I needed some batik print accents for a journal cover I created recently, so I turned to my trusty scanner and laid my 35-year-old Indonesian batik sarong on the flatbed of my scanner.

After the image was scanned, I opened it in Photoshop Elements, my graphic design studio’s best friend.

I kept the original version, but also made a version in blue by adjusting the hue settings. I saved them as separate files, but combined them into one sheet to print. I printed them out on a strong but semi-transparent rice paper meant for InkJet printers. The result is amazing- it even has the satin gloss and soft feel of the original fabric. I can’t wait to use it on my next project. As they say, the possibilities are endless.

Wow.