What is block printing?
Block printing refers to the printing technique of pressing and stamping fabric with carved wooden blocks filled with color. “Hand blocked” or “hand block printing” are other terms that refer to block printing.
Preparing dresses and sarees with block print process is an art. Our artisans take our original block print designs and print them onto cotton. However, the block printing process goes beyond pressing blocks onto fabric. There are so many steps involved, from carving each wooden block to preparing fabric, mixing dyes, and applying final touches. Each block printing technique requires artistry, skill, and patience. It is the sum of these tasks that produces our gorgeous block printed fabrics.
Woodblock carving for a block print
Hand-carved wooden blocks provide the cornerstone of the block printing process. Block carving is tedious, and it demands an exceptional degree of craftsmanship. Wood carvers practice and teach the block carving craft over generations.
Carving the outline block is the most challenging step in the process of block printing. As the skeleton for the design, it’s the most expensive block. The most skilled artisan in a block making shop (often the owner) works on this piece. Work begins with a freehand paper drawing of the design’s outline. Using the drawing as a map, the artisan traces out the color fill blocks.
Craftsmen trace the design onto a planed slice of sheesham wood, which is the best wood for this kind of printmaking, and chisel it 1/3-inch deep. The precision that a master block maker achieves with simple tools is extraordinary. These block printing tools may be simple, but they create something extraordinary. The resulting woodblocks are works of art in themselves!
How many blocks does it take to create a print?
Well, that depends on the design. Each color and each design element requires its own separate block. That’s right: each tiny element comes to life one color and one block at a time! You can try to estimate the number of blocks used by tallying the number of colors and design components. A simple design might require just three blocks, but a complex design might need up to 30 blocks!
A woodblock usually ranges between 5–8 square inches. At times, it can be as large as 14 inches if a design requires it. The size constraint of the blocks defines the parameters of viable design, and this is why small motifs characterize Indian block prints.
Wood block preparation
Carved blocks absorb moisture during the printing process, and it’s critical that the wood doesn’t warp. To prevent warping, the blocks stand in trays of mustard oil for a few days. They drain over wads of fabric for several days more cure.
Block carvers then drill tiny holes into areas intended for application of flat color. Stuffing cotton into these holes at the time of printing ensures even color application.
To block print a design, artisans fill each element one block and one color at a time. They also use separate sets of blocks to create the fabric borders. Just like the main design, a border design might require multiple sets of carved wood blocks.
Colors
Block print process uses natural colors for printing, the colors are made up of flowers and other organic materials.
That’s the major reason of its popularity as it doesn’t use chemicals in printing process.
