block printin done by hand

Hand Block Printing
India, since ancient times is known for its unique arts and crafts. Different types of hand printing techniques are used in this country by people of varied customs and culture. One of the most popular form of hand printing is - Hand block printing. This art of printing has been in use since ancient times, but now-a-days it has found place in metropolitan cities of India and also the garments with hand block printing are being exported to different countries worldwide.

Major Centers in India of Hand Block Printing
Gujarat (Surat, Ahmedabad, Sanganer, Pethapur).
Rajasthan (Bagru).
Andhra Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh (Farukhabad).
West Bengal.
There are two types block printing famous in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan namely- Sanganeri and Bagru. These two styles of block printing are almost same, the thing which primarily distinguish them from one another is the color of background on which they are printed. Bagru prints are done on black and red background whereas Sanganeri is done on white background. In western part of India the block prints are typically fine, however in eastern part the prints are bolder and bigger. Lepakshi and Ajarakh prints are also examples of the type of block prints. The unique feature of this printing is the amount of printing variations that can be made in the same type of motifs.

Different Techniques of Hand Block printing
Discharge Printing:Firstly the fabric on which printing is to be done is dyed. The dye is removed from the part of fabric on which designs are to be made by use of a chemical. Then those segments printed are treated so that they can be re-colored.
Direct Block Printing:The fabric used here is either cotton or silk. The cloth is first bleached, and then dyed with the desired color. After that block printing is done on borders with carved wooden blocks then inside the borders.
Resist Printing:In this technique the part of the cloth which is not to be dyed is covered with the paste of resin and clay. Then the fabric is dyed with the desirable color, at this stage the dye penetrates through the cracks which create wavy effect of colors on the cloth. After this the fabric is finally block printed.
Rich and colorful prints can be created through block printing. In olden times it was done with natural dyes but now it is done with artificial colors and synthetic dyes. The colors commonly used for printing are saffron, yellow, blue and red. The wooden blocks are used for printing. They are of different shapes and have designs carved at the bottom of the block. Teak wood is used for making them on which designs are made by skilled craftsman. These blocks are known as ‘Bunta’. Every block consists of a wooden handle and 2-3 holes which are made for the purpose of free movement of air. The blocks before taken into use are kept in oil for 10-15 days, which provide the them the softness required. Procedure of Hand Block Printing

At the beginning of the block printing process the fabric is first washed then bleached (if required). If the borders are to be made, then the cloth at the border area are tied then dyed. After that the fabric is spread on the printing table and fixed firmly with small pins on the table. The process of block printing is done from left to right. The wooden block is dipped in color tray then applied by pressing it hardly on the cloth. The point on the block facilitate in sequenced repeat printing.

Good printing skill and practice is necessary to get uniform and clear block printing. The time duration and costing for printing depends upon the number of different colors used i.e. single color printing takes less time and is of low cost whereas two or more colors printing requires more time, hard work and colors. Multiple design printing cannot be done by one printer only, so two or more printers are required to (according to the designs) do the job.

In block printing providing color variations is not an easy task. The colors are generally tested for their fastness and effect before applying on the garment. Different types of dyes are use for printing cotton fabric- such as indigo sol, pigment dyes and rapid fast dyes. The rapid dyes once prepared for printing have to be utilized on that day only. Pigment colors are used more as its procedure for usage is simpler compared to other dyes and after mixing them for printing it is not necessary to use them the same day only as they can stored for some time provided they have to be stored in containers having lids to cover it. The pigment colors before the application has to mixed in right proportion with kerosene and binder.

New shades are obtained by combination of basic colors in different proportions. The drawbacks of pigment colors are that, they consists of tiny particles which don’t dissolve completely as a result are left as residue on the fabric. Whereas, indigo sols and rapid dyes gets completely soaked into the cloth. Indigo sols do provide vibrant colors like pinks and greens. After printing the garment is dried in the sun, which fixes the dye to the cloth. Then each layer of cloth is rolled in newspaper and steamed in boilers. This procedure of steaming is done for both silk and cotton fabric. This steaming process is followed by washing, drying of fabric in the sun and at last ironing. This whole procedure fixes the print permanently on the garment.

