The Batik Industry in Malaysia has evolved over the years from:
Batik Blok ( Block Printing Batik)
Block printed batik was one of the early type of batik. It is a method that use a block carved with patterns, which is then dipped in wax and stamped onto fabric. Before this, the blocks would be made out of potato but they soon realize that the potato would spoil after a few days. Then they tried using wood but that also didn’t work because after a few times using it the wood would eventually break. Finally, they settled down with using zinc or copper as the block which is used till this day. Making the block to the desired design would take a month. Even so, after the fabric is stamped and the artist is satisfied, there would be a few more process after that.
2. Batik Skrin ( Screen Printing )
The use of stencils was introduced in 1939 in Kelantan by Mohammad Yusof Bin Hj. Che’ Su and Mohammad Daud Bin Hj. Che’ Su. This type of Batik is faster and easier to do but one must have a keen eye so that the patterns match.
3. Batik Lukis ( Hand Drawn Batik )
Also known as Batik Canting, Hand drawn batik is where the hot wax is used in a pen-like tool of brass called canting is drawn into the fabric with a desired pattern. The artist must have a steady hand, as one mistake will be very difficult to remove. After the pattern is drawn and the wax has dried, the artist then colours in.
4. Tie Dye Batik
Batik is a more involved method of dyeing fabric using removable wax on the parts of the fabric you don’t want dyed, whereas tie dye (also noted as tie-dye & tiedye) is a method of dyeing fabric after knotting or rubber banding it to produce interesting and irregular patterns.