Nancy's Other Art Mediums

Batik is an ancient wax-resist dyeing technique for creating intricate patterns on natural fabrics like cotton or silk. The hot wax is applied to areas that an artisan wants to protect from dye, which is why batik is also known as "wax-resist dyeing". The process of applying wax and dyeing can be repeated to create complex, multi-layered, and multicolored designs.

While evidence of wax-resist dyeing has been found in several ancient cultures, modern batik is most strongly associated with Indonesia and, particularly, the island of Java.

Ancient roots: Archaeological finds suggest wax-resist dyeing existed in Egypt as early as the 5th century CE, and similar techniques were used in India and China. The Indonesian word batik derives from the Javanese word tik, meaning "to dot".