Block Printing

Creating the design

Creating the block

Blocks

Mixing the dye

Printing

Printing

Blocks and fabric

The process of block printing

Washing the fabrics

Drying the fabrics

Block printing is a method of textile printing which uses a carved wooden block to print patterns on paper or fabric. Dyes are often mixed from natural materials like dried onion skins, turmeric, and pomegranate. Fabrics are washed of impurities and then stretched across a table in preparation of the printing. Printing takes place with either one or multiple printers and the designs are often repeating patterns which have been carved from a wooden block by a master artisan. Prints can be printed with dye printing methods or mud resist printing methods.

For regular hand block printing, a master printer gently dips the wooden block in a dye tray and then stamps the fabric with one hard pound. He will repeat this from left to right, aligning the blocks perfectly to create a repeat.