Patterns of Guizhou Batik

Traditional Guizhou batik patterns are divided into two categories: natural patterns and geometric patterns. The natural patterns are mostly animal and plant patterns, figure patterns are rare, and patterns reflecting social life appear gradually. Geometric patterns are mostly abstractions of natural objects. Due to the cultural exchanges in history, it is difficult to recognize which pattern is the unique pattern of this nation, or which pattern is the unique pattern of a certain kind of folk art. Although some patterns have the same "mother", the meanings of different nationalities are also different. There are many traditional batik patterns with rich connotations, so only a few important ones are selected for some explanation. Drawing batik fabrics are generally used in folk weaving white cloth, but there are also used in machine weaving white cloth, silk, poplin.

Anti-dyeing agent

Mainly yellow wax (i.e., beeswax), sometimes also mixed with white wax. Beeswax is the secretion of wax glands in the abdomen of bees, which is insoluble in water, but can be melted after heating. It is this characteristic that is utilized as a preservative for batik.

The dye used

is indigo produced in Guizhou. Guizhou is rich in bluegrass, which is a kind of polygonum, with a stem about two or three feet high, flowering in July and harvesting in August. The leaves of the bluegrass are put in a pit and fermented to become indigo. There are dye houses that use indigo as a dye in the countryside markets of Guizhou, but there are also those who buy indigo at home and dip it in a dye pot themselves.

Batik cloth

is made by applying wax to the cloth, drawing, dyeing, dewaxing, and rinsing. Because in the process of dyeing, the surface of the wax white cloth will produce natural cracks, so that the white blank penetrates into the dye and coloring, there are many coarse or fine irregular color lines also known as the tortoise, these tortoise is the difference between the real and imitation batik cloth standard, because any imitation batik cloth design into the "tortoise" is regular to find, and the real batik cloth is often difficult to find, but it is not easy to find. It is often difficult to find and impossible to find exactly the same tortoise pattern in the real batik cloth. The ancient batik craft has been preserved in the minority areas of Guizhou, and has been inherited and created colorful batik patterns. In Huangping, Danzhai, Zhenning and some other minority areas in Guizhou Province, women of brotherly ethnic groups are competent in pointing wax flowers. Wax flowers are their indispensable decorations. The vast majority of batik production processes are hand-operated, and up to now, they still can't be replaced by mechanization and automation.

Process:

1. Treatment before painting wax

Select fabric and wash it. Generally, self-woven cotton and linen cloth are chosen. First of all, the self-produced cloth with grass ash bleaching and washing, and then with boiled taro pinched into a paste coated on the reverse side of the cloth, to be dried in the sun with a cow horn grinding, polishing, slate that is a natural grinding ironing table.

2, point wax

Put the white cloth flat on the board or tabletop, put the beeswax in a ceramic bowl or metal canister, with the charcoal ash in the fire pit or chaff shells in the fire to make the wax melt, you can use a copper knife dipped in wax, the first step of painting is to operate the location. In some areas, a large outline is determined according to the pattern of the paper cutout, and then various patterns are drawn. In other areas, they do not use the pattern, but just use their fingernails to sketch the big outline on the white cloth, and then they can draw all kinds of beautiful patterns with ease.

3. Dyeing The method of dip-dyeing is to put the painted wax pieces in an indigo dyeing tank, and generally each piece needs to be soaked for five or six days. After the first soaking, take it out and dry it, then it will get light blue color. When it is soaked again for several times, a darker blue color is obtained. If there is a need for patterns of two colors on the same fabric, then after the first soaking, the light blue is dotted and painted with wax flowers to be dyed, and after the dyeing is completed, the two patterns appear. When the wax sheet is put into the dyeing tank for dyeing, some wax seals are damaged and cracked due to folding, and then natural cracks are produced, which are generally called "ice pattern". Sometimes it is also made according to the needs of the "ice pattern". This "ice pattern" will often make the batik pattern more rich layers, with a natural chic flavor.

4, wax

After rinsing, and then boiling with water to remove the wax, after rinsing, the cloth will show a clear pattern of blue and white.

Dyeing MethodsGuizhou batik is generally blue and white. There are two ways to make colored batik.

Method one: first draw colorful patterns on white cloth, then "wax-seal" it, and then colorful patterns appear after dyeing;

Method two: bleach it clean and dry it according to the general method of batik, and then fill in the white areas with colors. The color dye used in folk batik, is use the poplar plum juice to dye the red, the yellow gardenia to dye the yellow. 1. If the batik has some creases. Simply unfold the wall hanging, lay it flat on the ironing board, and use the iron to iron gently on the back of the wall hanging a few times to smooth it out. (But be sure to use a dry iron for heavy paintings and glossy paintings; never use a steam iron as well as don't iron on the batik front.)

2, according to the customer's preferences for framing, here are four ways to choose: ① you can use a stick from the wall hanging through the top, and then use your line to the two ends of the stick bolted to the hook can be hung; ② you can also according to your preferences, choose your favorite color thick cotton thread, braid a colorful braid, from the wall hanging through the top, hanging is also very beautiful; ③ you can also Double-sided tape on the back of the four corners of the batik, and then fixed on the wall in a position you are satisfied with; ④ you can also use the art frame up to hang on the wall; ⑤ giant colorful batik backing than the batik painting wide, the excess side lining must be cut off and then framed with art frames.

3, because the raw material of batik is pure cotton, so in the maintenance should pay attention to moisture, corrosion, so as to avoid mold and insects. If you buy it back for collection rather than decoration, please take it out regularly for drying.

4, heavy color batik, bright painting batik can not be cleaned with water, can be used half-dry rag or duster sassafras dust can be; traditional batik wall hangings, tablecloths, cushions, etc. can be cleaned with water at any time, but do not use detergent in the process of washing, so as to avoid color loss; also can not be washed with a machine, because a lot of dyeing and painting is mainly to whiskers edge highlighting the main effect of the whiskers edge with a machine wash will be stirred up after the wash of the batik products can be Batik products can be ironed after washing.

5. Batik is an excellent choice for garments, tablecloths, quilt covers and bed sheets because it is made of 100% cotton. Batik should be placed in a clean, neat and dust-free environment during collection and maintenance, and should be cleaned regularly by specialized personnel.