Motif Batik Parang Rusak Solo

Solo is the richest place for batik, in term of history + designs + philosophy.
One of the most famous traditional (yet timeless) batik design is Parang Rusak, symbolizes humans who are trying to get the perfection of life, namely by asceticism on the slopes (pereng = machete) in high places. Perfection can be achieved if the human soul is already solid, and not damaged by storms (tests) and strong waves that damage the machete (= slope / rocks / coral).
The original dyeing agent is natural dyes.

Batik Solo

The Pakubuwono Royal Palace, Surakarta, Jawa Tengah

Batik, which is a technique to give color to a fabric by applying hot wax to the fabric surface to block some of the color from the fabric, so that the motif / design is formed on the fabric.

This batik technique, already existed thousands of years ago (even recorded 2000 BC, batik technique was used in Ancient Egypt), far earlier than the technique of imaging the cloth by printing (print / screen printing) that we had just only known in the XX Century.

In Indonesia, especially in Java, batik cloth with various motifs has been designed, produced by art workers and worn by The Royal Family, with its meaning and usage, was in accordance with the regulations in force at the time. 
Therefore, before the XX century, batik is the only way for fabric imaging, which then the "Royal Family" designs (such as : parang, kawung, truntum, slobong, danliris, sidoluhur, sidodadi, sidomulyo, etc) appeared in Classic Era of Indonesian / Java's culture, art and fashion.

To get information about the difference of batik and printing please click here.

The history of Solo batik is inseparable from the influence of the palace. History records, the Solo batik art began in the Pajang kingdom 4 centuries ago. This kingdom is a continuation of Demak. At that time the Demak dynasty, which suffered by intrigue and power struggle among the royal family, moved the Government from Demak Bintoro 100 km to the south (from the Java North Coast to Pajang, Solo).

The first time batik entered Solo was right in the Laweyan area of ​​Surakarta. Historical figures in the world of batik art who entered the city of Solo named Kyai Ageng Henis. He introduced the art of batik into the Laweyan village which at that time entered the kingdom of Pajang. Ki Ageng Henis is the son of Ki Ageng Selo who is also a descendant of Brawijaya V. He himself lived in Laweyan since 1546 AD. 

Belukan Pajang Mosque.Behind it, we could found Ki Ageng Henis cemetery

Local residents more often call Ki Ageng Henis with Ki Ageng Laweyan, as an honor, because of services in the art of batik.

Heat Transfer

The most obvious difference between original batik and printing fabric is : the double-sided (through) effect.
While the printing fabric process uses screen printing (sablon) to make images / pattern on the single fabric surface.

This unique effect only could happen in the original batik process, because the hot-boiling wax is  affixed onto a sheet of fabric which through from the front side  the back side of the fabric.

To make the special batik wax (lilin malam) boiling, the batik artist has to heat the wax with :
1. Wood charcoal.
2. Kerosene stove.
3. Electric stove.

Nowadays, the most common heat sources and transfer is : kerosene stove.
Although kerosene is a bit rare, however, it still the most ideal stove today. The reason :
1. Kerosene has low and constant energy, which fit to make the wax boiling for few working-hours (approximately 6 hours, depend on the size of the stove tank). Some batik artist use fuel (pertalite) mixed with solar fuel to make the energy lower. However, it still too big and too dangerous for long working duration.
2. Electric stove has some advantages : cleaner, less smoke & saver. However, for some batik industry, it is not economic and not durable enough for long working hours

How To Make Batik Tolet (Handmade Dyeing / Painting)

Painting in batik tulis making is helped by the wax barrier. We could make the colors as expressive as we could. The most important thing is : the canting process. The wax has to be in boiling conditions, therefore could through to the fabric fro the front to the back, and closes firmly. 
Watch the video !

How To Make Cap (Stamp) Batik

Stamp (cap) to make batik was invented in 1920's @ Central Java, Indonesia. 
The invention brought the original batik process into industrial age. The batik production process was speeding up from a single sheet of batik in weeks, become hundreds of batik sheets within the same time.
In the beginning, it was made of wood, then within few years, some batik  manufacturer developed copper stamp, which is more durable, and absorb the heat better + faster and hold the heat longer. Therefore it could save time and energy.
The process of making batik stamp is quite complex and needs skilled artists.  
The BatikCourse presents the 2019 batik stamp making process :
1. A sheet of thick (0,7 - 1,2 mm) copper.
2. Cut and divide into needed pieces.
3. Molded into desired design (see the paper)
4. Framing : put the design components on a copper frame & unite with lead. Then the artist baked the framed design components in high temperature.
5. The Cap / Stamp soaked with liquid Gondo (natural + hard oil from Gondo tree) , then after it froze up, the cap artist polish it until the cap/stamp become really flat. 
6. The final result of stamp/cap.

