CRAFTS OF INDIA / BATIK / POPULAR MOTIFS

The most popular motifs are leaves and flowers. Malaysian batik often displays plants and flowers to avoid the interpretation of human and animal images as idolatry, in accordance with local Islamic doctrine. However, the butterfly theme is a common exception. The Malaysian batik is also famous for its geometrical designs, such as spirals. The method of Malaysian batik making is different from those of Indonesian Javanese batik, the pattern being larger and simpler, seldom or never using the canting to create intricate patterns, it relies heavily on the brush painting method to apply colors to fabrics. The colors also tend to be lighter and more vibrant than deep colored Javanese batik.