Mamta Manwani ,Bachelors Degree in Fashion Technology,Visit report on bagru

REPORT ON VISIT TO

BAGRU

BLOCK PRINTING

Submitted To: Dezyne E’cole College, Ajmer

Submitted By: Mamta Manwani B. Sc. Fashion Technology, 2nd year

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep

regards to Dezyne E’Cole College for taking us to this visit.

I also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to

the mentors of Dezyne E’Cole College for their cardinal support,

valuable information and guidance.

MAMTA MANWANI

Bachelor's of Science in Fashion Technology

1 Year Diploma In Fashion Technology

INTRODUCTION : BAGRU PRINTING

We traveled to Bagru, 30 km from Jaipur for block printing workshop.

Bagru is a town that is famous for their expertise in block printing

and more specifically, their printing with vegetable and natural dyes.

The process is not only painstakingly laborious but anciently

beautiful. It has been perfected over more than 1000 years. The

workshop runs from 10am-5pm.

Bagru printing is one of the traditional techniques of printing with

natural colour followed by the chippas of a remote place of

Rajasthan. The process starts from preparing the cloth to finished

printed fabrics through their indigenous methods. Motifs having some

specialty are transferred onto light coloured background with wooden

blocks following two styles direct and resist style.

Hand block printing has been recognized as a craft through

generations in different clusters in the country. Each cluster follows

its distinctive style & methods, uses locally available natural

materials and motifs of some specialty. 'Bagru' print is that kind of

centuries old traditional art of hand block printing still alive.

PROCESS OF BAGRU PRINT

Fabric

washing

Harda Dyeing

Printing

Drying

Drying

Fastening

Boiling

Fabric

Resist Block Printing

Dyeing

Drying

Drying

Fastening

Boiling

washing

Block Printing Resist Dyeing(Dabu)

HARDA DYEING

Fabric used for Bagru printing is cotton. To ensure the fabric absorbs

the dye , cotton is dyed using harda powder mixed into water. Once

dyed, the fabric needs to lay flat and dry in the sunlight. The fabric

will have a yellowish tint after this stage, which will later disappear

once washed.

Next we are showed just how important this step is. Fabric that has

and hasn’t been treated with harda is dipped into black dye and you

can see the difference. The untreated fabric is the white fabric on the

left, and the harda treated fabric is the yellow tinted fabric on the

right.

Harda Power Dyeing

Drying

NATURAL DYES

The base color of Bagru prints is off- white. Initially, natural dyes like

madder, indigo, pomegranate rind, turmeric etc. were being used as

coloring agents. For the past seventy years Alizarine has been

introduced in place of madder (manzeet).Natural indigo has been

replaced by Synthetic indigo. The main natural colors are prepared in

the following ways by the printers themselves:

1. BLACK (Natural)

Worn-out iron horse-shoes or camel-shoes are soaked in water

(fermented) (example 10 litres of water for 10 kg of horseshoe) to

which molasses (gud) is added [1kg for 10 litres of water]. This

mixture is kept aside for 15days. The process is carried on in a

matka or a separate cement tank specially made for this purpose.

After fifteen days the water is decanted and is used as the black

pigment.

NATURAL DYES

2. RED (Natural)

First, a gum paste solution in water is kept overnight and then sieved

through a cotton cloth. Hundred grams of phitakari (boiled in water)

is then mixed in the gum solution. When this color is applied on the

fabric with the help of blocks it appears brown in color, but after it is

put in the (bhatti) furnace the color changes to red.

3. MAROON (Natural)

In order to get this color, red and black colors are mixed in the ratio

of 3:1 respectively i.e. 75% red and 25% black.

The source materials for natural dyes are not only plentiful but also

harmless and non-pollutant. The water from these dye baths is

usually recycled to irrigate vegetable garden of peas, wheat, and

other green vegetables and grains.

Pigment Colors

Other than natural colors, pigment colors are also used for printing.

Some of the pigment colors are:

1) Green

2) Pink

3) Brown

4) Violet

5) Blue

6) Rust

The basic color combinations used for Bagru printing are:

1) Cream , Maroon and Black

2) Black and white

3) Blue (indigo) and white

MOTIFS

All the motifs are first carved on wooden blocks which are made by

craftsmen called KHARAUDI. They specialize exclusively in the skill

of hand-carving the designs on the blocks and do not use the electric

machinery. They work with their traditional tools which include a

ruler, compass, saw and wooden maller. A single colored block

measuring 5.5 cms by 9cms, can cost between Rs. 350 and 800,

depending upon the intricacy of the design. One block lasts for a

maximum of 800- 1000mts. of fabric. Each design usually requires a

set of several different blocks, including an outline (rekh), a

background (gad), and filler (datta).

