How to draw JAVIK

After our somewhat intense-but-easy Double Double tangle on Monday, I didn’t have to search far for a delicate, easy tangle to follow up with.

Javik appeared almost immediately in my inbox.

Belgian CZT Ria Matheussen’s Javik tangle is a lovely contrast and as always Ria has a background to share with her tangle:

“Earlier than I expected I am here again with a suggestion for a new tangle: Javik (Java Batik)

After batik clothing has been put away as old fashioned for a long time, it has made a come-back and I like this beautiful special technique. Batik is well known in many countries and especially in the Island Java (Indonesia). Since 2009 this technique is classified by Unesco as World heritage.”

Wow, what a great rabbit hole I found myself in for a couple of hours.

This 7-minute UNESCO video was a link included in the fascinating Wikipedia entry for Batik and although some of the old film footage is a little blurry, it’s worth watching. It explains the batik (not to be confused with Bateek) process as well as its history and significance.

From the introduction to the video: “The techniques, symbolism and culture surrounding hand-dyed cotton and silk garments known as Indonesian Batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end …

Batik is dyed by proud craftspeople who draw designs on fabric using dots and lines of hot wax, which resists vegetable and other dyes and therefore allows the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour, removing the wax with boiling water and repeating if multiple colours are desired.

The wide diversity of patterns reflects a variety of influences, ranging from Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks. Often handed down within families for generations, the craft of batik is intertwined with the cultural identity of the Indonesian people and, through the symbolic meanings of its colours and designs, expresses their creativity and spirituality.”

Ria’s inspiration for Javik was an image she found here, a small “slice” is included here.

“I did my best to deliver not an exact copy but a pattern with a few different details.

Javik is definitely family of Fengle and Trisnail but also different. I have chosen to draw 4 ‘leaves’ and the fourth one goes every time a little bit under. (But also three or even two “leaves” are possible). For the pattern that I have given the name Javik, it is important to draw the ‘leaves’ in the direction that I demonstrated.

It seems a bit complicated at first but after a little exercising, it is in fact a very easy one. Javik can be drawn as a border, a garland (ribbon) but can also be nice on its own or together with a whole bunch.”

Ria illustrates the step-by-step instructions for drawing Javik below noting,

“I have made a little composition with other organic patterns: Icantoo, Printemps, Fescu, Fricle and filled the open spaces with Perfs. The little dots, drawn on all the examples, are typical for the Batikstyle and I really like that. The trembled Javik gives a different result. Everyone is free to use only black/white or add some colour and also drawing a whole or a partial aura can give another result, and of course, I think much more variations can be found…”

Ria has numbered the sequence of adding the “petals” in Steps 2 and 4 however they’re a little small so I’ve added an enlargement below.

Here’s the enlargement of Ria’s Steps 2 through 4. The thing to remember is to start adding the petals on the side opposite the spiral’s “opening”.

As you enjoy any of the tangles on the site, please leave a comment of thanks and encouragement to show the artists you appreciate them for sharing their creativity to inspire yours. Your comment helps motivate them to continue to share!

Check out the tag riam for more of Ria’s tangles on TanglePatterns.com.

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