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Reimagining Block Print Craft of
Rajasthan in Interior Architecture
Designing of Feature wall and Furniture inspired by Block Printing
techniques of Rajasthan
Megha Apsingekar, Srishti Srivastava
Abstract
The arts and crafts of any region are the reflection of its environment, people, and traditions. Rajasthan is
among the richest states of the country in the field of arts and crafts are concerned. Stone, clay, leather,
wood, ivory, lac, glass, silver, gold, and textiles were given the most brilliant forms. It is the crafts and
traditions of India that make it stand out in the world. However, the numerous arts and crafts are slowly
getting extinct and so have to be renewed and brought back to life. Wooden blocks used for printing is
one such art that is fading, due to screen printing and lack of awareness and a few other reasons. It is
such an art which is used for making every piece of cloth, every design unique and different from others
yet involving a sustainable process in production. The art, which was once flourishing and attracted
customers from all across the world, is now struggling to survive. The artists who have been working in
this field for several generations are struggling for livelihood. Incorporating the techniques of block
printing along with modern technologies to create an interior space would provide a sustainable solution
for both the artist as well as the designer. The feature wall and the furniture is broken down into modules,
the wooden blocks used for the printing is used as modules, designed by an artist from their place. Later
these blocks are arranged in the site by interlocking together. As designing of wooden blocks is a time
taking process, Terracotta will be used for mass production and to obtain seamless patterns yet
maintaining the essence of art would reduce the cost and carbon impact on the environment. Thus,
provides a sustainable solution for preserving of art, artist, and designers.
Key words: Rajasthan, Handicrafts, Block Printing, Sustainability, Interior Wall, Modules, Interlocking.
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1. Introduction
Handicrafts are defined as the products that are
made by hand or using simple tools used by
hands. It is the unique expression of art that
represents a culture, tradition and the heritage
of a country or a particular city. It is the crafts
and traditions of India that make India stand
out in the world. Rajasthan is one of the
richest states in the country as far as the field
of arts and crafts is concerned. May be it was a
result of the war-like lifestyle of the people
over here which enhanced the creative
senses, artistic skills and inspired them to
create the most opulent and richest of
treasures. Like Stone, clay, leather, wood,
ivory, lac, glass, brass, silver, gold and textiles
were given the most brilliant forms. Kings of
Rajasthan were patrons of arts and crafts &
they encouraged their craftsmen in activities
ranging from wood and marble carving to
weaving and paintings. The use of lively
colors intricate designs and floral patterns are
distinctive in all forms of arts and crafts of
Rajasthan. It will be injustice to say that artists
of Rajasthan make decorative items only.
Every household item here proves the
statement false as we go through their
embellished utensils, colorful attires, unique
jewelry designs and embroidered shoes that
infuse a new life and a cheerful look to the
otherwise monotone of the desert sands. The
renowned artists, artisan, craftsmen and people
related to handicrafts were invited from India
and out of India. Many communities were
invited to get settled in and make Jaipur city
(the capital city of Rajasthan) their home. This
made Jaipur a major centre for art and craft.
Major crafts of Jaipur included block printing,
bandhani, sculptures and stone carving. Zari
work. For the people who love handicraft
shopping, Jaipur (the capital city of Rajasthan)
is the perfect place for them. Mostly on all
traveling guides, shopping portals, touring
websites, online catalogues and blogs you may
see this title awarded to Jaipur. This is also
called as the Treasure Trove of India as no
one ever goes empty handed from here.
(paliwal, 2014). Along with the Agriculture,
Handcraft industry and tourism have huge
contribution for the economy of the state.
The handcrafts of Rajasthan is not only
famous in India but well known all over the
world for its hand-printed textiles, furniture,
leatherwork, jewellery, painting, pottery and
metal craft etc., to name a few of the salient
craft traditions, all have one thing in common
– an exuberance, vigor and a desire to
celebrate life. It is as if the monotony of
survival in this vastly stretched landscape has
METAL WARE
JEWELRY
HAND PRINTED
TEXTILES
TERACOTTA
FOLK
PAINTINGS
Figure 1: Handicrafts of Rajasthan
Figure 3: Exports of handicrafts from Rajasthan
Figure 2: Major crafts of Jaipur
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been rendered sublime with exquisitely crafted
handmade objects.
