THURSDAY

05|27|10


Thursday morning at the office we worked a little more on trend research. We were able to get on the Internet again so we looked up some trend color forecasts. I also looked at different colors for paint and wallpapering companies. We next worked on our stamp designs for the batik workshop. The stamps are made from latex foam which we had George go pick up from market. Its relatively cheap and since you don’t use much it can last for a while. I drew the design I wanted first onto the foam and then used a hand knife to carve away what I didn’t want. During lunch I went with Katie to the Barclay’s Bank. I needed to cash out my travelers check for the trip on Friday and this is the only place around that will do it. Unfortunately the bank is always busy. I mean I thought that US banks were bad; here you have three different lines you have to sit in. One is withdraw, one is deposit and another is business. There are about 8 rows back of seating with about 6 seats across. The line moves extra slow and when one person get up you have to scoot over a chair. It was really confusing at first but once we understood the system it was fine. We waited to be helped for well over an hour. Once we were being helped it seemed like the bank teller was doing a multitude of things all at once. The whole experience was rather frustrating and I have to say that after that I will gladly wait in any Chase bank line with no problem .. “Chase bank!”

Since the bank took so long, by the time we got back to the office our taxi was waiting to take us to the batik workshop. They only sent one taxi for all seven of us. Nick and I were put in the hatchback while everyone else got a real seat. I volunteered thinking the trunk would be roomier, which it was! Unfortunately there wasn’t much air flow so it was extremely hot!! I think I felt Pepo’s pain on that taxi ride and next time we go to the beach I’ll be more understanding of his bad behavior!!

BATIK
The batik method originated in Java; the word batik is translated meaning “to write/draw with wax.” Traditionally in Java the wax would be painted onto the fabric as a resistant so when the fabric is died the fibers are not penetrated and in result leave the area untouched. In Ghana the batik method is the same except that they use a stencil to stamp wax onto the fabric as opposed to drawing directly on to it.
In Ghana batik is done with vat dyes and cotton fabrics. In order for the fabrics to hold the dye a combination of chemicals is required, Caustic Soda, Hydrosulfate and salt. The caustic soda forces the fibers in the fabric to swell; this aids the fabric to soak up the dye. The salt is used to help fasten the dyes into the fabric. The hydrosulfate (which is called hydro in the markets) takes out the oxygen in the fibers and in result the dyes permanently stain the fabric.
There are two types of wax products that can be used in the batik method. The first is bee’s wax. The bee’s wax is not used in Ghana because it is too expensive to buy. The benefit of using bee wax is that it is more flexible. When handling the fabric between processes the bee’s wax can bend and doesn’t crack as often which will result in a cleaner finished image. In Ghana the women use a petroleum wax which is a waste product. Unlike bee wax this wax is more prone to cracking which you can see once the fabric has been dyed. When the batiker is finished with the dying process the fabric can be washed in boiling water which removes the wax; the wax is then scooped out of the pot and can be reused again.
The first step in creating batik is to design a stamp. Designs must be at least a ¼ inch thick and should have a ¼ inch between each line of the design. If the design is any thinner then this there will be a problem with consistency and it is hard to get a clear image. Larger more simplified designs are favored for this reason as well. Once a design is finalized it is drawn onto latex foam and then carved out. Depending on the look you want you will either carve away the positive or negative space. The stamp gets dipped into boiling wax; make sure to shake off the extra wax before using the stamp. It is beneficial to test the stamp first on the table (which is bound in leather) before stamping the fabric. When ready lye the fabric onto the table and stamp it however you desire. Depending on the stamp it could be uniformed or stamped sporadically in no specific order. Once the batiker is finished stamping the fabric it is placed in semi warm water until it is ready to be dyed. This keeps the wax from drying out which helps to minimize cracking. The dyes come as primary colors so mixing colors is more of a chemistry process to get the most accurate color. When dying the fabric, if more than one is used, the lightest color must be used first. When the fabric is died the wax will stop the penetration of dye and in result the color of the fabric before it was dyed will show up where the wax is creating the pattern. The fabric must be dried completely before stamping or dying the fabric again. Multiple dye baths can be done depending on the desired outcome.
Georgina, a batiker for Global Mama’s ran a workshop at her house for us interns to get hands on experience learning the traditional African batik method. We were given the option to use a ready made stamp or to create our own. I used the guidelines that we were given and designed a stamp to use. It was great experience to work with Gina and the fabric to see firsthand how hard the work is and what each step in tales. I also really appreciated that she would welcome us as strangers into her home to see what she does for a living.

When we were about half way through our batik workshop it began to rain. I’m thankful of the rain here because it helps cool the weather down a bit but for some reason it happens at the most unwanted times. Because it was raining he had to put our workshop on hold. The rain will have an effect on the colors when they dry. Getting home was difficult, the cabs were hard to flag down from where we were and when they did stop they didn’t want to drive to Elmina since it is so far and the chances of finding someone to need a ride back into town is slim. With Georgina’s help we were able to negotiate a good price and were finally on our way back. We didn’t get back till late and by that point we were all exhausted. We didn’t make plans to go to Eli’s and I had no food to make for dinner. I ended up making toast and then went to bed early to be well rested for the traveling on Friday.