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CHAPTER 2
THEORETICAL FOUNDATION
This chapter will discuss the general information about Batik, types of Batik,
examples of Traditional Batik, and some tools that have been developed to generate
patterns.
2.1 Batik
Batik can be considered as a textile art. There are many widely-known
techniques in producing Batik, such as India (bandhana), China (miao), Japan
(rokechi, katanori), Russia (bokhara), and Malay region (plangi, palekat). All motifs
regarding Batik has evolve according to the place and time, such as Keraton (solo,
yogya, majapahit), India (patola and jlamprang), Islam (anti-anthromorphic,
arasbesque, flat forms), China (bright colour, floral, phoenix, lions, and dragons)[3].
Each object that represents animal has its own mythological meanings. For
example birds, they use many birds because birds have the flight capability that
represent the flight capability to be able to connect between heaven and earth.
Another example is lotus motif, a water plant, because of its growth type that grow
upward to the sky from the depth of water, it can represent a manifestation of life.
Batik is not just an ordinary textile art. There are functional values consisted
inside it. By using each of the value, many kinds of different motifs will be created.
For example the motifs between peasant and noble, coastal and interior, everyday
and ritual are not similar to represent the difference of each of the value.
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2.2 Process of Making Traditional Batik
Here are some of the materials and tools that are needed in order to make
Traditional Batik[4] :
1. Cloth
2. Canting (to draw motif)
3. Gawangan (place for hang and wind the cloth)
4. Liquid wax
5. Small pot and stove for the heating
6. Dyeing solution
And the steps are[5] :
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The first step is creating the batik design which is called molani. In the
motif decision, each person has his/her own taste. Some of them prefer
creating their own motif, and some others prefer following the existing
motif. There are 2 types of motif that is commonly used in Indonesia, they
are classic batik, which plays more with symbols, and coastal batik with
its own natural uniqueness like flower and butterfly. Designing the motif
can be used with pencil.
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After finishing the molani, the second step is drawing with canting
following the pattern that has been done in the first step.
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The next step is covering the parts that will be left white with the liquid
wax. Do it with canting for the soft part, or brush for the wider part. The
objective is to prevent the white part to be painted with other color in the
dyeing process by the dyeing solution.
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Next is the first dyeing process for the part that is not covered with liquid
wax by dyeing the cloth to the color chosen.
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After it is dyed, the cloth will be dried.
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When it is dry, back to the proces of drawing with canting to cover the
part that has been dyed at the first dyeing process.
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Then continue with the second dyeing process by dyeing the cloth to the
color chosen.
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The next step is uncovering the wax that cover the cloth by putting the
cloth into boiled water above the stove.
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After the cloth has been dried and cleaned, back to the process of
covering the part that has been dyed in the first and second dyeing process
with wax.
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The process of covering and uncovering the cloth can be repeated as
many times as possible depends on how many combination of color are
used.
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The next process is nglorot, where the cloth that has changed color is
boiled with boiling water. The goal is to get rid of the wax so that the
motif that has been made before can be seen clearly. The dyeing process
will not make the motif that has been made stained with color because the
top part of the cloth will still be covered by a thin layer of wax (which has
not completely cleaned). After it is done, then the batik is ready to be
used.
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The last step is to clean the batik cloth and dry it before it can be worn.
2.3 Types of Batik
There are two types of Batik that exist, Traditional Batik and Modern Batik.
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2.3.1 Traditional Batik
Traditional Batik, especially from Yogyakarta and Surakarta, has remarkable
meanings of the universe to Javanese conceptualization. There are three traditional
colours that represent the three major Hindu Gods (Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva) which
are white, dark brown, and indigo because of the fact that indigo and brown are the
most commonly available colours that natur al dyes have. In the past, not all people
can wear cloths with some certain patterns, because the wider the stripes, it indicates
the higher rank for nobility. So during the Javanese ceremonies, by seeing the cloth’s
pattern that is used, royal lineage of a person can be determined.
