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What is
Batik? |
Batik is a
traditional Asian art with origins in India, Indonesia & China. The word is
Malay and means "wax writing." The batik process involves painting
with melted wax using a tjanting, a special tool similar to a fountain pen, onto
cloth, then dyeing the material. The covered areas resist the dye except where
the hardened wax has cracked, producing the crackled, spider web effect which is
characteristic of batik. The waxing and dyeing can be repeated as many times as
necessary to achieve multiple colors and more varied designs. Or the wax can be
completely removed and reapplied in different areas to get an even broader
spectrum of colors.
The final process is removing the wax from the material. This can be done by
ironing the fabric between newspaper or repeatedly rinsing it in boiling water
-- over and over and over... The end result is a colorful and unique creation.
All Hooey Batiks designs are original. Because no dye bath is the same the
colors and color combinations are different every time. And because I wax items individually, by hand, the designs vary, making
each batik a one of a kind piece of wearable art.
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Fishy Example |
1. Dye
material blue. Wax areas to stay blue.
2. Put waxed material
in yellow dye, turning the fabric chartreuse with a waxed blue
background. Wax the areas to stay
chartreuse.
3. Dye the material dark blue, turning the unwaxed areas dark green.
4. Remove wax to reveal completed design. |
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