Very elegant yet very simple, block printing is one of the most traditional forms of printing. It originated centuries ago in Rajasthan in India. It is basically applying of color on fabric in definite designs and patterns. Fabrics printed with block printing gives exquisitely beautiful designs and look as this technique can even give a three dimensional effect to the fabric. The range of designs that can be imprinted vary from very fine and intricate designs to very bold images.These include geometric shapes,floral designs, patterns and many more., offering women the choice to wear block printed dresses according to their style and occasion. Block printed sarees are widely worn by women in India.
Apart from fabric, it can be done on paper, canvas, wood and on other materials as well. At home, block printing can be done without any specialized tools. Hand block printing is the process of printing different patterns on textiles with the help of carved wooden blocks. The blocks are stamped and pressed against the cloth. Though the process is labor intensive but does not require heavy machineries. All you need is a wooden block, dye and fabric. The wooden blocks are carved with beautiful designs with the help of chisel and hammer. The blocks are filled in with colors and then stamped onto the cloth.
Traditional block printed clothes are very much in vogue and are extensively worn by women. Additionally, to suit the tastes of working women and college goers, a lot of contemporary and geometric designs are created to serve both formal and chic dressing purposes.