For complete process of making batik stamp video, watch and subscribe us.

For closer inquiries, please wa us

The Diferrence Between Batik and Printing

Here, Batik Course would like to show you, one of the most distinctive result of original batik, which use hot wax : DOUBLESIDED. It is the easiest way to know the difference between the original batik fabric with the printing fabric.

On above photo, we could see the left part is the original batik fabric, although it used contemporary design (not traditional batik pattern such parang, kawung, truntum, sidodadi, sidoluhur, sidomukti, danliris, etc), we could see the original batik process advantages :
1. It's double-sided effect.
2. It's high resolution-continuous-dynamic image.
3. It's wax fragrance.

While on the right side, we could see the comparison : the printing (screen-printing / sablon) fabric, which only single-sided. The colors and images could not through the fabric from the front side to the back side.

Therefore, if you'd love to buy batik, please choose the original batik, which declared by the UNESCO as the world's heritage.

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How To Make Orignal Batik Cap

By the 1920's the world's recognized batik cap, which using a stamp as the applicator (media) for the hot wax to be applied @ the fabric. It sounds like the industrial age of original batik, when we could made original batik in higher speed.
At the beginning, the stamp was made of wood. Later, in the few years, some batik manufactures used copper, which could absorb the calory faster and holds it longer.
The process is quite the same with the original batik tulis process :
1. Mordanting.
2. Rengreng (sketching).
3. Ngecap (batik stamping). 
4. Coloring. See the Canting & Tolet (Dyeing) process video
5. Locking.
6. Nembok (block some areas with hot wax)
7. Coloring (phase 2).
8. Locking (phase 2)
9. Lorod (removing wax from fabric) See Ngelorot process video

How To Make Original Batik Tulis

batik comes from a white / blank sheet

The word "Batik", came from Java terminology : "amba" = wide + "nitik" = make some dots. So, "batik" = making some (lots of) dots on a wide area (a sheet of fabric, usually as sized as human body, e.g : 115 cm x 300 cm to make jarik).
The name consist of the real meaning : making a lot of dots. Moreover, it also had philosophic meaning : that the life starts from an empty / blank (like a blank / white sheet of fabric) then we fill in the blank with dot by dot, then connecting it with lines, fill it with colors, and finally become a very beautiful and complex batik.
The oldest batik method is batik tulis, which reflecting the above mentioned terminology.
The process is :
1. Mordanting.
2. Rengreng (sketching).
3. Nyorek (drawing with canting)
4. Coloring. See the Canting & Tolet (Dyeing) process video
5. Locking.
6. Nembok (block some areas with hot wax)
7. Coloring (phase 2).
8. Locking (phase 2)
9. Lorod (removing wax from fabric) See Ngelorot process video

Canting

Canting is one of the most innovative device in batik tulis world since the XVIII century @ Central Java, Indonesia. It could apply the hot wax (liquid lilin malam) on the primissima / silk fabric in amazing detail, which could not be matched even with the modern fabric-printing system.
Canting is mostly made from copper, which could absorb and hold energy of the hot wax, so the wax still in appropriate viscosity. Therefore the artist could apply the hot wax accurately on the fabric, and durable enough to border the colors.

Original Batik

Batik is Java terminology for a method of making patterns / images on a fabric using / applying hot wax (in Java, we called it : Lilin Malam) which prevent water based colors to dyeing the fabric.
The ancient world had recognized the method since 400 BC (Ancient Egypt), China (Tand Dinasty, 618-907), Japan (Nara period : 645-794), Nigeria (Yoruba tribe), Senegal (Soninke tribe and Wolof tribe).  Later in the end of XVII century, Indonesia (Majapahit Kingdom) recoqnized batik.
Although Java, Indonesia is the latest, but it is the richest and most advanced batik techniques thrives here. At Central Java, batik used especially by royal families on their fashion. The art + values + horizons + visions of the royal families (and the leaders) are applied onto the fabrics (fashion). New, aesthetic, and timeless patterns and designs popping up. Then we know the : parang, kawung, truntum, sidoluhur, sidodadi, etc.
At Central Java, the innovative pen to apply hot wax in batik was founded  : canting. The batik process which using canting called batik tulis and batik semi tulis.

By the 1920's batik stamp was founded, which open the gate of faster batik production process, which named batik cap.

Since the way to dye batik are by  dip and tolet (hand-painting), the result is astonishing double sided fabric.

The development of batik @ Java, especially : Cirebon (West Java), Pekalongan (Central Java) and Solo / Surakarta (Central Java) reached the Classic Period on the early of 1900s. The batik technique is written in the "History of Java" by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, when he was became the Governor of Great Britain  @ Java.