Various garments like saris, kurtas, shirts, salwar kameez, dupattas, skirts, etc are made from block printed fabrics. In recent times the export of block printed garments have seen a steep increase as its demand has increased especially in western countries because of its durability and distinctive patterns and designs.

history of block printing

Block Printing

¤ Tracing of Prints on Cloth

Especially fascinating for foreigners is the printing of cloth with carved wooden blocks. Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Jodhpur and Bikaner in Rajasthan are the strongholds of this craft. The floral motifs favored by the printers of Bagru and Sanganer (Around Jaipur) are Persian in origin, though Sanganeri designs are more sophisticated. They usually have a white or pale background decorated with colorful twigs or sprays. The not-so-fine Bagru prints were initially meant for peasants and had a light brown background.


¤ Method of Printing

Rajasthan has a long and distinguished tradition of printing with finely carved wooden blocks. What you might have already seen in Delhi’s Rajasthali or Fabindia is merely the tip of the iceberg. Head for Bagru and Sanganer, not far from Jaipur, to see for yourself how cloth is printed by hand.

This method, though labourious, is actually quite simple and merely calls for precision. The cloth is laid out flat on a table or bench and a freshly dipped block is hand pressed on to the fabric to form a continuous, interlocking pattern. The block carries dye if the original colour of the cloth has to be preserved.

If the cloth has to be dyed, the block is used to apply an impermeable resist – a material such as clay, resin or wax – to demarcate the pattern that is not to be coloured. Later, when the cloth is dyed, the pattern emerges in reverse. Traditonally, block-printing relied on the use of natural dyes and pigments, but now synthetic dyes have gained currency as they are cheaper. If you belong to the green brigade, stick to eco-friendly naturally dyed cloth.

block printing

The fabric to be printed is washed free of starch and soft bleached if the natural gray of the fabric is not desired.

If dyeing is required as in the case of saris where borders or the body is tied and dyed it is done before printing.

The fabric is again washed to remove excess dye and dried thoroughly.


The fabric is stretched over the printing table and fastened with small pins. This is an important stage as there should be a uniform tension in the fabric and no ripples.

Color is mixed separately in another room. Usually pigment dyes are used for cotton. You can read more about dyes at the end of this page.


Color is kept in a tray on a wheeled wooden trolley with racks which the printer drags along as he works. On the lower shelves printing blocks are kept ready.

The tray of color rests on another tray which contains a thick viscous liquid made from the pigment binder and glue. This gives the color tray a soft base which helps to spread color evenly on the wooden block.


Blocks are made of seasoned teak wood by trained craftsmen. The underside of the block has the design hand carved on it by the block maker. Each block has a wooden handle and two to three cylindrical holes drilled into the block for free air passage and also to allow release of excess printing paste. The new blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the grains in the timber.

The printing starts form left to right. The color is evened out in the tray with a wedge of wood and the block dipped into the outline color (usually black or a dark color).

When the block is applied to the fabric, it is slammed hard with the fist on the back of the handle so that a good impression may register. A point on the block serves as a guide for the repeat impression, so that the whole effect is continuous and not disjoined. The outline printer is usually an expert because he is the one who leads the process. If it is a multiple color design the second printer dips his block in color again using the point or guide for a perfect registration to fill in the color. The third color if required follows likewise. Skill is necessary for good printing since the colors need to dovetail into the design to make it a composite whole.

The fabric, after pigment printing is dried out in the sun. This is part of the fixing process. It is then rolled in wads of newspapers to prevent the dye from adhering to other layers and steamed in boilers constructed for the purpose. Silks are also steamed this way after printing. After steaming, the material is washed thoroughly in large quantities of water and dried in the sun, after which it is finished by ironing out single layers, which fix the color permanently.

 click here to read about screen printing

 Click here to read more about block printing craftsmen.

A brief description of Dyes

Pigment dyes

Pigment colors are mixed with k erosene and a binder. The consistency should be just right, for if it is too thick it gives a raised effect on the material, which spoils the design. Small plastic buckets with lids are ideal for storing the mixed colors for a few days. The motif is printed directly on white or light-colored ground with a variety of pigment colors.

Pigment colors are widely popular today because the process is simple, the mixed colors can be stored for a period of time, subtle nuances of colors are possible, and new shades evolve with the mixing of two or three colors. Also the colors are visible as one prints and do not change after processing. Colors can be tested before printing by merely applying it onto the fabric. The pigment color is made up of tiny particles, which do not dissolve entirely and hence are deposited on the cloth surface while rapid dyes and indigo sols penetrate the cloth.


