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Activities / Block Printing (Ajrakh) / Block Printing

Block Printing

Block Printing on Cotton: Repeat Patterns with a Foam Block

Level
Intermediate
Duration
2 - 4 hours (plus drying)
Budget
₹150 – ₹700
Age
12+
State
Gujarat

Materials

  • Plain white cotton cloth, 40 cm square
  • Craft foam sheets, 2 mm thick
  • Fabric paint in 2 colours
  • Jar lid or small wooden block, for the handle
  • White glue
  • Plate, brush or foam roller, and masking tape
  • Scissors, pencil, paper and newspaper
  • Iron and a thin cloth (adult help)

Steps

  1. Wash and iron the cotton cloth, then tape it flat to a covered table
    Wash a 40 cm (16 in) square of plain white cotton without softener, dry it and iron it flat, because new cloth has a finish that stops paint sticking. Cover the table with newspaper and tape the four corners of the cloth to it with masking tape, pulling it just taut. A cloth that is flat and held down will not slide when you press the block.
  2. Draw a simple motif about 5 cm across on paper
    Draw one simple motif about 5 cm (2 in) across, such as a leaf, a paisley or a flower with five petals, with a bold outline. Keep it simple: foam cannot hold thin lines, and curls narrower than 3 mm will peel off. Cut the paper motif out to use as a template. Many Indian block prints repeat one small shape in neat rows.
    Tip: A leaf or a paisley is easier than a flower with many small petals.
  3. Trace the motif on thick craft foam twice and cut out both shapes
    Lay the paper motif on a sheet of 2 mm craft foam and draw around it twice with a pencil. Cut both shapes out with scissors, cutting slowly and keeping the curves smooth. Two layers of foam stacked together make the raised print surface 4 mm tall, which is enough to pick up paint but not so tall that it wobbles. Common mistake: using only one thin layer, which prints the paint all over the cloth.
  4. Glue the two foam shapes together on a jar lid or wooden block
    Put white glue on one foam shape and stick the second on top, lining up the edges. Then glue the double shape in the middle of a jar lid, a wooden block or a piece of stiff card that is a little bigger than the motif, to use as a handle. Press it for 1 minute and leave it flat for 30 minutes. Check that the edges are stuck down, because lifted edges blur the print.
  5. Spread a thin even film of fabric paint on a plate
    Squeeze a blob of fabric paint about the size of a 1 rupee coin onto a plate. Spread it out with a foam roller or a brush into a thin, even film, like a layer of butter. Only a little paint is needed. Too much paint squeezes out at the edges of the print and fills in the details, so a thin film gives crisp prints.
  6. Ink the block and make a test print on paper
    Press the foam side of the block lightly into the paint film, lift it and look at it. The foam should have an even coating with no gaps or blobs. Then press the block on scrap paper for 3 seconds and lift it straight up, adding a little paint to the plate if the print is patchy and using less if the edges blur. Fix it on the paper before touching the cloth.
    Tip: Press with the flat of your palm, not your fingertips, so the pressure is even.
  7. Print a row on the cloth, pressing for 3 seconds and lifting straight up
    Ink the block, set it down on the cloth in one corner, press hard with your palm for 3 seconds without wiggling and lift it straight up. Print the next motif 3 cm (1.2 in) away and continue in a row. Start the next row half a step along, so the motifs sit between the ones above, like a brick wall. Re-ink the block every time. Common mistake: twisting the block as it lifts, which smears the print.
  8. Print a second motif or colour in the gaps once the first has dried
    Wait 30 minutes for the first prints to dry. Then make a second block with a different small motif, such as a dot or a tiny flower, and print it in a second colour in the gaps between the first motifs. Print it the same way, pressing for 3 seconds. Two shapes and two colours make the cloth look like a bought block-printed fabric.
  9. Dry for 24 hours, then have an adult heat-set the paint
    Leave the cloth flat for 24 hours. Then an adult should press it with the iron on the cotton setting for 3 to 4 minutes, with a thin cloth over the print, moving the iron all the time. Heat makes the fabric paint permanent. The first wash should be by hand in cold water, inside out. Hot iron burns, so children must not do this step alone.

Sustainability

Medium - reuses cotton; fabric paint is plastic-based; real block printing often uses natural dyes

Safety

Fabric paint stains clothes, so wear an apron and cover the table; hot iron burns, so adults should set the paint; use child-safe scissors for foam