Block Printing in India
If you weren't aware I have a hideous love affair with fabric and sewing. Hideous because I'm not that good at it yet, but I'm still quite devoted. This video was posted on INK+WIT, an interesting blog I stumbled upon today while looking for shirtwaist dress patterns.
The technique this artisan is demonstrating is relief printing applied in the most basic possible way, but he is creating a lovely and complicated design with nothing more than a long table, a few different design blocks and a newspaper. He doesn't use registration but his precision is remarkable, especially in the second half of the video where he begins a lovely windowed design. He only has one color of ink, but his fabric is beautiful anyway. The technique couldn't be simpler, but even if his blocks were of geometric shapes instead of intricate paisley patterns they would be just as breathtaking.
To watch a craftsman so quickly and confidently creating is both humbling and inspiring. Within my studio and my home I am constantly thinking about potential projects and how to make them happen but it is easy to limit myself when I think of the supplies and space I would need. I am very lucky to have a nice home, a supportive partner, and a fantastic studio filled with all kinds of materials. The time to quit beating around the bush and waiting for things to come to me is now! Are some of your hobbies possible in such a simple environment? Would you continue to create if you were incapable of maintaining whatever space or supplies you currently have?
Hi Rachel. I saw this video and felt proud of my country and my people. The simple piece of cloth becomes really expensive when these artists touch it. But I feel sad for them as they hardly get enough to manage their meals. The talent doesn't give them a better life.
ReplyDeleteHello Jyotika, you are right to be proud of such amazing skill and dexterity. It is sad to know that an artist who is so talented still faces difficulties supporting himself and his family.
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