Rapid fast Colors

In this process, the ground color and the color in the design are printed on white and/or light-colored grounds in one step. The dyes once mixed for printing have to be used the same day. Standard colors are black, red, orange, brown and mustard. Color variation is somewhat difficult and while printing it is not possible to gauge the quality or depth of color.


Discharge Dyes

These dyes are used if you need to print onto a dark background. Medium to dark grounds are dyed on fabric with specially prepared dyestuff . The printing colors then used on the fabric contain a chemical that interacts with the dye. This interaction simultaneously bleaches the color from the dyed ground and prints the desired color on its place. Areas can also be discharged and left white. The primary advantage of this process is that vivid and bright colors along with white can be printed on top of medium and dark grounds.


Napthol / Reactive dyes

As the name suggests, these are two sets of chemicals which upon reaction produce a third chemical essentially colorful in nature. Fabric is dyed in one and later printed with the other. The chemical reaction produces a third color. However, the biggest drawback of this process is that there are just a few chemicals available which produce colors upon reaction.

 
Vegetable / Natural dyes

Historically of great importance, these dyes have acquired even greater importance now because of their eco-friendly nature.


Bagru Black

This is derived by mixing acidic solution of iron - often rusted nails/horse shoes etc. with jaggery (country sugar) allowed to rot for about 10-15 days. Many other natural substances used for producing dyes are pomegranate skins, bark of mango tree, vinegar, slaked lime etc.


Bagru Red

This dye is achieved by combining a source material such as alizarin with alum, the results ranging from pink to deep red.


Indigo Blue

The internationally famous Bagru Blue is obtained from the indigo bush found throughout India.

block printing

Hand Block Printing of Bagru, Rajasthan

The block print in Bagru is done mainly in beige, red and black. Shades of blue with much use of indigo blue dyeing processes is a characteristic of this centre. Bagru is also famous for its mud resist process Dabu and direct printing. The motifs are simple and include floral and linear patterns.

Bagru Print Paisley Border

Hand Block Printing of Balotra, Rajasthan

The traditional block-printing running in parallel lines technique of Ajrakh has attained a peak of excellence at Balotra. Although a desert climate but good water is one of the main reasons which imparts good colors which is so important for hand-block printing. The speciality of the block printing of Balotra is that it is done on both sides of the cloth. This is very diffult technique because there should not be any imbalance in the design-transfer from the block to the cloth. The reverse side hand block printing is done simultenously even when the other side of the design print is wet. The hand-block printed fabric from Balotra is therefore very exclusive and relatively expensive.

Hand Block Printing of Barmer, Rajasthan

Barmer, is famous for it hand block print. The prints are inspired from the Sind region. Various items that are made in Barmer are turbans, sarees and traditonally worn lungis, Head gear and shoulder cloth made are worn by Sindhi Muslims. The designs in Barmer are bold, the popular one being the chirkala booti which is a flaming red chilli having a blue-black outline surrounded by flower-laden trees.

Hand Block Printing of Jahota, Rajasthan

Villages of Jahota in Jaipur are famous for the jahota hand block printing. It is believed that Maharaja Jai Singh and his wife uplifted this art amongst the local artists. They both took interest amongst the art and the people involved in this field.

Today also artists perform the work with all the inherited skills from the ancestors. These artists first carve the design on the wooden blocks with their fine tolls. Later using the natural and chemical dyes they print the motif on the fabric. In this fashion savvy world the artists have started designing to the demands of buyers and natural dyes have also been replaced by chemical dyes. Jahota is famous for its chilani print, tradtionally worn by brides in certain communities.

Hand Block Printing of Jaipur, Rajasthan

Most of the Block Printing is done in Sanganer and bagru. Kalamkari Prints and floral motifs with pastel colors are done on the fabric. In kalamkari print normally four to five colors are used. jaipur not being the biggest centre for hand block print is a trading centre for the craft and you can find local shops in Bapu Bazar Nehru bazar and Johari Bazar all selling various hand block printed items.

Textiles of Jammu & Kashmir

Masnads and jamas are block printed floor coverings and considered very comfortable. The designs are attractive floral and geometrical patterns. Another popular craft is the Calico prints from Samba.

Wooden Block Making for Hand Printing

Hand- block printing is practiced mostly all overIndia and every region has its own style and colour scheme. Pilakhua in Uttar-Pradesh has craftsperson’s making brass blocks and using it for outlining the design. In Jaipur the craftspersons carve the wooden blocks on sagoon wood. Later the carved portion is dipped in the colour and then printed over the fabric.

