From fibre to fashion, batik is anything but contemporary art. No batik design is ever really the same, but every batik design is just a thing of beauty. Batik, or tie and dye as it’s known all around Ghana, is a wax resistant fibre art that uses liquid wax, coloured dyes and eccentric designs of choice.
Originating from the Javanese language, batik comes from the Javenese word ‘ambatik’, which means to mark with dots or spots. The beautiful art is practised all across the globe, from India to the Middle East, Asia and Africa and interested in learning how to batik? We teach you in 5 simple steps.
What do you need?
- Melted wax
- A sponge
- Cotton cloth
- Dye
- Your hands!
1.Stretch your fabric
It would be best to have your fabric ready and stretched before the real barking process. You can use an already dyed fabric or a plain fabric for this. Stretching involves pinning or holding the fabric in place with clips, pins or nails if you’re a little extra.
2.Stamping.
The next step, which several batiking experts consider the first step, is immersion of your design stamp into the wax. Design stamps are typically created on wood or foam. In Ghana, many of our stamps feature cultural symbols like the Adinkra motifs to spread our culture around the globe. Once your stamp has been fully immersed in the wax, it’s time to start applying it.
Stamping should be done in a specific order to prevent a huge mess. You can move vertically or horizontally, depending on your preferences. There are no limits to your imagination; thus, you could alternate your motifs with brush stripes, random dye sprays, and many more.
3.Colouring
When colouring your fabric, you need to have buckets for every colour. For every extra colour, you need an extra bucket. Be certain of the colour you want as an end goal before starting the colouring process, as you will continue to dye your fabric until that colour is attained.
Wear gloves before mixing colours, and slowly dip your fabric into the mix. Continue to mix and match the colours preferred until you achieve your goal. After which, it’s time for rinsing.
4.Rinsing.
Wash your fabric with clear water after the colouring process; the excess colour will give way to a unique piece of art created for you. If you’re looking to add even more colour, wash out your first process, and dry your batik in the sun before going into another session of waxing and dyeing. Once you’re certain about the colour, rinse your batik and immerse it in boiling water to remove the wax. Stir your batik fabric with a wooden stick until all the wax is dissolved completely. Dry your fabric in the sun; in time, you have your design ready for use.
Batik making is an activity you should add to your list when travelling to ghana. If you’re already here, chances are you’ve never tried making this; sign up now for our batiking making workshop and leave with your very own handmade tie and dye creation, thanks to wonderful Grace, the founder of Gracia Fabrics. With over 30 years of experience, she promises to guide you through each step with utter attention, ensuring that your batik-making session is exciting, engaging and memorable.
Written by; Akua Tsetsewa Yawson
