block printing

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Woodblock printing Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper . Block printing is a form of dying and coloring a fabric using wooden blocks. India is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of block printed fabric in the world. Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs

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Page 1: Block Printing

Woodblock printing

Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper.

Block printing is a form of dying and coloring a fabric using wooden blocks. India is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of block printed fabric in the world. Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs

Page 2: Block Printing

What is a Block Print?

A block print is a piece of printed material made using the block printing technique. In block printing, the printer carves the design to be printed into a solid block, much like a stamp. The design can include text or be purely visual, and the block can be applied to paper or textiles. Block printing is an ancient printing technique, and numerous examples of historical block prints can be found in the historical records of Europe and Asia Several techniques can be used to create a block print. First, the block is inked with the assistance of a roller. The carved areas will show up as white in the final product, while the raised portions left behind will print. The block can be used to stamp paper, the printer can place paper on the block and rub it,

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Colors in block printing: Saffron Marigold insists that it's range of Linens and Bedding are made from mineral or vegetable dyes. These dyes are non-toxic in origin and will cause no adverse effects towards it's users or the people who are intricate in making this product.

Finishing Touches: Before our linen is ready for you, the final touches such as adding buttons and beadings are hand sewn to create the gorgeous fabric that will adorn your fine homes today.

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Techniques of Block Printing•  Direct Printing : In this technique, the cotton or silk cloth is first bleached. Then

the fabric is dyed, unless a light background is desired. Thereafter, the fabric is printed using carved blocks, first the outline blocks, then the ones to fill color.•  Resist Printing : In the resist technique, areas that are to be protected from the dye are covered with a mixture of clay and resin. The dyed fabric is then washed. The dye spreads into the protected areas through cracks, producing a rippled effect. Block prints are then used to create further designs.

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There are two methods of printing to consider

Stamping Used for many fabrics, and most early European woodcuts (1400–40) These were printed by putting the paper or fabric on a table or other flat surface with the block on top, and pressing or hammering the back of the block.

Rubbing Apparently the most common for Far Eastern printing on paper at all times. Used for

European woodcuts and block-books later in the 15th century, and very widely for cloth. The block goes face up on a table, with the paper or fabric on top. The back is rubbed with a "hard pad, a flat piece of wood, a burnisher, or a leather frotton".

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Discharge Printing: In this technique of block printing. First, the fabric is dyed in the desired color. Then, a chemical is applied to some regions of the fabric to fade or remove the color effect. Further, these faded regions are again dyed but in different color, so that a different color effect is produced.

Block Printing is done in various parts of India . Main centers of block printing in Gujarat and Rajasthan are Ahmedabad, Sanganer, Bagru, Farrukhabad and Pethapur. Ajrakh prints and Lepakshi prints are some of the most popular block prints.

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Centers of Block Printing in India

Block Printing in Gujarat In Gujarat, this form of hand printing has been practiced and perpetuated by the Paithapur families. They make intricate blocks, and print their textiles using the mud resist-printing method. These prints are called Sodagiri (trader) prints. Dhamadka village in Gujarat is known for a block printed fabric called Ajrakh. The popular designs of block printing in this village are geometric. The artisans use natural colors such as red from the madder root, black from a rusty iron solution and blue from indigo. In Kutch, the popular patterns are black and red designs of birds, animals, and dancing girls. The saris of Ahmadabad and Baroda have large mango patterns against a red or blue background. The other well known centers for block printing in Gujarat are Bhavnagar, Vasna, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Jetpur and Porbandar.

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Block Printing in RajasthanFrom Gujarat, the art of block printing spread to Rajasthan. Here colorful prints of birds, animals, human figures, gods and goddesses are popular. The important centers for this form of hand printing are Raipur, 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. Bagru is famous for its Syahi-Begar prints and Dabu prints. The former are designs in a combination of black and yellow ochre or cream. The latter 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.

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Block Printing in PunjabThe block printing from Punjab is not as famous as its Rajasthan counterpart, but is still merit worthy. It was the art of a group of textile workers called Chhimba . The designs were usually floral and geometrical. Today, traditional designs have been displaced, and vegetable dyes have been replaced by chemical ones. The colors are light and pastel. The motifs are usually mangoes, peacocks and nets. Block Printing in West BengalThe art of block printing is not traditional to West Bengal, and was introduced at the beginning of the twentieth century. Since then, Bengal's block printing artists have built on the traditional designs and created several of their own. In West Bengal, Serampur is the center of block printing. It is well-known for its bold and vibrant patterns.