Pethapur in Gujarat remains an important centre for block printing. Today the craft is declining because of mills.

block prints used in garments

India, since ancient times is known for its unique arts and crafts. Different types of hand printing techniques are used in this country by people of varied customs and culture. One of the most popular form of hand printing is – Hand block printing. This art of printing has been in use since ancient times, but now-a-days it has found place in metropolitan cities of India and also the garments with hand block printing are being exported to different countries worldwide.

The major centers in India were block printing is done on large scale are as follows:-

- Gujarat (Surat, Ahmedabad, Sanganer, Pethapur).

- Rajasthan (Bagru).

- Andhra Pradesh.

- Uttar Pradesh (Farukhabad).

- West Bengal.

There are two types block printing famous in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan namely- Sanganeri and Bagru. These two styles of block printing are almost same, the thing which primarily distinguish them from one another is the color of background on which they are printed. Bagru prints are done on black and red background whereas Sanganeri is done on white background. In western part of India the block prints are typically fine, however in eastern part the prints are bolder and bigger. Lepakshi and Ajarakh prints are also examples of the type of block prints. The unique feature of this printing is the amount of printing variations that can be made in the same type of motifs.

Different Techniques of Hand Block printing

1) Discharge Printing

Firstly the fabric on which printing is to be done is dyed. The dye is removed from the part of fabric on which designs are to be made by use of a chemical. Then those segments printed are treated so that they can be re-colored.

.

2) Direct Block Printing

The fabric used here is either cotton or silk. The cloth is first bleached, and then dyed with the desired color. After that block printing is done on borders with carved wooden blocks then inside the borders.

3) Resist Printing

In this technique the part of the cloth which is not to be dyed is covered with the paste of resin and clay. Then the fabric is dyed with the desirable color, at this stage the dye penetrates through the cracks which create wavy effect of colors on the cloth. After this the fabric is finally block printed.

Rich and colorful prints can be created through block printing. In olden times it was done with natural dyes but now it is done with artificial colors and synthetic dyes. The colors commonly used for printing are saffron, yellow, blue and red. The wooden blocks are used for printing. They are of different shapes and have designs carved at the bottom of the block. Teak wood is used for making them on which designs are made by skilled craftsman. These blocks are known as ‘Bunta’. Every block consists of a wooden handle and 2-3 holes which are made for the purpose of free movement of air. The blocks before taken into use are kept in oil for 10-15 days, which provide the them the softness required.

Procedure of Hand Block Printing

At the beginning of the block printing process the fabric is first washed then bleached (if required). If the borders are to be made, then the cloth at the border area are tied then dyed. After that the fabric is spread on the printing table and fixed firmly with small pins on the table.

The process of block printing is done from left to right. The wooden block is dipped in color tray then applied by pressing it hardly on the cloth. The point on the block facilitate in sequenced repeat printing.

Good printing skill and practice is necessary to get uniform and clear block printing. The time duration and costing for printing depends upon the number of different colors used i.e. single color printing takes less time and is of low cost whereas two or more colors printing requires more time, hard work and colors. Multiple design printing cannot be done by one printer only, so two or more printers are required to (according to the designs) do the job.

In block printing providing color variations is not an easy task. The colors are generally tested for their fastness and effect before applying on the garment. Different types of dyes are use for printing cotton fabric- such as indigo sol, pigment dyes and rapid fast dyes. The rapid dyes once prepared for printing have to be utilized on that day only. Pigment colors are used more as its procedure for usage is simpler compared to other dyes and after mixing them for printing it is not necessary to use them the same day only as they can stored for some time provided they have to be stored in containers having lids to cover it. The pigment colors before the application has to mixed in right proportion with kerosene and binder.

New shades are obtained by combination of basic colors in different proportions. The drawbacks of pigment colors are that, they consists of tiny particles which don’t dissolve completely as a result are left as residue on the fabric. Whereas, indigo sols and rapid dyes gets completely soaked into the cloth. Indigo sols do provide vibrant colors like pinks and greens. After printing the garment is dried in the sun, which fixes the dye to the cloth. Then each layer of cloth is rolled in newspaper and steamed in boilers. This procedure of steaming is done for both silk and cotton fabric. This steaming process is followed by washing, drying of fabric in the sun and at last ironing. This whole procedure fixes the print permanently on the garment.

