Gertrude Clayton Lewis

“ If a perfect balance of contrast of any tint of a color is desired, the contrasting tint must show the same proportion of white in its make-up; but the contrast may be made more decided by choosing a lighter contrasting tint.
Yellow has the tendency to come nearer the observer and it adds warmth and brilliancy to all its combinations with other colors. Red is less brilliant than yellow, but it is the most intense and positive of all the colors. Blue is the retreating cold color. It shows its quality best by daylight. Blue and white are the strongest color contrasts excepting black and white. ”

“ As color always seems darker when it is wet, it is difficult to tell exactly when you have as deep a color as you desire, but holding the material up to the light gives a fairly good idea of the way the color will look when dry. To get a deep shade of a special color it is always better to work up to the color desired by steps, that is, to dye a light tone of the color desired, examine this and if it is the desired shade continue until the desired depth of color is reached. ”

“ The extensive use of dyeing as a means of printing textiles dates from the 19th century, when the modern chemical dyes were discovered. There is still a prejudice among some people against the use of chemical dyes for art work. This seems to be based upon the undisputed fact that in the early days of the dye industry some of the colors were so crude and harsh that people fell into the delusion that all harsh colors were due to chemical dyes. ”

“ If a brush overloaded with hot wax is set on the cloth, the wax will spread in a drop or blur at the point where the brush touches the cloth, which will make the line irregular. Of course, to have an even flow of wax from the brush, the temperature of the wax must be kept the same. If the worker dips first into wax that is hot and which sinks into the cloth easily and then into wax that is so cool that it stays on top of the cloth and refuses to penetrate the fiber, the finished work will be ragged and uneven about the edges. ”

“ Dye need never be thrown away. If it dries to a powder or crystal on the bottom of the pan, set the pan away, and when the color is wanted again add warm water as at first and dissolve again. Sometimes as the dye stands in a pan day after day, if it is in constant use, some color may settle on the sides or a film may gather on top of the pan which will streak or spot the cloth if not noticed. Simply strain the dye into a clean vessel and continue to use it as long as any color remains. ”

“ When the worker can produce a piece of Batik or tied-and-dyed with a dye that will last, there is no excuse for careless work. And a piece of the work should receive the time and care in making that its beautiful possibilities deserve.
Batik dye cannot be used hot as the wax would melt. If used very cold the wax tends to crack and the color will creep under the wax. If too hot, that is, over 128 degrees Fahrenheit, the wax melts and the design is blurred or lost. The best temperature for the dye bath is between 90 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. ”

“ For more elaborate work, where a combination of colors is desired in the design, the painting process may be used. As in the previous cases, the material is stretched on the Batik frame and the design outlined and then waxed in. If a combination of colors is to be used, it is best to have the design in colors on paper as a guide. It is very easy to become confused as to colors to be used on the various sections of the pattern, and mistakes in painting with dyes are serious, as the color can only be removed with a solution of ammonia or washing soda. ”

“ An hour is better for a slow color like black. Some colors, such as black, brown and yellow, unite with the fiber of the cloth more slowly than others, so that more time must be allowed for these. Blue dyes very quickly and easily, but must be given time to set in the fiber to become thoroughly permanent. These time suggestions are for the “Bateeko Dyes” in powder form.
There is also a great difference in materials used, as to the rapidity with which they will absorb the dye. Wool and silk absorb the dye easily and quickly, cotton, linen and hemp much more slowly. ”

“ The ironing melts the wax out. If traces of the wax or pencil marks still adhere, the goods can be washed in gasoline or benzine. When the wax was removed, the result was a piece of two-tone Batik work of deep blue with a white design. For most Batik work, light colored fabrics are used, as designs can be successfully darkened, but cannot be made lighter on dark goods. But, on the whole, a delicate color is better as a foundation than white, because the white will often be a little out of harmony with the colors. ”

“ A shade is secured by adding black. Between the full strength of the dye and white, however, lies the range of tints most easily used. Refer to the Color Chart for the complements of the tints and shades. These vary in the case of crimson, for instance, from deep crimson through rose to the palest pink tints. Each decided color step in this scale gives related tints that may safely be combined. If they are not far removed from each other in intensity, they give very little contrast, but may be at the same time a very pleasing combination. ”

“ Yellow is the complement of violet and violet of yellow.
Orange is the complement of blue and blue of orange.
Red is the complement of green and green of red.
The outside of the circle in the cut represents the full strength of the pure color. The addition of different amounts of white and black is indicated by the inner circles, the center standing for pure white or pure black. The circle may be subdivided to suggest many gradations from the full color through the tints to white and by the addition of black through the shades to black. ”

“ Dyes vary in their tendency to dye evenly or in spots, and if the worker finds herself using a color having a tendency to streak, this can be overcome by especial care in keeping the piece continually moving while in that color.
To secure an even color it is necessary to keep a gentle motion so as to prevent the dye from settling in any part and to keep all the cloth equally wet, so that it is necessary to have a vessel large enough to keep the cloth entirely under the water and moving freely. ”

“ With a Batik frame such as described the cloth is held smoothly and firmly in place, making it easy to get good edges and long smooth lines with either a tjanting or brush. If no frame is used great care must be exercised to avoid letting the wax penetrate the cloth and touch anything behind, as it will stick. In lifting it away the wax covering will be torn from the back of the threads. If this is not noticed before dyeing the dye will have a chance to penetrate these fibers and so spoil the clearness of the pattern. ”

