 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.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you advise me on how to clean my old batiks?
The best answer is usually to ask the artist you bought it from, though we realise in most cases this is impossible! Unless the batik has been made by one of our members or by luck we know the artist, it is very unlikely we will be able to give a safe answer. What we do suggest is contacting professional textile restorers. The webmaster personally recommends The Textile Restoration Studio and would be grateful if you would mention the Batik Guild site if you contact them.
What is 'false batik'?
'False batik' or 'faux batik' is a term that silk painters use for getting the traditional look of batik. You can paint layers of dyes starting with the lightest progressing through to the darkest colour and painting over the complete piece of silk after each waxing instead of dipping in the dye. Then you can crumple up the batik and paint over the last dye which will seep into the cracks and form the crackle effect one sometimes associates with batik. Unfortunately it is a term that batik artists do not refer to. A lot of them do batik in this way but do not call it faux batik. There are many ways of applying the wax and the dyes. But in this method you do not dip the fabric in dye like in traditional batik. Rosi Robinson.
What is the best way to remove wax from an expensive batik? A label attached to it said use newspapers. Is this the only way?
My feeling is that possibly the dyes aren't fixed, or else you were given ironing instructions as the easiest way for someone to remove wax at home. If the dyes aren't fixed then they will run if wetted - and possibly even so with dry cleaning.
In general there are 4 ways to remove wax:
1 By boiling it out
2 By steaming it out (close to boiling)
3 By dry cleaning
4 By ironing
The first two are always preferable, but are not suitable for silk or for certain dyes. Dry cleaning is very harmful to the environment, and ironing is not always effective in that sometimes wax residues are left which stain the fabric. Leaving the wax in would cause problems if heat got to the piece (such as above a radiator) at which point the wax would start to melt and leave a real mess.
Unless you are able to contact the artist directly, it is better perhaps to err on the side of caution, and presume that boiling or steaming might damage dyes or fabric.
So it seems the best solution would be to take the batik to a dry cleaner and ask if they will test a small corner first. State that you are not sure if the dyes are fixed or even if they will be harmed by the chemical process. If there is no reaction, then it looks like you could have it dry cleaned. But before dry cleaning it try the ironing method, leaving dry cleaning as the last resort only if there is some residual staining. This way you could avoid environmental pollution.
To iron out, don't use old newspapers but the plain unprinted sheets called newsprint. Your local newspaper will have scrap sheets they may well give you for nothing. Take the equivalent of about two newspapers worth. Putting a wad of paper underneath and above the piece, iron out on a medium setting. Each time you have passed the iron change the stained paper under and over the batik - or the wax can transfer to another part of the batik! When no more is coming out, see how it looks. When finished, use a clean sheet of newsprint to check there is no accidental wax spills on the ironing board which might transfer into your favourite item of clothing!
Please be aware that wax fumes can be toxic, so ensure plenty of fresh air and ventilation while doing this ironing |
