Introduction
Unearthing historical
relics belonging to the ancient times reveals that past generations attached
great significance to handicrafts. Undoubtedly the ancient man did not seek
to market these products, in the beginning he made these objects for his
personal use and needs.
Later, as a result of social progress and because of his numerous demands,
commercial transactions began and man started to improve his economic state.
Making handicrafts and transacting on a barter basis was the first step,
followed by marketing these products in large volumes.
Iran has been eminent in producing handicrafts since ancient times. Before
the advent and sovereignty of machines on economic systems of the world,
this art and industry was a potential economic advantage for the country.
During recent years, especially during the years after the eight-year Iraqi
imposed war, the importance of handicrafts was highlighted due to their
cultural and financial values. All responsible officials have come to the
conclusion that small industries - including machine industries and handicrafts
- can play a key role in the economy of the industrialized, semi-industrialized
and the developing countries equally. It is worth knowing that 90-95 percent
of the total industrial products of the world countries is produced in small
workshops run by less than 100 people. According to economic definitions,
these are light industries. For instance, 84 percent of the Japanese industries
- now at the peak of economic development - are classified as light industries.
In other countries such as India and China, handicrafts are as high as the
mechanized products in quality and quantity, and are a major source of their
foreign earnings. These countries have paved the way for the development
of handicrafts by allocating some production centers to them.
In a developing country like Iran, which is not dependent for technology
or tools on foreign countries, handicrafts can play a key role in the economy
of the country. Some advantages like the easy creation of production centers,
not needing macro-investment, potential sources of jobs, high value added,
handicrafts' numerous application, and export values call for further attention
of the governmental sector and the private sector to this field. Programs
are underway in this regard. For instance, the Iran Handicrafts Organization
has announced that this year it will transfer part of the responsibilities
to the private sector after research and study. The organization has also
plans for establishing a research center and a design center for handicrafts.
Elaborating on these programs, recently in an interview, one of the officials
in this organization said: "We will concentrate on the abolished handicrafts
and the profitable handicrafts in order to grow their share in economic
gains of the nation."
According to him, the Research and Study Center to be founded in this organization
will collect data and information on the industrialists and the artists
of the country and the handicraft workshops. Furthermore, it will formulate
a two-year executive program and a 10-year strategic program for the organization.
He also said: "The Handicrafts Research Center will be established in the
near future and to promote public participation in developing the handicrafts
industry, a design center will be also opened in the center. Meanwhile,
according to a five-year program the organization intends to establish handicrafts
higher education centers in the provinces. Thanks to the agreements we have
made with the Ministry of Education, this year handicrafts schools of technology
will be established across the country."
Batik,
Traditional Technique of Painting
One of the traditional techniques of painting, resembling the
Iranian calico, is Batik or wax painting. This technique has been developed
and perfected in Iran. The Batik painting (known as Kalaghe'ee in Iran)
is a national art in some Southeast Asian countries, part of Europe and
Africa. The art is practiced in Iran around Tabriz, mainly in the rural
districts of Oskoo, Kahnamoo, Eskandaran, Dizaj, Bavil Olya and Bavil
Sofla (upstream and downstream Bavils).
Batik is originally a Javanese term meaning fence and tomb but the illiterate
people call it Kalaghi, Kalaghe'ee, Kalage or Kalage'ee (attributed to
crow). It is named so because in the past they fastened or knotted part
of the fabric to be dyed in certain shapes or designs. Then they dipped
it in dye. The dyeing material could not reach the knotted areas, thus
creating a light pattern on a dark ground. Unknotting the fabric after
the dyeing process they made black imprints on the fabric that resembled
a crow or its wing, so they called it Kalaghe to distinguish it from other
dyed material.
Batik mostly attributed to the fabrics resisting light, temperature, moisture
and other environmental conditions, is originally Indo-Chinese and as
old as 2,000 years. Some industrialists, however, believe that the art
was taken to China from India, and found its way to Iran through Pakistan.
Archeological findings available in the museums of Iran and the world
show the history of Batik in Ancient Egypt. Apparently Batik or wax painting
is the oldest dyeing technique.
The primitive Batik productions, white against an indigo background, called
for dissolving banana tree leaf in soda solvent. Clay was added to the
resulting sticky liquid and mixed well, to be used as ink for painting
desired designs on raw silk. The next step was dyeing. After dyeing and
washing the fabric the previously painted areas remained white. Therefore,
if the artist wanted to paint the white areas or make the work multicolored,
he would coat the dyed areas with the resisting material and repeat the
dyeing process. The process was repeated many times to achieve great intricacy
of design and richness of color.
These techniques were applied for many years in Indonesia and other countries,
where its peoples had learned the Batik dyeing method. However, with the
introduction of wax by the Iranian artists, the new technique in Batik
development was introduced to other nations of the world. Previous techniques
gradually faded away. Industrialists and artists coated two-third of the
fabric with wax then worked fine-line designs and dyed the rest. Unlike
the previous methods, the ground was white and the designs absorbed the
dye. If the artists wanted to add new dyes or patterns to his work, he
had to coat the previously dyed areas and remove wax from the rest of
the fabric and continue with the dyeing.
Although this technique has lost its glory and prevalence with the substitution
of new techniques, artists in India, Egypt and China still use cold dyes
to produce low-quality fabrics. In the wax panting technique hot dyes
cannot be applied since the wax melts and the whole work becomes useless.
Iranian artists borrowed the art of Batik but developed it in their own
land by applying wax, hence the term, wax painting. This was a new and
valuable technique that allowed penetration of the resisting material
into both sides of the fabric to have equally well-painted designs on
both sides.
Present
Techniques
To begin with Batik painting, one has to carry out three operations:
extracting gum, whitening and weight restoration. 25% of the raw silk's
weight is comprised of a protein material or gum. Eliminating this gum
will add to the brightness and softness of the fabric.
In Oskoo, one of the largest localities for Batik production, gum is taken
from woven silk fabric using carbonate, soda, a little soap and baking
soda. The gum extraction period depends on the thickness of the solvent
but usually it takes about half an hour.
If the artist wants white patterns on his fabric, whitening process is
carried out which includes melon seed and roxana. The melon seed not only
whitens the fabric but also softens it. Next is weight restoration. By
this they mean to return the weight the fabric loses after removing the
gum. Weight restoration adds to the brightness of fabric and makes it
become more manageable.
Finishing these preparatory steps the metal or wooden molds do the printing
job. The artists dips the mold in the molten wax to allow absorption of
a little wax, then he puts the mold on the fabric laid down on a smooth
surface with no wrinkles. He repeats the process until the whole fabric
is filled with desired patterns. The fabric now contains waxy patterns,
so when dyeing this fabric the blank areas will absorb dye but the waxy
areas will remain white.
In the next stage, the artist covers another part of the fabric while
the wax remains untouched. He repeats the dyeing process to achieve all
required patterns and dyes. Removal of wax is the final task. In the finished
product, the area waxed first is in the original color. The areas waxed
second maintain the color of the first dyeing process and the areas waxed
third will have the color of secondary dyeing process while the background
has absorbed the color of the last stage of the dyeing process.
Removing wax from the Kalaghe fabrics is achieved by using an iron and
straw paper. The artists lay the fabrics on a smooth surface, put a piece
of straw paper or newspaper on the fabric and iron it hot. The wax is
melted by the hot iron and absorbed by the paper.
Information
provided by: http://www.iccim.org/English/Magazine/iran_commerce/no1_2001/25.htm
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