Design Journal
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): July

Exploration of Fabric Motif Design Based on Gebyok Ornamentation of Sunan Drajat’s Tomb Using Motifia

Khozinatus Sadah (Electronic Engineering Polytechnic Institute of Surabaya)
Widi Sarinastiti (Electronic Engineering Polytechnic Institute of Surabaya)
Akhmad Alimudin (Electronic Engineering Polytechnic Institute of Surabaya)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jul 2026

Abstract

The decorative ornaments on the gebyok (wooden wall) of Sunan Drajat's tomb pavilion represent the cultural transition from Hinduism to Islam on Java's northern coast, yet studies of these ornaments remain largely confined to aesthetic and symbolic interpretation rather than applicable textile design. This study explores ornaments on two gebyok panels, CA3 and CB5, into contemporary fabric motifs using Motifia, a web-based pattern design platform from Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya, through a Research through Design approach comprising visual documentation, character analysis, ornament tracing, motif selection, and exploration. Motifs were selected based on contour clarity, representativeness of each panel's dominant character, and suitability for repetition, then composed according to modularity, repetition, symmetry, and visual balance. The exploration yielded eight distinct compositions, four from CA3 (lotus and tendril ornament) and four from CB5 (mountain, tree-of-life, and stylised lion-head ornament), with CB5-based compositions retaining the site's visual identity more strongly since their motifs are more distinctive to Sunan Drajat's tomb than the widely recurring lotus motif on CA3. The findings extend the design value of tomb ornaments beyond documentation, offering a replicable process for translating tangible heritage into applicable, culturally grounded motifs.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

dj

Publisher

Subject

Chemical Engineering, Chemistry & Bioengineering Civil Engineering, Building, Construction & Architecture Computer Science & IT Control & Systems Engineering Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management

Description

Design Journal, e-ISSN: 2964-6227 and p-ISSN: 2964-805X is a free and open-access journal published by the Research Division, YPMMA Institute, Indonesia. Design Journal is a well-established, leading international peer-reviewed journal covering many aspects of design. The journal is published two ...