FIRST LESSONS IN BATIK
[Illustration: A BATIK WALL HANGING. BY ANNA TYRELL. ART INSTITUTE OF
CHICAGO
By the Courtesy of Mrs. Caroline Kohl]
FIRST
LESSONS IN BATIK
A HANDBOOK IN BATIK, TIE-DYEING
AND ALL PATTERN DYEING
By
GERTRUDE CLAYTON LEWIS
_Instructor in Art, Lindblom High School, Chicago_
[Illustration: A Javanese Motif]
THE PRANG COMPANY
1922 Calumet Avenue, Chicago
30 Irving Place, New York
Copyright, 1921
By THE PRANG COMPANY
THE PREFACE
The growing interest in “Batik” leads the author to believe that this
Handbook, describing the various processes and illustrating a number of
definite problems, will meet the need of many artists, teachers, and
craft workers who wish to try their hand at this new and fascinating
oriental art.
The book does not attempt to present a historical or critical study
of “Batik,” but to give detailed directions for doing the work under
American conditions. “Batik” presents many new and interesting problems
for art workers who have wearied of china painting, metal work,
embroidery, etc. It not only permits the worker to produce exquisite
gowns, scarfs, table covers, bags, curtains, and many other articles that
will express her own individuality, and be exactly suited to the color
scheme and design of their surroundings, but it also will enable the
worker to produce articles of commercial value which are readily salable.
As the beauty and value of “Batik” depends almost wholly upon the
personal touch and artistic taste of the worker who produces it, there is
little likelihood of its being commercialized or produced by mechanical
processes. This promises to keep it an individual craft.
While “Batik” offers large opportunities for home workers, it also
presents an interesting field for industrial art problems for students in
art schools, high schools, normal schools, and colleges. Many progressive
art teachers are offering courses in “Dyes and Dyeing” in connection with
their scientific study of “Color,” and relating them also to the work in
“Costume Design,” “Interior Decoration,” and “Domestic Art.”
“Bateeko Powder Dyes” are recommended for Batik work. These dyes can be
prepared and kept in bottles in strong solution, ready for immediate
use. It is not necessary to boil the goods in the dyes, as they work
successfully in tepid water and without constant stirring. These dyes are
recommended as unusually beautiful and brilliant, yet soft in tone.
Mr. Albert Buell Lewis, Assistant Curator of the Department of
Anthropology in the Field Museum, Chicago, has furnished interesting
historical data and supplied a number of illustrations from his private
collection of “Batiks.”
Photographs have been kindly loaned by the following: The Art Institute
of Chicago; Professor Albert W. Heckman of Teachers College, Columbia
University; the “Keramic Studio;” the “Industrial Arts Magazine;” Mrs.
Helen Reed of New York City; Mrs. Caroline Kohl; Miss Amy Swisher of
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; Lieutenant Jean Paul Slusser of the U. S.
General Hospital, Fort McHenry, Ind.; Miss Rose Buhlig of the Lindblom
High School, Chicago; Miss Anna Tyrell.
The publishers are under special obligation to Miss Mary C. Scovel, Head
of the Normal Department of the Art Institute of Chicago, who prepared
the outline and first draft of this book, and gave many practical
suggestions.
They would be glad to receive suggestions or interesting photographs of
“Batik” suitable for use in connection with future editions of this book.
The Table of Contents
PAGE
The Preface 5
Chapter I. The History of Batik 7
Chapter II. The Method in Java 10
Chapter III. The Possibilities of Batik 20
Chapter IV. Processes of Batik Dyeing 36
Chapter V. Crackle in Batik 44
Chapter VI. Color and How to Use It 50
Chapter VII. “Tied and Dyed” Work 60
Chapter VIII. Dyeing Suggestions 74
[Illustration: “THE CASTLE,” A BATIK WALL HANGING. BY WINOLD REISS
By courtesy of the Academy Art Shop, New York
Copyright, 1920, by the “Keramic Studio,” Syracuse, N. Y.]
