Mastering strokes of traditional craft

Participants are free to apply colours on their batik artworks, whether as single or mixed hues. — Photos: AZLINA ABDULLAH and YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

BATIK workshops offer engaging, hands-on opportunities to create personalised batik art.

Venues in Kuala Lumpur like Teja Studio and Jadi Batek Gallery, and the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia host these sessions, where participants can unwind and tap into their creativity through batik painting.

A painter focused on adding details to the design of her artwork.

Beyond the artistic process, many of these workshops also illuminate the cultural heritage inherent in batik making.

While some classes focus on batik colouring that allows participants to paint pre-designed patterns, others delve into batik drawing.

Those who opt for batik colouring can choose from a variety of ready-made batik designs.

These workshops introduce the traditional wax-resist dyeing technique, which involves using hot wax to create patterns on fabric.

Participants learn the intricate skill of using a canting, a specialised pen-like tool, to apply hot wax and create original batik tulis (hand-drawn batik) designs.

Workshop participants can also choose to draw and paint batik designs on cloth bags, which can then be used as shopping bags.

In contrast, batik colouring allows participants to enjoy painting a ready-made batik design by applying colours on the fabric.

Fellow participants sharing ideas on batik colouring at a workshop.

Participants get to take home their finished artworks once the colours have dried.

Instructors are available to provide guidance and support throughout the workshop experience.

‘Batik tulis’ requires good control of the ‘canting’ tool when applying hot wax to create patterns on the fabric.

These workshops offer more than just a fun time.

Craftsman Abdul Halim Mahmud Mansor showing a piece of batik printed using ‘batik cap’ technique.

Many participants discover that the workshops foster artistic development, provide insights into a traditional craft, and create opportunities for bonding with friends or fellow art enthusiasts.