2022
When I joined Third Anniversary of Blitar Local Guides I visited Batik Lwang Wentar. I learned how batik fabric is made. Batik Lwang Wentar is one of batik home industry in Blitar, East Java. Based on my interview with Miss Umayah, there are two main methods of making batik. The first one is using a small tool called a canting or wax stylus to draw patterns, the other is using metal stamps or batik chop to apply the wax. Stamps produce textiles faster than using canting by hand. In this way, batik can be made at a lower cost, and finished garments are more affordable.
Here the steps:
- Designing the pattern. Batik Lwang Wentar mostly used historical relief from Penataran Temple . They also made the design from the shape of the temple or from the relief wall.
caption: a picture of two photos: Palah relief on Penataran Temple and batik chop (Local Guides Nunung Afuah)
- Duplicate the design. When they use canting or stylus wax, they have to duplicate the design from the paper into the fabric. In other hand, if they use metal stamp, they just stamp the pattern to the fabric without any duplicate process.
caption: the process of designing the pattern and duplicate into the fabric (Local Guides Nunung Afuah)
- Drawing the pattern: using canting or metal stamp. The interesting thing about batik's pattern is the used of canting or wax stylus. If you want to try draw the pattern use canting, make sure that you could make the wax in a perfect temperature to avoid wax widened or ruin the pattern.
Caption: the process of drawing the pattern using canting (Local Guides Nunung Afuah)
here the example of metal stamp I try with @br14n :caption: me and Brian Batu Local Guides have fun trying metal stamp of batik
- Layering and coloring the fabric. This part is really interesting of batik making. My friend @Annisa1208 has a chance to try the layering of the fabric. As I mentioned before, you should be really careful for the detail for not ruining the pattern.
caption: Annisa Batu Local Guides tries to do wax layering (Local Guides Nunung Afuah)
The wax layering depends on the motif and the color we would like to make. They have many colors provided based on the motif or customer demands. Here the pallet:caption: colors choice in batik Lwang Wentar (Local Guides Nunung Afuah)
After layering, the fabric is sometimes immersed in boiling water to remove wax, and then re-waxed to protect different parts of the pattern from subsequent dyeing. Once the dyeing and waxing is completed, the cloth is ready for final wax removal. Then, the final process is hung them to dry. Unfortunately, I have no picture of the final process. - The finished garments are ready! The process batik making using canting or commonly called by "written batik" takes longer time than "Tjap batik" (Tjap means stamp; Javanese). Here the example:
caption: finished garment of batik with many colors (Local Guides Nunung Afuah)
The process is really complicated and incredible, no wonder UNESCO celebrated Batik Day on October 2 in every year.
In Indonesia, batik is used both for formal and casual outfit. You could find people wear batik almost in every occasion. I remember that @OSAMA wore batik given by Indonesia Local Guides as well. Also, when Indonesia Local Guides attend last year Connect Live 2019, we wore batik!
What do you think of batik making process? do you have traditional fabric too?