FIRST LESSONS IN BATIK
CHAPTER I
THE HISTORY OF BATIK
The word “Batik” is Javanese, and means to paint or draw or design with
wax on textiles so that when placed in the dye the wax prevents the part
covered from taking the color. The wax is then removed by hot water or
gasoline, leaving the parts thus covered of the original color.
From early times and in many places designs have been made in this
manner on various kinds of objects, but the process reached its highest
development in its application to woven fabrics. Wax seems to have been
used in this manner in southern India and probably in some other parts of
southeastern Asia for centuries. Early Buddhistic books of the ninth or
tenth century refer to a wax painting process, and there are preserved in
Japan ancient Indian cloths which have been colored in this manner.
This process of wax painting, however, reached its highest development
in Java, where it was probably introduced about the twelfth century.
The earliest written record we have states that in 1518, there was a
flourishing industry of this sort at Cheribon, Java, which showed certain
remarkable resemblances to the processes employed on the Coromandel coast
of southern India. The work was done by men, and plant and animal motives
were largely used in the designs. At that time, that portion of the
island had not yet been Mohammedanized, as we see by the designs used.
After Mohammedanism spread over the island, the industry developed
rapidly, and many new and original patterns were added to those formerly
used. The highest development was in central Java, where “Batik”
flourished especially during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Here the work was carried on by women, especially by those of the leisure
class, who could give the time and care necessary to the production
of the finest work. Some designs were so elaborate and difficult that
only the nobility could afford them and a few designs were reserved
for the use of royalty. In these designs, indigoes or browns are the
predominating colors.
The first detailed account of Batik making was by Raffles in 1817. At
that time the “tjanting,” an instrument which will be explained later,
was in universal use. How long it had been used and when it superseded
the brush, which was doubtless used earlier, as it was in India, is not
known. About 1860, a new process was introduced by means of which the wax
was transferred to the cloth by a metal stamp dipped in the melted wax
and then pressed on the cloth. This stamping process is known as “tjap”
and is done by men, while in Batik work the designing and painting are
always done by women. It is doubtless an adaptation of the color printing
process of India to the wax process. In some cases after stamping, the
opposite side is Batiked, but this is not common. These tjap cloths are,
of course, much cheaper than true Batiks.
The designs used in Javanese Batik work show much variation in different
parts of the island, and certain designs are characteristic of particular
regions. The motives are of various origins. Some are old weaving
patterns, or adapted from basket or plaited designs. Some are evidently
of Indian origin, similar to those on the cotton prints of southern
India. It is interesting to find the same designs on some of the old
Buddhistic sculptures that are found on certain Batik pieces. Other
designs are of Chinese origin, and recently modern European designs are
being adopted. Most of the designs, however, are either modifications of
the old Indian plant and flower motives or geometric figures developed by
the Javanese themselves.
The Javanese women employ the “Batik” process largely for the decorations
of textiles used in their personal costume. This costume is simple,
consisting of an oblong piece of cloth about three to four and one-half
yards long by forty-two inches wide, generally called a “sarong.” It is
worn wrapped around the waist and tucked in the belt. This costume is
worn by both men and women.
A cotton scarf, generally about three yards long by eighteen inches,
is also worn, and is used by the women as a “carry-all.” Silk is
occasionally used by the nobility for scarfs.
The turban is made of a square piece of cloth twisted around the head in
a different fashion in each district.
Each district has its own characteristic color schemes. Djokjakarta and
Surakarta, which are semi-independent principalities in the interior, do
the finest work and use largely indigo and soga-brown dyes, which give a
range of color from cream through the yellow browns and blues to a very
dark color, practically black, made by dyeing strong blue over a strong
brown.
In certain places on the north coast of Java, notably Pekalongan and
Samarang, much gayer colors, such as red, blue, green, etc., are used,
and floral designs are common.
Prices in Java vary from one to twelve dollars, and even as much as
twenty-five dollars may be paid for a very fine piece. Two to four
dollars will buy an excellent turban square.
[Illustration: _Motifs from Javanese Batik in the Field Museum of Natural
History_]
[Illustration: _Designs from “tjap” stamps used in Java for repeating
units. The Field Museum of Natural History, of Chicago, has a collection
of these_]