Culture of Chinese Batik

About Culture of Batik / Wax Printing

The traditional Chinese art of batik painting and printing is one of the three major printing crafts in ancient China. It was kept alive as a hobby by local folks, revived in 20th century.

The traditional Chinese art of batik painting and printing is one of the three major printing crafts in ancient China. It was kept alive as a hobby by local folks, revived in 20th century.

Batik literally means 'wax writing' or batik printing, which is the art of creating images on the cotton cloth using wax resist method. Due to natural chapping of wax, the stripes on wax printed cloth are of uncertainty and hence resulting to the uniqueness of every wax printed work. Batik printing is thus named as a kind of Fingerprints in cloth painting. With abundant patterns, gorgeous color and special style, wax printed cloth is widely used in daily lives of Southeastern China Minorities with its primitive, fantastic, eye-catching and ethnic characteristics.

The folk batik painting techniques spread in Anshun, Guizhou are most long standing in China. Most households in these minorities regions have their own dye vat. Even at an early age of 12 or 13, the Buyi ethnic group girls began learning the batik painting techniques, and all women here are able to paint with wax, hence why it is named "the Hometown of Batik Painting". Today in the Palace Museum (the Purple Forbidden City), a batik painting created by Miao Minority in Anshun City is on display, whose content is an embroidered band in the form of a fan (for women to carry babies on their back).

How to Make Batik / Wax Printing in China

Having a good sense of colors and patterns is significant for a batik artist. The motifs used in batik may be simple, however knowledge of color gradations and tack to remove wax finely are required. How to skillfully applying the wax resist and systematic cracking are the key facts of creating a beautiful art piece. The characteristic batik effect is created by cracking of wax on the lighter hues and seeping in of the darker colors though them.

Linen or cotton is commonly used as the cloth for batik, on which a pattern is designed, first with charcoal and then with bee wax. Thereafter, either ink or wax is drawn on layer upon layer. By submerging the cloth into hot water, the wax dissolves. Thereafter, the next color can be applied. By this method the ink leaks through it can be avoided. This procedure is repeated until the desired result is accomplished. That is the reason why the prices of the paintings fluctuate drastically. As for the choice of the wax, it differs for each type of effect that is desired. Specific washing procedure is employed for the result of how much "crackle" is desired for each technique. The temperature and the method of application of the wax also have great influence on the desired result. There are as many recipes as there are batik workshops.

The most common recipe is a mix of 70% paraffin (brozer) and 30% bee wax (elastic and flexible). The more paraffin is applied, the more crackle effect appears. On the contrary, the more bee wax is applied, less crackle effect is visible. One may also add different types of raisin to the recipe.

Compiled by Alan and edited by Jackie from Chilture.com
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