LEARNING THE CULTURE OF HAND-MADE BATIK

Batik Art & Craft Culture


Batik Art Designs: Paintings, Fabric, Process and Techniques

Batik prints are so common in our society today, that it's hard to imagine a life without their beauty.

Although the exact origin of batik is unknown, there are several theories touching on it. The Batik art designs have found their way into the lives of many. Read on to know more about this extremely popular form of art.

Batik today, is found not only in the form of paintings but the patterns are also used on garments as well. From the walls of the living room, traditional Batik has reached the urban markets as supermodels all around the world also use sarongs or caftans made from the unique Batik technique. Unfortunately, a lot of fabrics have cropped up which only resemble Batik but are not actually made from the traditional techniques.

Batik Tie & Dye is one of the method to create beautiful works of art. This may not always be possible if you employ the old techniques.

Let us take a look into the old and new techniques of Batik and how this form has added so much color into our lives.

History of Batik:

Batik, using Tie & Dye technique is one of the most popular and attractive forms of art. Individuals have shown a major inclination towards this art right from the olden days. Batik has carved a niche for itself in the field of arts and craft. One can easily recognize a Batik item as it has established its own identity. This process has been used to create various designs and patterns on dress materials, home furnishings etc., not only in Indonesia, but all around the world. This art has thus played an important part in creating designer garments and decorative items for your homes. As a result over the years the popularity of Batik and Tie and Dye has increased.

Indonesia is renown for it’s Batik. The word 'Batik' is derived from the Javanese word "amba" (to write) and "titik"(for dot or point). This ancient art originated more precisely in the famous island of Java. The Europeans were known to be foremost to learn this art. They took it on from here and introduced it in their own countries. The Persians and Egyptians have also been known to use colorful materials made from Batik later on.

The Batik process and techniques gained prominence when it gradually spread to other countries. Countries like China, Japan, India and Africa have used their own style and interpretations of this art. This resulted in Batik being known as a decorative form of art. A lot of experiments have been carried out to date, in this regard.


The Chinese contributions to the batik designs are most evident in the use of more flower and bird motifs, border patterns, incorporating the use of pinks, yellows, and blues. Dutch and Eurasian women have favored the use of European floral bouquets, birds, bees, trees and butterflies in their patterns, a trend that is popularly in use today. All three cultures influenced the design and color combinations so heavily, that batik is often associated with these influential characteristics