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Batik facts for kids

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Indonesian Batik Display
Indonesian batik

Batik is a method of dyeing cloth and making it resistant using wax. Such fabrics originally come from Indonesia. They can also be found in Malaysia, Japan, China, Azerbaijan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and Singapore.

History of batik

Evidence of early examples of batik has been found in the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia and India from over 2000 years ago. However, it is more likely that the craft spread from Asia to the islands of the Malay Archipelago and west to the Middle East through the caravan route. They are decorated with trees, animals, flute players, hunting scenes, and mountains. Indonesia, most popular on the island of Java, is the area where batik has reached the greatest accomplishment.There are many examples of this form of batik, as well as hand-produced work in many parts of the world today.

Batik is an art that is becoming more popular in the West. In Indonesia, batik is a part of an ancient tradition and has been taught for centuries. The word batik is from Java and it means to "dot". To make a batik, an artist uses the cloth as the paper, and they just start drawing hot wax over the cloth. Each culture has different traditional styles of batik. The history of batik is really expressive. There are a lot of techniques available for the artist to have the opportunity to explore a unique process in an exciting way.

Tjanting
A special pen called tjanting, it is used to draw a batik.

Technique

Batik 1
This picture shows the person is drawing a batik with tjanting.

To make a batik, they use the cloth as the paper, and they just start drawing hot wax over the cloth. And they said if we repeated the process, it will be more colorful. For the first step, make sure the cloth is washed. Batik patterns are drawn with pencil and later drawn again using a hot wax. The very common thing that people use is the pen-like instrument called a tjanting. After the cloth is dry, the areas keep their original color, and it also shows the pattern between the areas that have the color and do not have the color. It gives them a pattern. Then the artist repeats the process once for each color. A very traditional type of batik, called written batik, is drawn using only a tjanting. The cloth needs to be drawn on both sides and put in a color bath three or four times. The process may take up to a year.

Images for kids

  • Prajnaparamita clothes detail

    Jlamprang or ceplok batik motif of clothes of 13th-century East Javanese Prajnaparamita statue resembles batik, National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta

  • Javanese batik ca. 1871

    Pre-1867 Javanese batik probably from the Semarang workshop owned by Carolina Josephina von Franquemont (1817-1867). This sarong was purchased by the King of Siam during a state visit, most likely c. 1871. There are few surviving pieces of 19th-century commercial batik wearing-apparel.

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Batiksters aan het werk TMnr 20017682

    Written batik (batik tulis), drawing patterns with wax using canting in Java

  • Printing wax-resin resist for Batik with a Tjap, Yogyakarta, 1996

    Stamped batik (batik cap), stamp wax-resin resist for batik with a cap tool in Java

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een batikster tijdens het vervaardigen van een doek met een afbeelding van Rangda TMnr 20018445

    Painted batik (batik lukis): a woman is making batik with a Rangda motif by using a brush.

  • Naming the parts of a kain batik

    Terminology of Indonesian batik

  • Batik pedalaman banner

    A typical inland batik has deep earthy colours with various indigenous patterns (contemporary kain panjang with sidha pattern from Solo).

  • Batik pesisir1 banner

    In contrast, a typical coastal batik has vibrant colours with patterns drawn from numerous cultures (kain panjang with lotus motifs from Semarang, 1880).

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM De Raden Ajoe Moorsilag van het hof van Sultan Hamengkoe Boewono VI van Djogjakarta Midden Java. TMnr 60009406

    Princess Raden Ayu Mursilah wearing Kebaya and Batik from the Keraton Yogyakarta Hadiningrat, c. 1870

  • Indonesian Batik Shirt for Men

    Contemporary men's batik shirt in Solo style, sogan colour with lereng motif

  • EPN. Reunion APEC 2013

    The leader of APEC wearing batik at APEC 2013 meeting in Bali

  • Kraton Yogyakarta Pagelaran

    Museum Batik Keraton Yogyakarta lies in the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat complex.

  • Museum Batik Danar Hadi

    Museum Batik Danar Hadi, the owner of Batik label Danar Hadi, located in Jl. Slamet Riyadi, Solo City

  • Museum Tekstil 16

    Museum Tekstil, Jakarta

  • Malaysian Batik

    A batik craftsman making batik. Malaysian batik are usually patterned with floral motifs with light colouring.

