I too had to warm up to batiks... and in the beginning they all looked the same to me.
Now I know how to tell them apart easily... and have learned which companies tend to offer clear colors, and which ones do smoky shades. For instance, if you want a vivid yellow, Timeless Treasures does some nice ones and if you want soft, buttery shades Robert Kaufman does those. Generally my favorite batiks are by Hoffman but they just do not make a nice clear yellow "printed" batik; theirs tend to have gray in them (which really does muddy the color). But for smoky colors Hoffman is the best. Just IMHO... your opinion may certainly vary