“ If a heavy crackle is wanted, wax and chill as before, then twist or wring the material in such a way as to give deeper, heavier cracks. A little practice will make these suggestions clear. It will sometimes be desirable to crackle certain parts or spots in a design in both of these ways. After crackling the wax, dye as in any Batik piece. Stir constantly to dye evenly in every small crack. Rinse very thoroughly to remove all extra dye from the cracks.
This process may be repeated with another color, so that the two sets of crackle lines intermingle. ”

“ In mixing dyes both brown and black are valuable to tone down the clear colors. There need be no fear of producing a muddy color by adding black or brown dye to the colors, as is produced by adding black paint, because the black dye is made up of particles of other colors. ”

“ With the colored design before one, the dyes are mixed and tried on a scrap of the material.
This method of applying color with a brush is desirable only for small spots or surfaces. It is not possible to cover large surfaces evenly with a brush, as the color will be stronger in the spot first touched by the brush. In dyeing one color over another the result is a modified color which seldom harmonizes with spots of color that are painted in. ”

“ With red as the basic color, and with the strength of color in mind as suggested before, we find that
Orange over red will give orange red. Yellow over red will give orange. Green over red will give dark grey, green or red. Blue over red will give violet. Violet over red will give red violet. Brown over red will give red brown. Black over red will give grey red. ”

“ The intricacy of the design is the determining factor in the number of processes necessary for any given piece of Batik. The more colors desired, the more often will the fabric have to be immersed in the dye bath. The simplest and therefore first process for the beginner is that of dyeing the material one color with the pattern left in the original color of the cloth. ”

“ Even in that far-off land, machine imitations of Batik are flooding the country, and it is difficult today to be sure that a given piece is a genuine example of the hand process, unless the individual history of the piece is known, since the old designs are still used, and the native work is imitated in the printed cloths even to the crackle and irregularity of the designs. ”

“ The first detailed account of Batik making was by Raffles in 1817. At that time the “tjanting,” an instrument which will be explained later, was in universal use. How long it had been used and when it superseded the brush, which was doubtless used earlier, as it was in India, is not known. About 1860, a new process was introduced by means of which the wax was transferred to the cloth by a metal stamp dipped in the melted wax and then pressed on the cloth. This stamping process is known as “tjap” and is done by men, while in Batik work the designing and painting are always done by women. ”

“ Some means of keeping the wax hot must be produced. Anything that will hold the wax at an even temperature will do, an electric stove, gas burner, or alcohol burner. A bowl of wax may be set in the top of a tea-kettle of boiling water and will remain hot enough to use for half an hour without reheating the water. ”

“ If a blue dye is to be used first, the following suggestions may help. Accordingly as the blue used is strong or weak, it will appear in the resulting combination strongly or weakly. The top dye used over it will equally of course count in the resulting combination according as it is strong or weak. Having these two points in mind we can say:
Red over blue will give purple. Violet over blue will give blue violet. Green over blue will give blue green. Yellow over blue will give green. Brown over blue will give dark brown. Black over blue will give blue black.
[53] ”

“ The brush is in much more general use than the tjanting and is preferred by many who have experimented with both. A small red sable, No. 4, is good for outlining. If it seems to carry too much wax or does not point well, let the wax harden and trim off the projecting hairs. A No. 6 to a No. 12 brush will fill in flat surfaces rapidly. With practice, beautiful line work can be done with a small brush. In the beginning, it is safe to wipe off a little of the wax on the side of the cup instead of trying to carry to the cloth all the wax the brush will hold. ”

“ Great skill is needed not only to securely grasp all the layers of cloth at once, but to so seize each portion that it may crinkle in a particular manner while being securely wound around and tied. Moreover, the thread is not cut into separate pieces at each tied point. ”

“ The cloth is now ready. The wax used is a mixture of rosin, animal fat and beeswax. The proportion of each has been worked out by long experience. A little iron pan or stone jar holds the melted wax. The tjanting, which is the characteristic tool of Batik work, is used to apply the wax. This is a little oval cup made of very thin copper with a slender curved spout projecting from the base of the cup. For a handle, a short piece of reed with a soft pith is used. Tjantings vary in the size and number of spouts. A tjanting with a fine slender spout is used for very narrow lines and small dots. ”

“ For that reason it is best to remove all the wax possible in the first gasoline bath and rinse in clean gasoline before dyeing again.
In dyeing textiles in large quantities with the “Bateeko” Powder Dyes as is required for costumes, draperies, etc., the directions as to size of receptacle, time of dyeing, stirring, etc., are the same as for smaller work.
While these dyes are very rapid in their action when used in only tepid water, they are naturally still more rapid when used hot. ”

“ The Javanese women employ the “Batik” process largely for the decorations of textiles used in their personal costume. This costume is simple, consisting of an oblong piece of cloth about three to four and one-half yards long by forty-two inches wide, generally called a “sarong.” It is worn wrapped around the waist and tucked in the belt. This costume is worn by both men and women.
A cotton scarf, generally about three yards long by eighteen inches, is also worn, and is used by the women as a “carry-all.” Silk is occasionally used by the nobility for scarfs. ”

“ Such a place as the wing and crown of the bird figured on the velvet bag shown on page 30 could well be painted in with a brush. A blending of the colors found in some of the tropical birds—yellow, orange and blue, for instance—would be gorgeous.
The process of cleaning and finishing velvet is long and requires skill to do it successfully. The craft worker is advised to send a piece of velvet Batik to a professional if possible, rather than risk spoiling it herself. ”

“ She fills her tjanting with hot wax by means of the cocoanut-shell spoon, and, holding the cloth in her left hand, draws the design in with the tjanting by resting the tjanting lightly on the cloth or moving it gently around the outline. The small parts of the design are generally done without first drawing the design in charcoal. The cotton swab is used as a brush to wax the larger places.
The more we study the designs of the Javanese the more we realize the influence of their tools. ”