  • Woman with brush painting batik Sri Lanka

    A batik craftswoman brush painting with wax in Kandy, Sri Lanka

  • Stone statue of Mahakala

    Kawung batik motif on Mahakala statue, from temple at Singhasari, East Java, 1275-1300

  • Museum Volkenkunde Leiden stenen beeld 12

    Kawung batik motif on Nandishvara statue (foreground, 13th century)

  • Stone statue of Durga

    Batik motif on Durga Mahishasuramardini statue, Singhasari, 1275-1300

  • Batik Trusmi Cirebon (45)

    Initial pattern drawn with a pencil

  • Proses Nembok, Salah Satu Tahapan Membatik Tulis

    Processing "nembok", traditional way to make batik tulis (handmade batik)

  • Batik craftswomen in Java handmarking resist on batik tulis cloth with tjantings

    Batik craftswomen in Java handmarking resist on batik tulis cloth with canting

  • Selection of Tjap printing blocks with traditional Batik patterns

    Selection of cap copper printing blocks with traditional batik patterns

  • Making Batik

    Applying waxes using cap (copper plate stamps)

  • Soaking the waxed cotton in dye (10721414215)

    Dyeing the cloth in colour

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Studioportret van twee Javaanse batiksters TMnr 60027241

    Two Javanese women making batik cloths in a village in Java, between 1870 and 1900

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Batikken het oplossen van de overbodige waslaag TMnr 10014215

    Portrait of Javanese women making batik in Java, between 1870 and 1900

  • Raffles A Javan in the Court dress

    A Javanese man in court dress, from The History of Java by Thomas Stamford Raffles (1817)

  • Raffles A Javan Chief in his ordinary dress

    A Javanese chief, in his ordinary dress, from The History of Java by Thomas Stamford Raffles (1817)

  • Raffles A Javan in the War dress

    A Javanese man in war dress, from The History of Java by Thomas Stamford Raffles (1817)

  • Raffles A Javan of the lower class

    A Javanese man of the lower class, from The History of Java by Thomas Stamford Raffles (1817)

  • Raffles A Ronggeng or dancing girl

    A Javanese ronggeng dancer, from The History of Java by Thomas Stamford Raffles (1817)

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Sultan Hamangkoe Boewono VI van Jogjakarta (1855-1877). TMnr 60002136

    Sultan Hamengkubuwono VI, King of Yogyakarta Sultanate (1855–1877), dressed in royal majesty attire (batik)

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Studioportret van Pakoe Boewono X Susuhunan van Solo TMnr 60034669

    Pakubuwono X, the King of Surakarta Sunanate in kain batik, c. 1910

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM De Ratoe Kedaton de hoofdvrouw van Hamengkoe Boewono V van Djogjakarta TMnr 60009408

    The Ratoe Kedaton wearing batik, the head wife of Hamengkubuwono V of Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, c. 1865

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Prinsen en prinsessen in de kraton van Jogjakarta TMnr 60001477

    Princes and princess wearing batik of Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, c. 1870

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bedoyo dansvoorstelling tijdens het huwelijk van Hoesein Djajadiningrat en Partini in de kraton van Prang Wedono (Mangkoe Negoro VII) de vader van de bruid Solo TMnr 60020674

    Bedhaya dance performance at Mangkunegaran royal palace at Solo, Java, in January 1921

  • Pertunjukkan Nani Tari Topeng Losari

    Topeng dance performance from Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia

  • Duryodana dalam pertunjukan wayang wong di Semarang, Jawa Tengah

    King Duryodana in Wayang wong performance in Taman Budaya Rahmat Saleh, Semarang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia

  • Tari Golek Ayun-Ayun 9

    Golek Ayun-Ayun Dance performance accompanied by Gamelan Ensemble at Bangsal Sri Manganti Keraton Yogyakarta

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Groepsportret tijdens het huwelijk van Hoesein Djajadiningrat en Partini in de kraton van Prang Wedono (Mangkoe Negoro VII) de vader van de bruid Solo TMnr 60020671

    Javanese Royal wedding in Mangkunegaran royal palace, January 1921

  • Javanese marriage, groom pouring rice and coins into bride's scarf, Wedding Ceremonials, p40

    Kacar-kucur ceremony, groom pouring rice and coins into bride's scarf, c. 1960

  • Pernikahan Jawa-Javanese Wedding 2011 Bennylin 19

    Panggih ceremony, meeting between bride and groom on their wedding day

  • Traditional Javanese marriage costume

    Batik is used in a traditional Javanese wedding ceremony.

  • Batik

    Smiling students wearing batik

  • George W. Bush and Nelson Mandela - walking - Oval Office - May 17 2005

    Nelson Mandela wearing batik

  • PakJawa1

    A Javanese man wearing typical contemporary batik shirt

  • Sundanese Grandma

    An elderly Sundanese woman wearing batik sarong and headdress

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Batik para niños

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