Creative Batik Motif Design Based on Local Cultural Art and Natural Environments

Abstract

Local arts, culture, and natural environment of Indonesia had their own uniqueness. They might be explored to help and to develop batik industry in Indonesia, especially in motif aspect. It was necessary to help craftsmen to create new and innovative batik products. The study was conducted as an effort to motivate batik craftsmen in developing batik industry through production of creative and unique batik motives. First study question: What are artistic motives of local arts and culture of natural environment of Yogyakarta and Central Java able to give distinct and characteristically local styles? Second was how to create creative batik inspired by local arts and natural environment. It has identified arts that have potentials to give inspiration of new motives, including Borobudur temple, Prambanan temple, Sewu temple, leather puppets (Wayang) and keris. Also, it has identified environments such as Merapi Mountain, Code River, Parantritis Beach, Sewu Mountain, Menoreh Hill, Solo River, and Grojogan Sewu waterfall. Ten designers and five batik industries were involved in materializing the batik motives in addition to lectures and students. Exploration method was used here that examined motif forms, analysis and creation of alternative sketches, selection, creation of designs and prototypes, and finally evaluation. The results were 159 batik prototypes of local arts and culture motives. It was concluded that the craftsmen needed new designs of local characters of Indonesia that have been created in the study. Also, it has managed to create new names of unique, creative, and innovative batik motives based on the local arts, culture, and also natural environment. They were ready to apply in the production of the batik for commercial purpose.