Many uniqueness can be seen from all the variety of pattern that spread all
over Indonesia by incorporating the patterns such as flowers, nature, animals,
folklore, or people. Each of the patterns will have some meanings on it, not all
random patterns can be used in the process of making Batik, because it has to have
meanings.
There are many kinds of Traditional Batik in Java varies from place to place.
In West Java, there are Batik Indramayu, Batik Bogor, Batik Cirebon and Batik
Garut. In Central Java, there are Batik Semarang, Batik Solo, Batik Pekalongan,
Batik Rembang, Batik Tegal, and Batik Yogyakarta. While in East Java, there are
Batik Madura, Batik Sidoarjo, Batik Tuban, Batik Banyuwangi, Batik Mojokerto,
Batik Ponorogo, and Batik Tulungagung
In West Java, there are many people who do not know that West Java is rich
of the Batik motif. According to the Head of West Java Batik Foundation, West Java
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has two hundred Batik motif and the design is corresponding with the place of origin.
Here are some of the motif in West Java[6] :
1. Batik Indramayu
Batik Indramayu in general has an image of a coast. One of the example is
there is a fisherman looking for fish in the sea. Another character of Batik Indramayu
is a sense of flora and fauna which most of them are using birds and some sort of
flowers. Examples of Batik Indramayu are Etong, Kapal Terdampar, Ganggeng, and
Kembang Gunda.
2. Batik Bogor
Bogor is commonly named the city of rain. Batik Bogor has its own
uniqueness with its drizzle motif, lotus motif, deer motif and many other. But the
most popular among all Batik Bogor is of course its drizzle motif because Bogor is
known as the city of rain.
3. Batik Cirebon
Batik Cirebon is also known as Batik Mega Mendung. According to the
history of Cirebon, Sunan there who taught about Islam married a Chinese woman
who put an interest into art especially ceramic. Apparently the motif on the ceramic
affected the motif on the Batik so that it looks like the mixture between Cirebon and
China. One of the most popular motif is Batik Mega Mendung. It can be seen that it
has China style on the motif.
4. Batik Garut
Batik Garut is commonly shown with a flat and geometric shapes. All these
shapes are usually drawn diagonally, kawung, or rhobus. Some of them can also
contain flora and fauna artistic. Batik Garut is a reflection of the social life,
philosophy and Sunda tradition. Some examples of Batik Garut are Rereng Peuteuy,
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Rereng Kembang Corong, Rereng Mer ak Ngibing, Rereng Pacul, and Limar. There
are also Lereng Adumanis, Lereng Suuk, Lereng Calung, Lereng Daun, Cupat
Manggu, Bilik, and Sapu Jagat. Bright color and full on the other side is one of the
uniqueness of Batik Garut. Dominated with skin color or ivory, blue, and a little bit
of soft red.
In Central Java, there are Batik Semarang, Batik Solo, Batik Pekalongan,
Batik Rembang, Batik Tegal, and Batik Yogyakarta. Here are some of the motif in
Central Java :
1. Batik Semarang
In general, Batik Semarang has a base color of red orange because it is
affected by China and Europe. And furthermore, base motif of Batik Semarang is
affected alot by China and use many fauna motif rather than flora motif. There are
also motif that represents the icon of Semarang City such as Tugu Muda, Lawang
Sewu, Burung Kuntul, Wisma Perdamaian, and Gereja Blenduk.
2. Batik Solo
Solo is one of the most popular Batik tour in Indonesia. Batik Solo is popular
of its traditional pattern in the process of making. The most popular patterns are
“Sidomukti” and “Sidoluruh”. Batik Solo is dominated with chocolate and yellowish
color.
3. Batik Pekalongan
Batik Pekalongan motif is a mixture of a socialitation between Pekalongan
and many other country such as China, Netherland, Arab, India, Melayu, and Japan
in the past. Some of them are Batik Jlamprang from India and Arab, Batik Encim and
Klangenan from China, Netherland, and Japan. Most of Batik Pekalongan is using
bright color that made the popularity growth of Batik Solo growing very fast. Batik
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Pekalongan is a little bit different with others such as Batik Solo and Yogyakarta
because it looked dynamical due to the variant of motif that is more to the freestyle
motif.
