Source: Batikguild.org.uk

Batik is both an art and a craft, which is becoming more popular and well known in the West as a wonderfully creative medium. The art of decorating cloth in this way, using wax and dye, has been practised for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition, and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is still made there. The word batik originates from the Javanese tik and means to dot.

Most experts believe that Indonesian Javanese batik is one of the most intricate designs that are ever created. Based on the data and the findings, this kind of batik design possibly existed after the creation of finely woven cloth, which had to be imported from India around the 1800s. It is only logical that after the similar cloth was also imported from Europe around 1815, the creation of such intricate design could start.

Some people believe that batik was a part of Javanese royalty’s life because some patterns were created only to be worn by the noble people.

To make a batik, selected areas of the cloth are blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them, and the cloth is then dyed. The parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain the original colour. This process of waxing and dyeing can be repeated to create more elaborate and colourful designs. After the final dyeing the wax is removed and the cloth is ready for wearing or showing.

Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics.

Batik is historically the most expressive and subtle of the resist methods. The ever widening range of techniques available offers the artist the opportunity to explore a unique process in a flexible and exciting way.

When talking about batik, we are talking about one of the traditional art forms in Indonesia that has existed for centuries. Indonesia is basically a country that manages to develop the art by creating different kinds of patterns, designs, and variants. There are lots of different kinds of batik based on the method of creation and based on the area it is created from. The history of batik has undergone lots of changes and also long journey in existence.