bent, and is strong, though thin.

Parts Of The Canting:

1. Gagang Terong

The gagang terong is the tail end of the canting utensil, placed on the bank, to be inserted into the real handle. Gagang = stem, terong is the name of a plant of the trumpetflowered or solanaceae species (i.e eggplant).

2. Nyamplungan

The nyamplungan 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 it's form and size are reminiscent of the nyamplung, a small round fruit like a ball.

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 onto the cloth in the batik process. Cucuk actually means a bird's beak. Carat is a spouted waterpot.

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How To Make Batik

The following are the things needed to make the art of batik :

1. Equipment
2. Canting (Stylus)
3. The Cotton Cloth
4. The Specimen
5. The Wax
6. The Batik Proccess

EQUIPMENT

The Equipment of a Batiker, in particular the implements, has not changed overly much with time. Viewed from the aspect of implements and method, batiking can be classified as work of  a traditional nature. Therefore, batik work must possess specific characteristics, as is the case with other traditional work. Thus, if the tools and the method are modernised, the predicates batik and batiking are no longer valid. However, viewed from the point of production and state economy, batik implements and the batik process do require modernisation. Only the modernised product can not be considered batik in it's true context.

Batik Equipment Consist Of:

1. Gawangan (Frame)

Gawangan (Frame)

The gawangan is an apparatus for holding and spreading the cotton cloth while batiking. The gawangan is made of wood or bamboo. It must be constructed in such a way that it can easily be moved about, but is strong and light.

2. Bandul (Weight)

The bandul is a weight of cloth wrapped tin, wood or stone. Its primary function is to hold the newly batiked cloth so that it can be blown about by the wind or accidentally displaced by the batiker. Therfore, without the bandul, the batik process can still take place.

3. Wajan (pan)

The wajan is an implement in which the wax used in batiking is melted. It can be made of iron or clay. The better pan has a handle, making it easier to lift from and put down on the brazier without the use of an auxilliary tool. Therefore, the wajan made of clay is better than that of metal, because its handle does not retain heat. On the other hand, it takes longer to heat the wax in a clay wajan.

4. Anglo (brazier)

The Anglo can be made from clay or other material. It is a brazier, the heater of wax. The Anglo uses charcoal for firing. Firewood is used with the keren, also a brazier. The keren is more commonly used than the anglo by the villagers. In principle, the keren is the same as the anglo, but it is not split levelled.

5. Tepas (Fan)

The tepas is an implement made of bamboo to increase the fire as needed. Other than the tepas, the ilir may also be used. Basically, the tepas and the ilir are the same, differing only in shape. The tepas is rectangular and pointed on one of it's short ends with the handle extending from that point. The ilir is square with the handle being an extension of one of the sides. The tepas and the ilir are fans for fanning the fire.

6. Taplak (napkin)

The taplak is a napkin for covering the lap of the batiker so as to protect her from drippings of the hot liquid wax when blowing up the spout of the canting or when batiking. The napkin is usually a piece of used cloth.

7. Saringan Malam (Wax strainer)

The saringan is an implement for straining the hot wax, in as much as the wax is usually quite dirty. Straining the wax allows the scum to be discarded, so that it will not interfere with the fluent running of the wax through the spout of the canting while batiking.

8. Dingklik, lincak (Stool)

The dingklik and the lincak are, in principle, the same, that is very low stools for batiker to sit upon. However the batiker may also sit on a mat.

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Indonesian Batiks

Indonesian Batiks

Batik is a technique of manual wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, also spelled tjanting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap, also spelled tjap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to color selectively by soaking the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colors are desired.

A tradition of making batik is found in various countries, including Nigeria, China, India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka; the batik of Indonesia, however, is the most well-known. Indonesian batik made in the island of Java has a long history of acculturation, with diverse patterns influenced by a variety of cultures, and is the most developed in terms of pattern, technique, and the quality of workmanship. On October 2009, UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

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