About Batik

Batik is a "resist" process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses
wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving "blank" areas in
the dyed fabric. The process, wax resist then dye, can be repeated over
and over to create complex multicolored designs.

Batik is especially unique due to the way certain wax blends will
"crackle" during handling, allowing lines of color to come through on
resisted areas.

Batik can be done with many types of dye & wax on cotton, silk and
other natural fabrics. Most weights will work, provided the wax
penetrates all the way through the fabric, but the finer weaves work best
for detail work. Silk is a little more challenging to work with because of its
unique wicking properties.

Batik masters employ a process of repeated waxing and tub dyeing to

achieve their final result. This method requires mastery of color mixing
and over dyeing; as each layer of dye is applied over the last a new color
is produced.
Basic Wax and Tub Dye Method

This method uses repeated layers of wax and dye applied to the fabric,
yielding an overlapping color design. If you plan to do multiple layers you
will want to dye your colors from lightest to darkest.

Step 1: Pre-wash your fabric to remove any impurities that might interfere
with dyeing.

Step 2: Trace the design/motif created by you using indigo blue,

kerosene and tracing paper

Step 3: Start melting your premixed Batik Wax in the little melting pot, or
for bigger projects, in a double boiler, electric wax pot, or old electric
frying pan set at about 220-230°F
4: Stretch the fabric on a Frame or Hoop, that will keep the fabric
flat and horizontal or you can work on some newsprint paper or a piece
of cardboard if you don't have a frame. This is often easier with larger
pieces of fabric.
Step 5: Start applying your wax with tools of your choice...

You can use Tjanting tools to create detail and fine line designs.
A double spouted Tjanting can give you fun effects or parallel lines. We
used it to make a wavy random design across this fabric.

Brushes are very easy to use for larger designs and are a great way to
get kids in on the fun. Make bold designs like circles, stripes and funky
polkadots.
In Indonesia, wax designs are repeatedly stamped onto the fabric with
intricate metal stamps made of copper called Tjaps or Caps (pronounced
"chops")

Remember: When applying
wax, no matter what method
you are using, regulate the
temperature so that it
penetrates the fabric; not so cool that it just turns yellowish and sits on
top, and not so hot that all your lines spread out too much. The wax
should have a clear appearance, indicating it has penetrated to the other
side. Flip fabric over and apply wax anywhere it has not. Thin layers of
very hot wax will often allow some dye to stain the fabric under the wax,
whereas a thicker buildup will keep the wax off.

Step 6: Tub Dye the fabric, first using the lightest or brightest color that
will be on the piece and will mix well with successive colors, for example
yellow; then the next dye bath could be turquoise, which would actually
mix with the yellow to dye the fabric green in all the un-waxed areas.
Remember, after Soda Ash has been added to the dyebath, don't leave
your waxed fabric in for more than 30 minutes more, as soda ash eats
away the wax eventually, exposing areas to unwanted dye.
Step 7: Rinse and gently hand wash the fabric in monopoland allow to
dry. Use lukewarm water so as not to melt your wax!

Step 8: Repeat steps 2-6 above for each color you plan for your batik,
waxing areas after each dyebath that you want to remain that most
recent color, and re-waxing any areas that look eroded from the Soda
Ash. Tub dye your darkest areas last.

Step 9: Remove the Wax using one of these methods:

Boil the wax out. Choose a pot to become your official wax pot that will
comfortably hold your fabric and fill with water and a dash of Monopol
soap, or other liquid detergent, to get the wax and any excess dye away
from the fabric. Bring this to a simmer and add fabric. Stir the fabric
around in the boiling water keeping it submerged. After a few minutes
the wax will melt out of the fabric and float to the top. When the wax
seems completely removed from the fabric, remove from heat and allow
the water to cool. Be sure that the fabric sits on the bottom of the pan,
avoiding the floating wax residue. You can weigh it down with rocks or
something heavy. Allow to cool, then peel the hardened wax off the
surface and remove the fabric.

