All Kinds of Reality: FROM TATTOO TO FASHION (PART 2/3)

PIPE USED IN BATIK TECHNIQUE

Step 2: Working Technique

And based on this information I developed a series of works. I started to transfer a specific tattoo model on a textile material. The working technique I used is called batik. Is a technique that came from Indonesia, which was taken by other Asian countries as well, today being known in the whole world. This is a traditional technique for printing textiles with the help of wax. The wax, because of its chemical composition, after it is fixed in the textile makes that portion to become waterproof. For wax application – preferably white or some pale shades of colors – is used a (smoking) pipe. There the wax is put to melt over a flame (usually it is used a candle). With this pipe`s help is drawn the model on the surfaces that will have the color of the textile. What is left uncovered will be painted. The material can be drowned in a color bath or manually painted, but it is important that the pigment used to be for textile materials. After that, the wax will be removed. It can be removed by putting the material in boiled water, if the texture allows it. Or it can be removed by putting another textile material on top of it and iron the surface, with a temperature as high as possible. The wax will melt and it will leave grassy sport on the material that was on top.

This technique can be repeated more than one time on the same surface without living unwanted traces. And the textile material painted can be embroidered after, or manipulated through other processes, if wanted.

Step 3: Completing with manually embroidery

The next step is to finish the works by adding embroidery on top of paint. The embroidery was manually made by adding beads of different sizes and forms.