Kamaniya Block Print

Block print is typically done with engraved blocks of wood and colorful dyes, pigments and paints. It has been practiced since ancient times on textiles as well as other medium too like paper. It has been always very popular in East Asia and was initiated in China around 2500 BC though even the Egyptians and Japanese are also known to use it since ages.

It is a traditional form of printing and has its place of pride as a beautiful art form that came up much before digital printing methods. Other than beautifying textiles it was also used for religious themes, as literature, books, illustrations, and portraits and replications of famous paintings too.

This handicraft requires a lot of skills too and Kamaniya practices it with dexterity. It is a form of printing, which uses a solid material like wood with patterns, designs, forms and shapes carved into it. The material used can vary in density and colours and can be other than wood as well: like linoleum and rubber. This material or objects then transfers colourful ink patterns and shapes into other material like textile, paper, cloth or fabric and sometimes even as wall art. The blocks are typically hand cut and usually natural or vegetable dyes/colors/ink are used. Generally, it is a relief form of printing but other forms like intaglio and planographic is also used. And chemical and artificial colors are also used these days. And machine block printing is also prevalent today.

It is highly adaptable too and hence you will see its various versions in Kamaniya’s block print items mainly saris. Some are soft and easy to carry as every day wear and some are lavish and elegant and perfect for parties and special occasions.  Block printing has come down generations of skill-full craftsmanship and has many modern variations and its history is as varied as its form. It is also often combined with digital prints too. The products can be saris, dupattas, garments, bed covers, pillow covers, cushions, runners, scarves, bed sheets and what not. Kamaniya tries to offer the most amazing variations too.

In India it has many forms, the most well-known being Dabu (also Daboo) from Rajasthan, Batik from Bengal, Bagh from Madhya Pradesh, and Ajrak from Gujarat. Other forms are known as Bagru, Dabru, Sanganeri, Kalamkari and Gaamthi. Jaipur in Rajasthan was the main hub of block prints during the Mughal times. It is generally a simple and slow process of printing especially if done by hand. It was originally done in a pastoral setting by village folks. This setting often had all the resources required for block printing like wood, natural dye, mud and water. In fact it is said that these villages often would echo with a typical sound that block printing would give out during the process.

Whatever the form and place most block print items like saris are very comfortable, some perfect for summers with its cool texture and some with very rich colors that bring in some warmth in colder times. Kamaniya has a mix and match of it all.

Crafters have taken this form of printing down the ages and perfected it every passing day. It was also a pocket friendly option as it allowed for bulk production of printed textiles and the block used for printing can be used many times. Hence it is very popular among the common masses. Even craftsmen outside Asia soon also started using this technique and influenced technicians worldwide.

Prints can be geometrical, flowery and leafy, checks, stripes, paisley, buti, zig zag, jaal and you name it and it’s there for you in Kamaniya’s items. Block printing can also create landscapes, scenes from everyday life, nature, birds, animals, mythology, folk; and in its earlier forms block prints depicted portraits as well.

They are also historically and culturally exalted and you will love its connection with posterity when you wear one. Kamaniya tries to uphold its historical and social significance all the time by drawing on as many types of beautiful patterns that it can find out about from the past and the present. All of it showcases India’s exclusive richness in this form of printing.

The intricate shapes carved on the blocks using a wide palette of colors, displays a tradition that tells a story of its own. As the designs are stamped into textiles, yards of fabric got stylized into modern.  and fashionable patterns of a rich legacy. Kamaniya also stylizes fabric with block prints in its own unique manner. Local variations are also kept in mind while printing with blocks.

Block printing brings the joy of transferring ideas into designs and the joy of wearing these are enhanced by creators like Kamaniya who offer some of the most artistic block print items like saris. When the patterns are pressed into the fabric, it turns versatile with every pattern and colour it creates. Kamaniya’s items ensure that versatility in designs and colors that are light or dark or mixed; hence they can be worn in various occasions, seasons, and times of the day. The rendition can also be one-collared, tow-colored or multi-coloured.

Block printing is an age-old practice that has evolved a lot down the years. It has been advanced by teams of highly skilled people who work on the raw material to the final product with great care and precision. One of the most important part of this process is how the ink or colour is applied. Overload of colors can spoil the effects with smudgy and murky forms. The colors must also be applied evenly and uniformly distributed on the block. It is a close-knit and careful team effort that Kamaniya also practices.

Without a collection of this widespread form of printing, any style house will feel incomplete in its works. Kamaniya would also feel the same and so it has incorporated a wide variety of block print into its fashionable wear. They are quintessential yet so modern, with loads of ingenuity while carving the blocks into specific shapes and sometimes with a lot of details. The final imprints are flourishing and aesthetic images of a craft that has been handed down three decades from one generation to another. It is here to stay with us for a long time due to its many good features.

Block friendly can be eco-friendly and sustainable too when done in the right manner and go soft on nature. Kamaniya tries to uphold this as well. It also ensures high quality textiles for these block print products to bring out the best in them. This will enrich your experience of Kamaniya’s block prints more.

The block prints are permanent and with care it will be everlasting. To ensure this both the block makers and the printers have to be ensure high quality of work. This is ensured by Kamaniya at all times.

Kamaniya also ensures that its block print items are trendy and up-to-date while keeping intact this ancient art. Reviving it with new designs all the time is important to Kamaniya too. While this technique has roots in many ages, countries and cultures, it is definitely for here and now all the time. Let’s block a part of our wardrobe for Kamaniya’s exquisite block print collection.