Iron the wax out. Sandwich your fabric between layers of absorbent

paper and iron, to melt the wax out. This process often leaves a wax
residue that looks like a grease spot and won't come out, so it is not our
favourite.

Step 10: Wash your fabric one last time in the washing machine with
monopol to remove any left over dye you couldn't get out by hand. Dry
your fabric.

Now you can get to sewing, quilting, wrapping or just hang it up because

it looks so good you can't bare to cut it up!
Printing technique[edit]
Screen printers use a silkscreen like this Screenstretch version, a squeegee, and hinge clamps to screen
print their designs. The ink is forced through the mesh using the rubber squeegee, the hinge clamps keep
the screen in place for easy registration

A. Ink. B. Squeegee. C. Image. D. Photo-emulsion. E. Screen. F. Printed image.

A screen is made of a piece of mesh stretched over a frame. The mesh could be made of
a synthetic polymer, such as nylon, and a finer and smaller aperture for the mesh would be
utilized for a design that requires a higher and more delicate degree of detail. For the mesh to be
effective, it must be mounted on a frame and it must be under tension. The frame which holds
the mesh could be made of diverse materials, such as wood or aluminum, depending on the
sophistication of the machine or the artisan procedure. The tension of the mesh may be checked
by using a tensiometer; a common unit for the measurement of the tension of the mesh
is Newton per centimeter (N/cm).
A stencil is formed by blocking off parts of the screen in the negative image of the design to be
printed; that is, the open spaces are where the ink will appear on the substrate.
Before printing occurs, the frame and screen must undergo the pre-press process, in which an
emulsion is 'scooped' across the mesh. Once this emulsion has dried, it is selectively exposed to
ultra-violet light, through a film printed with the required design. This hardens the emulsion in the
exposed areas but leaves the unexposed parts soft. They are then washed away using a water
spray, leaving behind a clean area in the mesh with the identical shape as the desired image,
which will allow passage of ink. It is a positive process.
In fabric printing, the surface supporting the fabric to be printed (commonly referred to as a
pallet) is coated with a wide 'pallet tape'. This serves to protect the 'pallet' from any unwanted ink
leaking through the screen and potentially staining the 'pallet' or transferring unwanted ink onto
the next substrate.
Next, the screen and frame are lined with a tape to prevent ink from reaching the edge of the
screen and the frame. The type of tape used in for this purpose often depends upon the ink that
is to be printed onto the substrate. More aggressive tapes are generally used for UV and water-
based inks due to the inks' lower viscosities and greater tendency to creep underneath tape.
The last process in the 'pre-press' is blocking out any unwanted 'pin-holes' in the emulsion. If
these holes are left in the emulsion, the ink will continue through and leave unwanted marks. To
block out these holes, materials such as tapes, speciality emulsions and 'block-out pens' may be
used effectively.
The screen is placed atop a substrate. Ink is placed on top of the screen, and a floodbar is used
to push the ink through the holes in the mesh. The operator begins with the fill bar at the rear of
the screen and behind a reservoir of ink. The operator lifts the screen to prevent contact with the
substrate and then using a slight amount of downward force pulls the fill bar to the front of the
screen. This effectively fills the mesh openings with ink and moves the ink reservoir to the front of
the screen. The operator then uses a squeegee (rubber blade) to move the mesh down to the
substrate and pushes the squeegee to the rear of the screen. The ink that is in the mesh opening
is pumped or squeezed by capillary action to the substrate in a controlled and prescribed
amount, i.e. the wet ink deposit is proportional to the thickness of the mesh and or stencil. As the
squeegee moves toward the rear of the screen the tension of the mesh pulls the mesh up away
from the substrate (called snap-off) leaving the ink upon the substrate surface.
There are three common types of screen printing presses: flat-bed, cylinder, and rotary. [8]
Textile items printed with multicoloured designs often use a wet on wet technique, or colours
dried while on the press, while graphic items are allowed to dry between colours that are then
printed with another screen and often in a different colour after the product is re-aligned on the
press.
Most screens are ready for re-coating at this stage, but sometimes screens will have to undergo
a further step in the reclaiming process called dehazing. This additional step removes haze or
"ghost images" left behind in the screen once the emulsion has been removed. Ghost images
tend to faintly outline the open areas of previous stencils, hence the name. They are the result of
ink residue trapped in the mesh, often in the knuckles of the mesh (the points where threads
cross).
While the public thinks of garments in conjunction with screen printing, the technique is used on
tens of thousands of items, including decals, clock and watch faces, balloons, and many other
products. The technique has even been adapted for more advanced uses, such as laying down
conductors and resistors in multi-layer circuits using thin ceramic layers as the substrate.

