Batik work is a tie and dye technique of textile painting. The craft has been cultivated in Rajasthan for almost 2000 years now. The word batik itself means 'wax composition'. Batik is generally done on cotton and silk textiles besides cambric, poplins and voiles. Batik patterns are created in three steps. Firstly a rough design is sketched on the textile and the portion that requires dying in one color is chosen. The remaining of the textile is coated with molten wax. This process is known as waxing. The waxed areas do not absorb the dye. Now this textile is dyed in the chosen hue and when dry the fabric is dewaxed by ironing or immersing in hot water. This process is repeated several times to introduce various colors into the fabric. So finally a colorful textile of exquisite designs and vibrant hues is obtained. The crackling effect is a unique feature of batik and is caused by the creases in the wax.
Topic
Arts & Crafts