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Block Printing in Andhra PradeshIn Andhra Pradesh, the block printing method is applied in the creation of the exquisite Kalamkari Painting. Kalamkari, as the name suggests, is artwork ( Kari ) created with a pen ( Kalam ). It is a combination of hand painting and block printing.

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How to Block Print FabricBlock printing is a traditional Indian way of decorating textiles. It has become widely used because it is an uncomplicated method that creates vibrant, colorful patterns. Chemical and artificial colors have replaced the traditional natural dyes used in block printing. The principal tints are red, yellow, blue and saffron. Block printing can be manufactured, but here we offer step by step instructions to decorate your own fabrics by hand block printing

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Instructions

(1)Draw your design or place tracing paper over the design you wish to reproduce, and outline the design with a pencil.(2)Trace the design onto a linoleum block using carbon paper, and go over the lines with a permanent marker.(3)Etch out the negative areas on the linoleum with carving tools.

(4)Repeat this process on other linoleum blocks for different elements of your design, if your pattern requires it.(5)Stamp the design onto the right side of your fabric. Continue to ink the linoleum block as necessary.

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The Process of Hand Block PrintingBlock printing has became popular because a rather simple process can create such sensational prints in many and varied rich vibrant colors. Originally natural dyes were used but today they have been replaced by chemical and artificial colors. The main colors used are red, the color of love, yellow the color of spring, blue as in Krishna, and saffron of the yogi. The main tools of the printer are wooden blocks in different shapes and sizes called bunta. Wooden Print Blocks are made of seasoned wood, including teak wood and Indian Sheesham wood. These often finely carved stamps are carved by trained craftsmen. The underside of the block has the design etched on it. 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/dye. The new blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the grains in the timber.

Wooden trolleys with racks have castor wheels fastened to their legs to facilitate free movement. The printer drags it along as he works. On the upper most shelf trays of dye are placed. On the lower shelves printing blocks are kept ready.

The fabric to be printed is washed free of starch and soft bleached if the natural grey 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 stretched over the printing table and fastened with small pins (in the case of saris the pallu is printed first then the border).

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.

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What can you do with our wooden print blocks?There's so many things... just a few are:Use them as a decorative piece of artUse them to imprint fabricUse them to imprint paperUse them to imprint on wallsstamping clay or FEMO, sculpey, Premo! make custom tilesuse these stamps to apply henna tattoosUsing Shiva or Pentel Oil Paintsticks, you can "trace" the designs of the printblocks onto fabrics(like a t-shirt) (kind of like tracing a tombstone) and they're permanent! and many of our clients use these stamps for impressing designs into clay, plaster or paint. 

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Textile wood printing

Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fiber, so as to resist washing and friction. Textile printing is related to dyeing but, whereas in dyeing proper the whole fabric is uniformly covered with one colour, in printing one or more colours are applied to it in certain parts only, and in sharply defined patterns.In printing, wooden blocks, stencils, engraved plates, rollers, or silkscreens are used to place colours on the fabric. Colourants used in printing contain dyes thickened to prevent the colour from spreading by capillary attraction beyond the limits of the pattern or design.Traditional textile printing techniques may be broadly categorised into four styles:

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TechnologyTextile printing was introduced into England in 1676 by a French refugee who opened works, in that year, on the banks of the Thames near Richmond. Curiously enough this is the first print-works on record; but the nationality and political status of its founder are sufficient to prove that printing was previously carried on in France. In Germany, too, textile printing was in all probability well established before it spread to England, for, towards the end of the 17th century, the district of Augsburg was celebrated for its printed linens, a reputation not likely to have been built up had the industry been introduced later than 1676. From an artistic point of view most of the pioneer work in calico printing was done by the French; and so rapid was their advance in this branch of the business that they soon came to be acknowledged as its leading exponents. Their styles of design and schemes of colour were closely followed-even deliberately copied by all other European printers; arid, from the early days of the industry down to the latter half of the 10th century, the productions of the French printers in Jouy, Beauvais, Rouen, Alsace-Lorraine, &c., were looked upon as representing all that was best in artistic calico printing.