4. Batik Rembang
The most popular Batik in Rembang is Batik Lasem. The market of Batik
Lasem had reached abroad market. The motif is Batik Lasem Sekarjagad which has a
unique way of coloring and has an impression of old style. The other Rembang motif
are Batik Lasem Bledakan with red blood hong birds and Batik Lasem Bledakan with
purple latoh flower motif.
5. Batik Tegal
Batik Tegal is dominated with chocolate and blue color. The other uniqueness
of Batik Tegal is it is made colorful. Batik Tegal can be recognized with its pattern
and motif like a wide and big rengrengan which looks so exclusive because it is only
contained in Batik Tegal. The motif is generally adopted from the flora and fauna
around the society in Tegal. Grudo (Garuda) motif with bright color that shows the
shape of Garuda’s wings and Gribigan motif with a unique bamboo webbing with
darker color.
6. Batik Yogyakarta
In Yogyakarta, the color of the traditional batik is blue-black, and chocolate-
white from nature color. Blue-black is taken from indigofera leaf’s color. While the
chocolate color is taken from the combination between red high tree’s skin, reddish
chocolate jambal tr ee’s skin, and yellow tegeran log. The character of Batik
Yogyakarta is firm, formal, a little bit stiff, and obey to the pakem. Examples o
Batik Yogyakarta are Ambarsari, Kawung, and Parang Rusak Barong.
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In East Java, the development of Batik is actually slower than Batik in
Central Java. One of the reason is because there is a patron from the kerato
in
Central Java and Yogyakarta so there is always an inovation. Whereas batik in East
Java also has unique motif compare to other place. Batik in East Java has a more free
style without following any pakem. The variant of motif in East Java is more natural
and it uses bright color. Here are some of the motif in East Java :
1. Batik Madura
Batik motif in Madura is using natural dyes so that the color is a little bit
contrast. Besides the contrast color like yellow, red or green, Batik Madura also has
many variant of motif. Such as pucuk tombak, belah ketupat, and rajut. In fact, there
are some motif that use flora and fauna that live alongside the resident’s daily life.
2. Batik Sidoarjo
Batik motif in Sidoarjo is dominated by flora and fauna exclusively in
Sidoarjo that has contrast color such as red, yellow, green, and black. The motif is
also using old motif, there is only a little changes made from the motif that is used in
the past. There are abangan dan ijo-ijoan (Madura style), beras kutah, krubutan, and
burung merah.
3. Batik Tuban
Batik Tuban is the most unique in East Java because the process begins from
fabric for making batik spun directly from cotton. So the roll of cotton is spun into
thread, then weaved, and after it is made into a cloth then it will be made into batik.
This type of batik later is called Batik Gedog. According to the book named Batik
Fabled Cloth of Java composed by Inger McCabe Elliot, batik Tuban actually is
similar with batik Cirebon in the nineteenth. The similarity can be seen in the spun
thread and the usage of red and blue in the dyeing process. But then Cirebon city had
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been drastically evolved and the batik there also influenced by the evolution and
batik Tuban still had not changed.
4. Batik Banyuwangi
Not many people know that actually Banyuwangi is one of the origins of
batik in the archipelago. Many original motifs typical batik Bumi Blambangan. But
until now only 21 types of native batik Banyuwangi are nationally recognized.
Example of batik Banyuwangi are Gajah Oling, Kangkung Setingkes, Alas Bolong,
Paras Gempal, Kopi Pecah, and others. All names of original batik motif Bumi
Blambangan turned out influenced by natual conditions. For example, The quite well
known Batik Gajah Oling, the motif is in the form of animals such as eels that have a
large size. Sembruk Cacing motif also has a worm-like motif and motif Gedegan also
has a Gedeg-like motif. This type of batik motif is a reflection of the natural wealth
in Banyuwangi.
