THEY paint without using a paintbrush, but with a penelak, a piece of bamboo with its end tapered like a needlepoint. Penelak is used to draw very fine lines and small objects. All painters have their own penelak, varying in size to suit their hand.

For 200 years, Batuan painters have maintained their traditional painting methods. For example, when painters in Ubud and Sanur switched to modern painting techniques, Batuan artists remained loyal t