Stencilling techniques[edit]
1. The original image is created on a transparent overlay, and the image may be drawn or
painted directly on the overlay, photocopied, or printed with a computer printer, but
making so that the areas to be inked are not transparent. Any material that blocks ultra
violet light can be used as the film, even card stock. A black-and-white positive may also
be used (projected onto the screen). However, unlike traditional plate-making, these
screens are normally exposed by using film positives.
2. A screen must then be selected. There are several different mesh counts that can be
used depending on the detail of the design being printed. Once a screen is selected, the
screen must be coated with emulsion and dried. Once dry, it is then possible to
burn/expose the print.
3. The overlay is placed over the screen, and then exposed with a light source containing
ultraviolet light in the 350-420 nanometer spectrum.
4. The screen is washed off thoroughly. The areas of emulsion that were not exposed to
light dissolve and wash away, leaving a negative stencil of the image on the mesh.
These days, nearly everything we buy is mass produced and machine-made. It’s difficult to
imagine the days when garments were sewn by hand and cloth was block printed. But in
some small workshops and villages in India, there is a commitment to keeping the centuries
old tradition of block printing alive. Groups like Aravali and Sharon Handicrafts have been
passing the skill down through the generations.
Block printing is known to have been used in India since
at least the 12th century, although this method is thought
to be around 2,000 years old.
Indian artisans borrowed a technique from China, one theory states, and turned it into a
culturally distinct art form. Different types of dye and patterns became synonymous with
different regions of the country. Over the centuries some portions of the process were
changed or improved. Sometimes it is even eventually replaced by screen printing, but many
small workshops hold true to traditional block printing.
So what exactly is block printing and why is it so special? We broke down the process
step-by-step so you know why our block printed linens, robes, and rugs (yes! Even rugs!)
are some of our most unique products.
Washing and drying the fabric
Cotton fabric is purchased at the market and soaked in water for 24-48 hours. This removes
some of the starchiness of the fibers.
 The artisans beat the wet lengths of cotton
on river stones worn down by years of use to make them softer, and then lay them out to dry
and be naturally bleached by the sun.

 
Carving the blocks
A design, either traditional or modern, is drawn onto paper and then transferred to a perfectly
smooth block of wood. The block can be sourced from many types of trees (many of our
artisan partners choose to use readily available mango wood), but it always needs to be 2-3
inches thick to prevent warping. A separate block must be made for each color incorporated
into the design.
Only the most experienced carvers can work on the complex designs. And the most intricate
details are always saved for last to avoid damaging the delicate lines in the process.
Block Printing
After the fabric has been cut to size, the colors have been prepared, and the blocks are all
ready, the artisans can start to print. They will lay the fabric out across a long table and draw
a chalk reference line.
They dip the block into the dye, press it firmly onto the fabric, and then hit it with a mallet.
This process is repeated over and over again, by only the steadiest hands, until the pattern has
completely covered the length of fabric. If there are multiple colors in the design, the artisan
lets each color dry before applying the next, each with a new stamp. It is extremely time
consuming and requires precision so that there are no breaks in the motif.
Final wash and dry
Once the printing is complete and the color has set, the fabric is thoroughly washed and dried.

This is followed by a final check for any quality issues and any cutting or sewing that needs
to take place.
Whether it’s a tablecloth or a cotton robe, each and every one of our block printed
itemswas made by hand in a style that has barely changed for hundreds of years. History
never looked so beautiful!