Religious Mandalas- Batik Painting..... A batik painting on cotton with measurements of 13.2"x 32.4". The word mandala is derived from the root manda, which means essence, to which the suffix la, meaning container, has been added. Thus, one obvious connotation of mandala is that it is a container of essence. As an image, a mandala may symbolize both the mind and the body of the Buddha, but images of deities are not necessary. They may be presented either as a wheel, a tree, or a jewel, or in any other symbolic manifestation Brilliant color masterfully detailed and is sure to be a welcome addition to any decor. The technique of batik is a demanding one. In general, the final design must be conceived before the picture is begun. The batik artist works intimately with color; if he wishes parts of his design to be light yellow, for example, all these parts must be waxed at the same time before any subsequent dyeing. He cannot isolate one part of his design and complete it before moving on to the others as an artist in oils or watercolor may; he must create his design in stages, each of which encompasses the whole picture. The basic process of batik is simple. It consists of permeating an area of fabric with hot wax so that the wax resists the penetration of dye.