World Famous Rajasthani Hand Block Prints spread elegance

Fine prints, pure fabrics, beautiful colors, and, above all, immense hard work sum up the textile culture of Rajasthan. Our state, known for forts, palaces, and historical background, is well known for its hand block printing . The cultural and beautiful patterns of Rajasthani block prints have interested people from all over the world. Hand Block printing is as old as the history of Rajasthan, and even today, it benefits thousands of artisans and keeps art and culture alive. It is an outstanding state of India, with its different shades of culture, art, and history blended together. The specific type of art in question is hand block printing.

This art has been prevalent in this state since the 12th century. As the kings of that time gave this art royal patronage, it has been passed down happily to generations of artisans. However, thousands of these printed fabrics are exported annually from Rajasthan to other parts of the world.

The beginning of this rich art was initially identified with the Chippa community of Bagru village, which later migrated to Sanganer. Due to this, hand block printing is now divided into two types: the Bagru print and the Sanganeri print. In the Bagru style block printing, the natural dyes used are developed; in the Sanganeri style, the colors used are combined with AZO-free pigment dyes.

Hand Block Printing – A Traditional Method of Printing

An approach to fabric printing called hand block printing is the guide technique, in which designs are carved on wooden blocks and used to print the material. This printing method is famous for its exclusivity, fundamental, and inventive worth because of the titanic skill required to generate each piece. In hand block printing, flower styles, leaves, and tree designs have been not unusual amongst other patterns. However, the designs needed to trade with the artwork shape like anything else. Numerous designs, consisting of metropolis perspectives, exceptional nations, and geometrical and summary shapes, are applied to hand block printing.

Block Carving:

Initially, a print is developed on the paper and then etched perfectly on the Sheesham or the timber wooden block of about 18-25 centimeters. In the same manner, these blocks are prepared for every design and for every color. These blocks are then preserved in oil for roughly ten to fifteen days to become soft. These blocks are given different names based on the purpose they are used for. For instance, the block used to print the outline on the fabric is called a ‘rekh’ block. The fill block is referred to as ‘Datta,’ and the ground color block is referred to as ‘gud.’ The carving is carried out purely by hand and often after years of practice to achieve the perfect design on a block. These block prints can be used in bedsheets, curtains, and other ethnic wear in India.

Preparing Colors:

To prepare colors for block printing, pigments of colors are mixed with a liquid binder to provide a soft ground for the color. The colors are then left on different trays to avoid getting mixed up. This helps attain the right design and color shade on the final printed material as intended. The preparation of colors ensures that the ink lays down nicely on the carved blocks and gives out quality prints.

Printing:

The fabric is then washed to remove any starch before printing begins. Now, the color is spread equally on the tray, and each block is wet and placed firmly on the fabric to leave an imprint. hand block printing  First, the subject of the prints is sketched, and then other blocks are used to put color into the work. The process takes a lot of time as various blocks (depending on the design) are printed repeatedly to read a fabric. After that, the fabric is dried in the sun, and then the newspaper is rolled on so that the prints do not stick together. It is steamed and, then, washed and sun-dried so that the master gets the assurance of his fabric and print. Finally, the fabric is ironed, folded, and taken to the market. Of course, it is the slowest of all textile hand block printing methods, but it is also the most individual and artistic.

Originally, designs such as flowers, leaves, or trees were carved on the block, but today, anyone with a design such as cityscapes and some other culture has emerged. Now, geometrical and abstract figures are also incorporated into hand block printing. The products made from hand-block printed fabrics include shirts, sarees, bed sheets, design dresses, keyhole–suits, Anarkali suits, and other women’s wear.

These products not only look elegant but are also unique, making them stand out from the crowd. The shades used in hand block printing are regularly vibrant and elegant, adding to the splendor of the final product.