And this is another good thing to remember in making a multi-coloured batik which is to have white as part of the colour arrangement. It is always advisable to dye the original white of the fabric some very pale shade, either grey, light tan, pale blue or even pink. If the material is used in its original pure white state, a pleasing effect will never result, as the white will always stand out as a glaring hard spot when it is next to colours that are dyed over each other and consequently blend harmoniously. This preliminary all-over dyeing will “tie in” the white and make it in key with the rest of the scheme.
The series of photographs shown here represents the successive stages of a batik in the making. The original fabric is white silk and the first step is the pouncing on, of the design with charcoal, which is then strengthened with pencil. With the tjanting this outline is then waxed ([Fig. 1]). The spots which are to be white in the completed design, are now filled in with the brush and the material is given its first dyeing, yellow ([Fig. 2]). Now all the parts that are to stay yellow, are covered off with the wax; when this waxing is completed the material is dipped in light blue, which being dyed over yellow, will produce light green ([Fig. 3]). After drying, all that has to stay green is covered off with wax ([Fig. 4]). The final dipping is in red. The last picture ([Fig. 5]) is the completed piece after the wax has been removed by gasolining; this photograph distinctly shows, in its variations of tone, the different colours that were used.
Fig. 4 Fig. 5
SUCCESSIVE STAGES IN THE MAKING OF A BATIK
THE VALUE OF A DYE RECORD
A dye record is an invaluable asset to a batiker; it is very little trouble to make and the time spent on it will easily be saved when future work is to be speeded up or samples are being made. A record book will prove its value in many ways, particularly if the batiks made are liable to be re-ordered, as for instance, when gowns are decorated for the trade, or if the making of one batik leads to a demand for a second, which perhaps is wanted with the same colour effects although not the same design. It is a good plan, therefore, to leave an extra strip of material on the piece that is to be batiked, or to pin a piece to the fabric which is to be decorated and let it go through all the different baths and processes, each time taking off a small sample of the new colour to be pasted in the record book.
Design, “Sorceress.”—Designer, A. Crisp. Batiked by P. Mijer and A. Crisp.
Date, January 2nd, 1918.
No. | Sample | Temp. | Color | Time in bath | Acid | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White | 105-110 | Yellow cream | 20 min. | Acetic | |
| 2 | Yellow cream | 110 | Salmon pink | 20 min. | Acetic | |
| 3 | Flesh colour | 110 | Light blue | 15 min. | Acetic | |
| 4 | Grey-blue | 105 90 | Strong blue | 20 min. 20 min. | Slight crackle obtained by reduction of temperature. | |
| 4a | Blue | 100 | Bleach | 15-20 min. | Ammonia | The batik is dipped in ammonia and rinsed for an hour. |
| 5 | Grey | 110 | Gold | 40 min. | Acetic | |
| 6 | Gold | 110 | Blue | 60 min. | Acetic | |
| 7 | Bluish-gold | 110 | Red | 50 min. | Acetic | |
| 9 | Bordeau | 90 110 | Black Blue | 60 min. 60 min. | Blue added to improve tone of black. | |
| 10 | Black | Material used, crepe-de-Chine. Price per yd., $5.00. Length of piece, 13 ft., 4 in. Height of piece, 9 ft. Gasoline, 15 gallons. (3 baths). Beeswax, 5 lbs. | ||||
THE USE OF BATIK FOR COSTUME