De-stress and design! Batik painting emerges as a new art therapy

KOTA BHARU - Batik painting, one of the activities offered at Kampung Kraftangan here, not only helps to preserve the cultural legacy but has also become the latest form of a ‘healing’ therapy for visitors.

Batik artist Zakaria Jusoh, 69, of Kampung Jambu, said the activity not only helps visitors to transform their creative ideas into batik paintings but also serves as an art therapy that can reduce stress.

Zakaria, who has been running the batik painting activity using canting (a tool used in batik-making containing molten wax) for the past four years, said it has become a choice for local and foreign visitors, including those from Europe, China and Australia, among others.

"The desired batik pattern will be painted on a white cloth using hot wax. The white cloth, cut to the appropriate size, is stretched over a wooden frame resembling a picture frame.

"Among the patterns are floral and fauna motifs, as well as village or traditional house elements. I take about three to five minutes to produce each pattern,” he told Bernama recently.

Zakaria, who studied at the National Craft Institute in 1996, said he would begin by explaining to his clients basic information about colours, especially the three primary colours namely, red, yellow and blue and how to use brushes in creating a batik painting.

"Each customer is charged RM10 per batik painting frame provided to them before they paint the designs according to their creativity using the provided tools.

"The time required to finish the painting depends on the speed and efficiency of the clients. If they are interested in colouring, they may finish the job in less than 30 minutes,” he said.

Masliana Johar, 25, from Negeri Sembilan, said she became interested in the activity after seeing the promotion of the activities that can be done in Kampung Kraftangan on TikTok, describing it as an enjoyable and calming new experience. - BERNAMA