Various garments like saris, kurtas, shirts, salwar kameez, dupattas, skirts, etc are made from block printed fabrics. In recent times the export of block printed garments have seen a steep increase as its demand has increased especially in western countries because of its durability and distinctive patterns and designs

Block prints used by various designers

The Resist Process called Dabu is used here involves using wax or gum clay mixed with resin. With the help of brush or block or by hand this is applied to the portions of the cloth. The color is then applied to it. The wax is then washed off in hot or flowing water and the applied colour moves into this area to give a diffused effect. This process is some what similar to the batik procees. Now Block printing is done on the portion of the cloth where the original colour is retained. The fabric is highlighted by printing Specific outlines and patterns against the contrast colour. Due to the use of wax the designs get a broken appearance like batik due to the leakage of colour once the resist is washed off. The small Chaubundi print in indigo is famous in Bagru.


Dyes used in the Process : Vegetable Dyes and Kashish Dyes


Products Available : Chanderi Stoles and Dupattas, Mangalgiri Salwar Suits and Sarees, Maheshwari Salwar Suits and Sarees, Tussar Salwar Suits and Sarees, Georgette Sarees, Chiffon Sarees, Printed fabrics in Khadi cotton and Khadi Silk, Printed Cottons in Voile and Sheeting.

Hand Block Printing - Ajrak of Rajasthan

In Rajasthan, there are sandy stretches of desert where a unique method of cloth-dyeing prevails. The technique is called Ajrakh and the print is in dark shades of blue and red with geometrical patterns on both sides of the fabric. The technique is a complicated one and the steps include preparatory washing, application of mordant, resist printing, de-gumming, and dyeing. The resist substances used are gach (a mud resist) and kariyana, which is a mixture of the gum of the babul tree and chuna or lime. The lime provides a smooth texture and prevents the resist from cracking.

After the final dyeing the cloth is sun-dried. It is dipped every night in a cow-dung solution and kept under a stone all night. Washing is done the next morning in the river and the drying is done on the sand. When half-dry, water is sprinkled on the cloth continuously. On the third day, the cloth is finally washed in the river, brought to the work-place and dried.


Hand Block Printing - Kalamkari of Andhra

Kalamkari is the earliest and more complex techniques of block-printing on cloth using vegetable dyes. This flourished at Masulipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The origin of the word kalamkari is from kalam or pen and kari or work. The kalamkari done here is a mixture of painting and hand-printing. This craft was started in the old city of Golconda after which it spread along the eastern coast up to Tamil Nadu. Originally known as Coromandel chintz, the textiles produced here are famous the world over.

The process followed is complex and intricate, and the blocks used are made by specialist artisans. These blocks have very detailed and elaborate designs carved on them. The fastness of the colours is ensured by washing, bleaching, and sunning. Mordants like alum are used to fix the colours onto the cloth. Wax is used as the resist agent when a combination of colours are used to embellish different parts of the design. The wax-resist is hand-printed on to the fabric with a kalam or pen made of an iron loop attached to a bamboo stick. This step is done before the application of indigo. After the wax is removed by boiling, other colours are applied. The detailed colouring is done with a brush. Running water is used for washing and the process takes several days, weeks, or months depending on the length of the cotton cloth.

This craft reached its zenith during British rule and was also in high demand as dress and furnishing material in Europe and Southeast Asia. The motifs used were floral and animal designs. The Persian influence on the designs is visible: ornamental birds, flowers, creepers, and mehrabs or archways found chiefly in Mughal architecture are common.

pantaloons visit preview

Today had an opportunity to visit the outlet of one of the most reputed merchandise company, Pantaloons, Tilak Nagar, Nagpur. With me were my colleagues of the Hamstech institute. All of us had e xpected that it would be a learning curve for our designing skills.But it turned out to be a disappointment. 
The collection they had was strictly outdated one. The collection included ranglan sleeved T-shirts, doctor sleeved T-shirts (oh no!!), and a lot of not-so-trendy casuals.The quality of the merchandise was poor and was not at all maintained properly. There were broken stitches all over some of the outfits.Some of them very proudly displayed their HOLES!!!
The variety in the fabrics used and the colors was nothing to be spoken of.All in all what had promised to be a learning curve for our designing minds turned out to be a disaster!!!