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Activities / Block Printing (Ajrakh) / Block Print Potato Stamp

Block Print Potato Stamp

Potato-Stamp Block Print: Simple Prints on Fabric or Paper

Level
Beginner
Duration
45 - 90 mins (plus drying)
Budget
₹100 – ₹500
Age
8+ (adult cuts the potato)
State
Gujarat

Materials

  • Plain cotton tote bag or cotton napkin
  • Fabric paint in 2 colours
  • Large potatoes
  • Paper plate and a soft brush
  • Marker and paper towels
  • Small sharp knife (adult use only)
  • Iron, thin cloth, newspaper and a piece of cardboard (adult help)

Steps

  1. Wash and iron the cotton tote bag or napkin, then cover the table
    Block printing is a Gujarat tradition where carved wooden blocks are pressed in colour and then onto cloth, and a potato makes an easy first block. Wash the tote or napkin without fabric softener, dry it and iron it flat, because new cloth has a finish that stops paint from sticking. Cover the table with newspaper and slide a piece of cardboard inside the tote so paint cannot soak through to the back.
  2. Ask an adult to cut a large potato in half and dry the cut face
    An adult should cut one large potato straight across the middle with a sharp knife, making a flat face about 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. Pat the cut face with a paper towel and let it sit for 10 minutes. A wet potato leaves watery prints with no edges. Cut a second potato the same way if you want a second shape.
  3. Draw a simple shape about 4 cm wide on the cut face with a marker
    With a marker, draw one simple shape about 4 cm (1.6 in) across on the flat face: a leaf, a flower with four petals or a diamond. Keep the lines thick and the shape bold. Thin curls break off when carved, and bold shapes make better prints. Check that the shape fits in the middle with a margin of at least 1 cm all around.
    Tip: A diamond is the easiest first shape. Try a leaf once you have printed with a diamond.
  4. Ask an adult to carve away the potato around the shape, 5 mm deep
    An adult should cut straight down along the marker line to a depth of 5 mm with a small knife, then slice sideways from the outside edge towards the cut to remove the potato around the shape. The shape should stand up like a small raised stamp. Pat the stamp dry again with a paper towel. Common mistake: carving too shallow, which makes the whole face print as a smudge.
  5. Spread thin fabric paint on a plate and test the stamp on paper
    Squeeze a coin-sized blob of fabric paint onto a paper plate and spread it thin with a brush so it looks like a flat film. Press the stamp into it, lifting straight up. Test a print on scrap paper two or three times. The first print is usually too wet. A good print shows crisp edges and a little texture from the potato.
    Tip: Dab the stamp once on a paper towel before the first print to remove extra paint.
  6. Print the shape on the cloth in rows, pressing for 3 seconds
    Ink the stamp, place it straight down on the cloth and press with your palm for 3 seconds without rocking. Lift it straight up. Space prints 3 cm (1.2 in) apart in a row, then start the next row so that its prints sit between the prints above, like a brick wall. Re-ink the stamp for every print. Common mistake: twisting the stamp when lifting, which smears the print.
  7. Add a second colour or shape in the gaps
    Wash the first colour off the stamp, or use the second potato. Ink it in a different colour of paint and print between the first prints, in the gaps. Wait 15 minutes if the first prints are still wet. Two colours give the cloth a pattern like a traditional printed Gujarat textile. Do not use the potato stamp again the next day because it goes soft.
  8. Dry for 24 hours, then have an adult heat-set the paint with an iron
    Leave the cloth flat to dry for 24 hours. Then an adult should press the back of the print, or the front with a thin cloth on top, with the iron on the cotton setting for 3 to 4 minutes, moving the iron constantly. Heat-setting makes the paint wash-proof. Wash the cloth inside out in cold water the first time. Throw the potatoes away and do not eat them.

Sustainability

High - the stamp is a potato; it can be composted afterwards

Safety

An adult must cut the potato and the shapes with a sharp knife; paint stains clothes, so wear an apron; do not eat the stamps