I spent the past weeks galavanting around India. In my travels, I stumbled upon the practice of block printing, a method of dying textiles that is famous in the state of Rajasthan. While in Jaipur, we were shown many different scarves, bed sheets, and other fabrics dyed in this unique way. I even got to try my hand at block printing (though the result was not too impressive). Observe my sad elephant:
Ignoring my sad attempt, block printing can produce beautiful and complex designs. To do so, first the fabric is smoothed out on a flat surface. Next, a stamp-like block with a design is dipped in a dye and pressed continuously onto the fabric. The dye I used to make my elephant was all natural, coming from turmeric and spinach, but synthetic dyes are also used. Though I only used two, up to six different colors can be used to make more complicated designs, as you can see below.
Ignoring my sad attempt, block printing can produce beautiful and complex designs. To do so, first the fabric is smoothed out on a flat surface. Next, a stamp-like block with a design is dipped in a dye and pressed continuously onto the fabric. The dye I used to make my elephant was all natural, coming from turmeric and spinach, but synthetic dyes are also used. Though I only used two, up to six different colors can be used to make more complicated designs, as you can see below.
The key to these designs is accuracy. After examining the method of block printing, I am amazed at the detail that goes into the cloth at such an early stage. In Western costuming, fabric is hand dyed only when the costume designer wants a specific color unavailable in stores. The process is rarely a natural as that of the Rajashtani block printing, and lacks the cultural richness.
No comments:
Post a Comment