Batik Butterfly

Hey ya'll!!!

Last day I'm gonna take for myself before I get to some serious working... I SWEAR!!! It's such a bummer... I hate work... really. Everyday I go into the office, supposedly to do some reading or some research, I keep thinking to myself; that I couldn't possibly think of anything I'd hate doing more right now... though at the same time, if I'm going to be perfectly honest with you (and I shall!!!) I couldn't think of anything else I would be doing otherwise... fortunately for me Ray managed to distract me today with some good old fashioned arts and crafts, although if I am to be perfectly honest it was really Eunice's idea (us having first bumped into Eunice "I'd recognise Cyren's voice anywhere*) though in all seriousness it was Ray who forked out the RM15 for us to have our fun. The art was Batik, a traditional form of cloth dying using "wax-resist technique" that involves first drawing outlines of patterns or images on a piece of cloth and then filling up the blanks with various paints of differing colours. Now, while as an artist I've experimented with many different kinds of art and medium, this was the first time I ever tried my hand at Batik. Fortunately for us, the designs and patterns were all already pre-drawn so all we had to do was pick the one we wanted and then fill in the colours. We picked a butterfly and flower theme which (because I've been known to get bossy.. APPARENTLY... when doing things like this) allowed us to work on our own things while simultaneously work on one singular project at the same time.

here we're first filling the blank spaces with water. Apparently this gives the paint a medium with which to soak through and spread creating this beautiful "branching" technique. Of course you could also directly apply pain to the fabric for a deeper, matte finish. 

I'll stick to my side of the fabric, you stick to yours! Artists at work!!!  I like how after a while people started to come, stop and stare. One woman even commented to her partner that "They must have experience doing this... so artistic" Naturally, as a first-time batiker, I was filled with pride! 

FULL CONCENTRATION TO AVOID ACCIDENTS!!!! .... in all seriousness though "seepage" where dye from one cell spills over into another cell is a HUGE problem or accident with Batik (to me, anyway) and I find that when it does happen it greatly ruins and destroys the design...

Always time for a photo-op! Smile for the camera!!!! 

And here's the FINISHED PRODUCT!!!! What do you think? The kakak who ran the stall was very impressed how we improvised and added foliage to the background. 

And some pics of the proud artists with their batik designs!!!  Wasn't it totally cool when the photographer started taking pics of it? :D 

Anyway I sure say I had an AMAZING DAY TODAY (although it started out pretty rough... what with that baby parrot chomping a hole in my hand and all that) and I shall say its all  thanks to Ray and his deciding to invest RM15 on something artsy we can do together. BEST COUPLE ACTIVITY EVER! Totally recommend it to all of you! Even if you're single... its very (In Eunice's words) therapeutic.