Description
The city of Pekalongan is on North Coast Central Java. Pekalongan is known as the City of Batik because of its history and contribution to the development of batik. Pekalongan batik is influenced by Javanese culture and foreign cultures so that it affects the motifs and colors of Pekalongan batik. Pekalongan batik motifs are varied and combine various elements such as plant and animal motifs.
Tulis is the premium style of batik where the entire design is applied by hand using a tool called a canting (pronounced chanting). It is a pen-like instrument made from a small copper reservoir with a spout on a wooden handle. The reservoir holds the hot wax which flows through the spout.
The cloth is then dipped in dye or the colour is painted on. After the cloth is dry the wax is removed by boiling the cloth. The areas treated with wax keep their original colour. This process is repeated as many times depending on how many colours are desired. The process can take days or even weeks for more complex designs and colours.
Click here to see batik being made