5. Batik Mojokerto
The uniqueness of batik Mojokerto is on its pattern names that are very
strange and odd to imagine for some people. For example gedeg rubuh, matahari,
mrico bolong, pring sedapur, grinsing, or surya majapahit. Batik Mojokerto now has
6 motifs that has been patented, pring sedapur, mrico bolong, sisik grinsing, koro
renteng, rawan indek, and matahari. Batik Mojokerto design took about natural
pattern of human life. For example, pring sedapur motif is an image of bamboo
groves with dangling leaves. There are peacocks perch. The color is basically white
with blue bamboo rods. While the leaves in blue and black. Similarly gedeg rubuh
motif, the pattern is similar to the skewed woven bamboo. If mrico bolong, the motif
is in the form of hollow spheres pepper.
6. Batik Ponorogo
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Batik Ponorogo is popular for its peacock motif that is taken from the which
is the iconic symbol of Ponorogo. Until now, there are at least 25 Ponorogo batik
patterns have been created. Other motifs are merak tarung, merak romantis, sekar
jagad, and batik reog.
7. Batik Tulungagung
The charm of batik Tulungagung lies in the courage level to produce batik
color blends with different color. Of which most are brown or black, are now more
willingly to play with brighter color. Some of the most widely motifs made in
Tulungagung such as buket ceprik gringsing, buket ceprik pacit ungker, and lereng
buket.
2.3.2 Modern Batik
As time goes by, Batik has evolved and evolved into a state that is called
Modern Batik by the society. Modernization of Batik keeps growing as the demand
for goods increases and the number of competitors in Batik increases. The effect to
Batik is all the innovations that continue to grow modify and modernized the Batik
itself.
Several aspects can be seen in terms of Modern Batik which are stated by
Quintanova Batik and SBC committee[7 ]. Sense of modern can be seen by integrating
two cloths in one instance that will become a combination of the slope with some
motifs. Another sense of modern can be seen also in term of technical, which is Batik
Printing. But for some people that know Batik from the past which is Traditional
Batik, Batik Printing can not be included because there is no Batik-making process
inside it.
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 Modern Batik has gained more popularity in the past few years from
community to community. Modern Batik’s target market is from younger generation,
so younger gener ation nowadays knows more about the existence of Modern Batik
rather than Traditional Batik. By adding many young- feelings colours and patterns,
Modern Batik has reached the heart of younger generation.
2.4 Example of Batik
Figure 2.1 Javanese Kawung Batik [8]
Javanese Kawung Batik is known since the thirteenth century. In order to
serve the royal court of the Sultan of Jogjakarta, they reserve this pattern for many
years.
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 Figure 2.2 Ceplok Yogya Parang Batik [ 9]
Ceplok is fundamentally geometric such as circles and squares. It can
represent and abstraction of flowers or even animals. By using the variant of color,
illusions can be formed. A single pattern will be repeated again and again.
Figure 2.3 Parang Rusak Batik [9]
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Parang is using the design of slanting rows of thick knife-like segments in a
diagonal way. It is usually made by playing with brightness and contrast level of
color by making it darker or lighter.
2.5 Tools Used in Generating Batik Motif
There are many options on how to draw the motif. The one that is more
convenient is by using Java. Java has a shaping API which is Java 2D API. It
provides several classes that define common geometric objects such as points, lines,
curves, and rectangles. They are packed into a package named java.awt.geom. By
using this API and some geometry calculations, many kinds of shapes can be made
by using basic geometry such as point to point, lines, or even curves. To conclude,
this project will be made by using Java with the Java 2D API as the provider of the
basic shapes.
In Java 2D API, there is an Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT) which gives
the capabilities to make graphics, text, and imaging for java programs[10].
These are all the capabilities provided by Java 2D API :
A uniform rendering model for display devices and printers
A wide range of geometric primitives, such as curves, rectangles, and ellipse, as
well as a mechanism for rendering virtually any geometric shape
Mechanisms for performing hit detection on shapes, text, and images
A compositing model that provides contorl over how overlapping objects are
rendered
Enhanced color support that facilitates color management
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Support for printing complex documents
Control of the quality of the rendering through the use of rendering hints
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