... what do you reach for?

Is it a watercolor "solid" batik?

Or a print?

Do you have a favorite?

I prefer the "print" to the watercolor. It's just more pleasing to my eye.

I prefer the watercolors! For me, there are a lot of ugly print batiks, while all the watercolors are pleasing.

i prefer watercolor - the eyes need some where to rest and most batiks are heavy printed designs so a neutral watercolor plays very nicely with the others.

Definitely watercolors for me. I agree the eye needs a place to rest

I have used both. Depends what's in the rest of the quilt.

watercolors..I find the prints have too much movement..they tend to distract from the other fabrics!

And they've gotten more so in recent years. I find myself buying less and less of them and going with a more solid texture - the 1895 Hoffman bali's always work for me.

Maybe because there's a lot of high contrast in the colors in the prints whereas before they were more monotone. :|

I was thinking of ordering these ... the first three are prints; do you think they have too much going on? In which case the fourth one would be better?

Many of the light watercolor batiks do not read as batik from a fairly close range. I have been dissappointed in the "read"of beige or muslin colored batik. This is also the HARDEST to purchase online, as those subtle shades read differnent, depending on the monitor. It is sometimes hard to distingush a grayish beige , from a warm beige, to a yellowy beige. This is the one category of batik I make sure I actually see before purchasing. Having a small print in it keeps the eye from concentrating on the tone quite so much.
I am always on the lookout for batik light nuetrals that have some type of "print" in them .. it just gives more depth and keeps the eye moving rather than stopping. The watercolor or the Hoffman 1895 lights read ... flat.
If I am working in small pieces less than 1 1/2 inch I ...might use a few... of the light water color.
I do like the samples you posted ... alot!!!
Just my couple of cents.... last year I ordered over 150 yards of batiks...