Block Printing

1. Ashutosh Vatsa
Pankaj Pathak

2. Block printing on textiles is the process
of printing patterns on textiles, usually
of linen, cotton or silk, by means of
incised wooden blocks.
It is the earliest, simplest and slowest of all
methods of textile printing.
Block printing by hand is a slow process. It is,
however, capable of yielding highly artistic
results, some of which are unobtainable by any
other method.

3. •It yields very low production.
•The cost of set up is very less.
•Very skilled personnel is required to do such
printing.
•The cost of making a design is very less, however
durability of design is very low, being defined by
durability of block, usually made of wood.
•The variety of designs is dictated by the skill of the
woodworker who carves those designs.
•The size of design pattern repeat can be larger.
•There is a limitation of width of the fabric- which is
dictated by the width of the table.

4. Hand-block printing is an inseparable part of
cultural heritage of Rajasthan.
There are two types of block printing famous
in the state of Rajasthan namely
•Sanganeri – printed on white background
•Bagru – printed on black and red background

5. SANGANERI PRINT BAGRU PRINT
Techniques of Hand Block printing

6. •In Rajasthan Colorful prints of Birds, Animals, Human figures,
Gods and Goddesses are popular.
•The important centers for this form of are Jaipur, Bangru,
Sanganer, Pali and Barmer.
Sanganer is famous for its Calico printed bed covers, quilts and
saris. In Calico Printing, the outlines are first printed, and then
the color is filled in. Bold patterns and colors are popular. They
are printed repeatedly in diagonal rows.
•Doo Rookhi Printing is also famous here. In this technique,
artists print on both sides of the cloth.

7. •Bagru is famous for its Syahi-Begar prints and Dabu prints.
oThe Syahi-Begar Prints are designs in a combination of
black and yellow ochre or cream.
oThe Dabu Prints are prints in which portions are hidden from
the dye by applying a resist paste.
•Barmer is known for its prints of red chilies with blue-black
outlines, surrounded by flower-laden trees. The other famous
prints are of horses, camels, peacocks and lions,
called Sikar and Shekahawat prints.

8. 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.

11. •The fabric to be printed is washed
free of starch and soft bleached if
the natural gray of the fabric is not
desired.
•If the borders are to be made, then
the cloth at the border area are tied
then dyed before printing.
•The fabric is again washed to
remove excess dye and dried
thoroughly.

12. •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.

13. •The number of blocks needed per design
depends on the number of colours used.
•A tray is filled with the pigment and the block
is placed into it to collect the accurate
amount of dye.
•The tray, which contains a metal grid with
layers of fabric laid on top, is filled with dye.
The dye soaks through the fabric, which then
acts as a colour pad against which the block
is to be pressed.

14. Coloured pigment is mixed with a
thickener or binder.
A sheet of
polythene is used
to keep the pad
from drying out.
A printing pad
made from two
layers of muslin
and one layer of
hessian.

15. •The block is then placed carefully on the
fabric and struck with the heel of the
printer`s hand. The process is repeated
until the entire cloth is covered.
•Each colour has its own block and each
Colour can vary owing to the weather and
as it is printed in five metre lengths can
vary within a collection.

17. •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.
•Once the cloth has been steamed it is washed to
remove excess dye and the resist paste.
•Hand block printed fabrics are best washed in warm
water with a gentle detergent so that, the colors remain
rich and vibrant.

18. Pattern made by
hammering metal
nails into a block
of wood
Pattern
carved from
a block of
wood

20. Pattern made
with nails
Carved
blocks

24. Chemical Dyes

25. •Pigment dyes
oPigment colors are mixed with kerosene 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.
oPigment colors are widely popular today because the process
is simple, the mixed colors can be stored for a period of time,
and new shades evolve with the mixing of two or three colors.
oThe 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
oIn this process, the ground color and the color in the design are
printed on white and/or light-colored grounds in one step.
oThe dyes once mixed for printing have to be used the same
day.
oStandard colors are black, red, orange, brown and mustard.
oColor variation is somewhat difficult and while printing it is not
possible to gauge the quality or depth of color.

26. •Discharge dyeing and Printing
oThese dyes are used if you need to print onto a dark
background. Medium to dark grounds are dyed on fabric
with specially prepared dyestuff .
oThe 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.
oThe 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
oThere are two sets of chemicals which upon reaction
produce a third chemical essentially colorful in nature.
oFabric is dyed in one and later printed with the other. The
chemical reaction produces a third color.
oHowever, the biggest drawback of this process is that there
are just a few chemicals available which produce colors
upon reaction.

27. Vegetable / Natural dyes

28. •Bagru Black
oThis 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.
oMany other natural substances used for producing
dyes are pomegranate skins, bark of mango tree,
vinegar, slaked lime etc.
•Bagru Red
oThis dye is achieved by combining a source material
such as alizarin with alum, the results ranging from
pink to deep red.
•Indigo Blue
oThe internationally famous Bagru Blue is obtained
from the indigo bush found throughout India.

29. Facts and problems of 'Heritage Craft'
•Around 154 block print units functioning in
Sanganer, Jaipur that provide employment to
around 3000 families.
•Textile exports rest at over Rs 1000 crore from
the state and almost Rs 400 crore is generated
by way of ready-mades and furnishings made
with block prints.
•The Sanganeri block print awaits patenting.
•Sanganeri block print is in the throes of a storm
as the craftsmen and the state pollution control
board confront each other.