The art of hand block-printing

The hand block used for printing is carved out of wood and is the simplest of printing devices, yet in the hands of the artisans yields the most intricate designs. The entire printing process is completed by hand, making each finished textile unique and truly a work of art.

All the products on our website have been produced using this method.

Demonstrations

Watch block-carving and printing demonstrations below as seen in the Anokhi Museum

The intricacy of the process 

Swipe right to see the many steps of creating a block-printed resist-dyed waistcoat

(source: Anokhi Museum, Jaipur)

The final product

The final product

1. The fabric is soaked in Harda

1. The fabric is soaked in Harda

2. Begar mordant paste is printed

2. Begar mordant paste is printed

3. Second Begar mordant paste is printed

3. Second Begar mordant paste is printed

4. Siyahi, a natural black pigment, is printed

4. Siyahi, a natural black pigment, is printed

5. The fabric is washed

5. The fabric is washed

6. After boiling in alzarin dye, the mordant turns red

6. After boiling in alzarin dye, the mordant turns red

7. Dabu mud is printed to resist patterned areas

7. Dabu mud is printed to resist patterned areas

8. The fabric is dipped in Indigo vat dye

8. The fabric is dipped in Indigo vat dye

9. More Dabu mud is printed

9. More Dabu mud is printed

10. The fabric is dipped in indigo again for a deeper shade of blue

10. The fabric is dipped in indigo again for a deeper shade of blue

Anokhi Museum

Anokhi established the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, located in Jaipur, India, which supports an ongoing research programme to study block printing and keep the history of block printing alive.