[postlink]http://baliovguide.blogspot.com/2011/08/kamasan-painting-style.html[/postlink]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn1yGlQgDeAendofvid [starttext]Kamasan is a name of a village located only a few kilometers outside Klungkung, this name has long been associated with one of unique and classical painting styles of ancient Bali. The painting tradition of Kamasan Village dates back more than three centuries, to when the Gelgel Kingdom moved the palace to Klungkung (16th century). As part of the move, the village's artist was ordered to decorate the palace with paintings; the resulting work defined the new style.

The colors used for the painting are from natural pigments, for example black is from charcoal, white from animal bones, and others from fruits or leaves. The color blending process still remains preserved by the Kamasan artist until today. If you visit Kamasan you can still find people who are dedicated to painting in the traditional style. I Nyoman Mandra is one of Kamasan's best known artists. He strives to preserve the artistic tradition by providing a school for Kamasan painting.

To find a sample of Kamasan painting style you may visit Kertagosa right at the center of Klungkung town, just right on the corner of the big statue (trust us, you can't miss it!). Public transportation is available from Denpasar or Batubulan terminal with direction to Semarapura (capital city of Klungkung). To reach Kamasan, go to the south of Klungkung about 2km and look for the turn-off the left.[endtext]