What is Indonesian traditional batik?

 

 

An ancient art, a resist method of dyeing textiles, using a hot wax resist. This technique originated from Java, Indonesia.

Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a tjanting or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. Batik can also be printed by machines.

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The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artist to color selectively by soaking the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colors are desired.