Malaysian Batik

Last January, our immersion course visited a batik factory/shop in Malaysia. There are two ways of making batik. I'm not too familiar with it, but this is what I remember from what the artist told us: The artist draws each special design by hand (with paraffin pens) and by inspiration. Because it depends on what the artist is thinking of, each design is unique, making each batik a "customized" piece of fashion art. The fabric is then dipped in inks, and the wax is removed in layers from the designs one at a time so that the fabric will take each color it is dipped into. The process takes hours but the result is well worth the wait. The second method is blocking. Once the fabric is ready, the inks and design blocks are chosen, and the fabric is laid out just like as if the artist were to draw on it with wax, but instead the blocks are dipped in ink and then rolled or stamped onto the fabric. This method is often used for larger bolts of fabric that are then cut into smaller pieces for sarongs or shirts or skirts, etc. The art of making batik is so intricate and every single piece of batik produced is unique. Some of the fabrics available for purchase were in the hundreds of dollars. I too succumbed and purchased a few items. It was not hard to spend several hundred dollars in that place.