Main patterns carved on the blocks are:

1) PATASHI with its tiny floral designs of buds, leaves and stems.

2) JHAD with its interviewing trendrils and distinctive border lines.

3) HATHI- the elephant

Besides these the other motif used are floral, spiral, geometrical and

figures like fishes etc.

PRINTING

Hand block printing is a complex and labor- intensive craft that

involves a variety of skills at different stages: Carving the block

(usually done by craftsmen) preparing the cloth, mixing the dyestuffs,

and finally the printing, dyeing, and washing steps, which may be

repeated several times to obtain a final color and design.

1. Carving the Block

The wooden blocks made by craftspeople called blocks. They are

not using any electrical machinery, but relying on their traditional

tools; compass, saw, routers, rulers, chisels, and wooden mallet.

Each design usually requires a set of several different blocks,

including an outline (rekh), a background (gad), and a filler (datta).

2. Preparing the cloth

The printing process begins with raw, grey cotton cloth which is

either hand-woven or mill-made. The cloth is treated with several

different auxiliaries (for example: bleaching) to make it softer and

more absorbent. The swelling of fibers and opening the pores in

order to absorb the printing paste uniformly, ensures that the dyes

will be colorfast and bright. After this, the fabric is given a primary

creamish- yellow color (pila karma) by applying HARDA SOLUTION.

This solution is invariably a solution of harda power in water without

any addition of oil. The cloth is then dried in the sun and is ready to

start printing.

3. Mixing the dyestuffs

The dyestuffs are mixed in a printing tray which has fixed size

25cms/35cms. First a bamboo frame known as TATI is put inside the

tray. On top of that we place a layer of KAMALI, which is a woolen

cloth. The dye solution, is prepared by mixing the color into the

Binder, and is then poured into the tray, where in gets soaked by the

woolen cloth. After these preparations, printing of the fabric starts.

PRINTING THE FABRIC

The printer presses the block into the dye tray and then onto the

cloth until the pattern is complete. For every imprint the block is

pressed into the tray to get a fresh smear of paste. The outline

pattern is done in blocks for the background and highlights in

different colors. Once each pattern is complete, the cloth is ready for

the dye vat. This printing is primarily done by male printers.

RESIST DYEING (DABU)

Dabu is a type of mud-resistant block printing which is practiced

primarily in Rajasthan. The distinctiveness of Dabu print lies in its

awe-inspiring eminence and look. In addition, the printing involves

plenty of natural dyes and pastes that are created from vegetables

which makes it environmentally responsive. The procedure of

creating these printed fabrics comprises a lot of manual labor and

absolute uphill struggle. It starts by combining an extraordinary clay

paste known as “Dhabu”. A specific design is then printed on the

cloth and is wrapped up with wooden and clay blocks after which the

saw dust is dotted. After drying the cloth, it is dyed with the preferred

shade. After dying the cloth, it can be dyed with a lighter shade to

offer patterns as well. The process is so prolonged and manual that

the outcome is worth it.

RESIST DYEING

Resisted Area

Dyeing in Natural Indigo Colour

WASHING, BOILING AND COLOUR

FASTENING

The fabric is then washed in cool water.

The pieces are beaten against the concrete and ready for the final

step.

This is where the color fastening takes place with the help of flowers

from the Dhaura tree. Pieces with red dye is boiled in a separate pot

with alizarin which then turns the once yellowish color red.

Once boiled, they give it a quick rinse, quick spin to dry and they are

done. They dry in the sun.

FINAL PRODUCT AND MARKET VALUE

Bagru prints are immensely used in contemporary as well as

conventional garments.

Conventionally, Bagru prints were used mostly for ghagras (skirts),

odhnis (scarves) and pagris (turbans). The printed lengths of rough

cotton about 50 cms wide were typically sewn together for long

skirts.

Today, the products made with Bagru block prints have entered into

Home Furnishings, apparel and accessories.

Although this technique is facing problems against the threat of

globalization, this exotic art of creation is required to be encouraged

in the present context of environmental consciousness.

CONCLUSION

We traveled to Bagru, 30 km from Jaipur for block printing workshop.

The process is not only painstakingly laborious but anciently

beautiful. The thing I realised after learning how they use to do this

work was that some beautiful things comes from a look of hard work.

The thing I was amazed about was the making of natural dyes

specially the black colour , the process in which they use to boil the

ingredients for about a month that means they must have been using

the colour produced a month ago. When I interacted with them I got

to know about how important that workshop is for their living, they

have been working there since years. And also one of them told me

about the underground thanks which were filled with the indigo dye

that was 15 feet deep and the water inside have not been replaced

since they were too young. The only conclusion I can make after

visiting that place is “Beauty Is Pain”

THANK YOU