Though Rajasthan being famous for
Handicrafts there are numerous arts and crafts
that are slowly dying and so have to be
renewed and brought back to life. Hand Block
Printing is such an art which is be used for
creating each piece of fabric, every design
unique and different from others. Rajasthan
being the hub of craft and culture houses many
traditional crafts and among them the foremost
practiced and known craft is hand block
printing.
It is performed at several places in Rajasthan
and every place has historical, cultural and
geographical impact and influences on the
craft of hand printing. Regional variations do
exist and every region features a distinctive
form of its own. The region of Sanganer has
emerged together such centre for the age old
craft of hand block printing. Sanganer is a
small village situated around 30 km from the
walled city of Jaipur and regarded to be the
foremost prosperous place in Jaipur. The
village has been a vital centre for very fine
block-cutting and printing units
accommodating over 5000 block printers.
Figure 2: Local Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan
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2. Background Study
Hand block print is one of the techniques of
applying colour in a definitive pattern on a
textile surface. As the name suggests, a
block of wood is prepared and the desired
pattern is carved out on one of the flat side.
This side is dipped in colour and then
placed on a textile surface. The tradition of
making hand-printed textiles Widely
practiced in both Rajasthan and Gujarat, is
distinguished by the use of imprints of
geometric as well as stylized floral and
animal forms. In Rajasthan block printing is
prominent in Sanganer, Bagru, Jodhpur,
Akola and Barmer. Each place has its
unique design elements, color schemes and
motifs. The final product can be easily
differentiated in terms of region and
origin.Sanganer (situated near Jaipur,
Rajasthan) is the most popular for block
printing.
It is developed in sanganer during the 17th
century when it got popular in European
countries.Sanganer print got its identity
because of its intricate and floral patterns.
East India Company started exporting it.
Sanganeri vegetable print has more than five
hundred years old history. They are said to
be the followers of famous saint Namdev
and are known as ‘Chhippa’ or ‘Namdev
Chhippa’. Various invasions forced their
ancestors to migrate to Jaipur region, where
this art & technique developed with Royal
courts support. However there are number
of artisans who are indirectly involved
within the craft as designers, block makers,
dyers, tailors, suppliers of raw materials,
dealers etc. The Chhipa community, which
is engaged with traditional craft, is settled in
Sanganer and therefore the
inhabitants/craftsmen have come from
various parts of Northern and Western India
in several period of time. The dyers and
block makers originally came from Punjab
or Sindh. The printers are predominantly
Hindus, while the majority of dyers and
block makers are Muslims. (Baral).
2.1. Making of wooden Block
Hand block prints are made using sheesham
wood. The wood is carved by hand with the
motifs, outlines and fill blocks. 1. Block per
colour in the print. Each block fits exactly into
the overall design so the carving is quite
precise the slight overlap and gap in the actual
handwork is the emblematic look of blocks
which is a result of imperfect alignment during
printing. The first step is to draw the motif in
color for the carver. Traditional types of motifs
are in several types: an all over floral print
which is known as a 'jaal' print and can be in
1-6 colors, a single motif set across or in half
drop. Once the design has been approved by
the carver, he prepares the block by hand
sanding and then coating the surface with a
white paste so that the surface is uniform and
smooth for carving. He then traces out the
design, one colour of the design at a time and
then taps it onto the surface of the block so the
Figure 5: Step1-the fabric to be printed is washed,
Step2-fabric is stretched over the printing table
Figure 3: Step3- Preparation of colour and Block, Step4-
Preparation of Colour tray
Figure 7: Step5-Printing over the block, Step6-Printing of
Multicolour
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details are clearly visible for carving. Carvers
then tap out the empty space from the wood
block so that the design remains along the
printing surface. This is done by hand with
very small chisels. It is a labour intensive
process which requires skill, experience and
patience. The completed blocks are checked
for accuracy and soaked in oil to cure the
wood so it doesn't crack and are then ready for
use in printing. (Keller, 2017)
Typically blocks range in size from 7cm to
25cm, sometimes bigger with individual motif
size being from a few mm to 10 cm. Modern
trends in printing include oversized motifs of
20-25 cm across which creates an antiqued
surface texture in printing as the wood does
not absorb the dyestuff evenly. The sizes of
blocks depends upon the design, sometimes it
may be smaller and sometime may be larger
than it. These blocks follow a specific
terminology which consists of the outline or
lead block, known as the rekt. the dorte or the
foreground filler block, and the godh, the
background or blotch block. (Ranjan, 2009)
The specialty of the blocks from Jaipur is the
depth and intricacy of the carving, which
allows for a cleaner surface and clearer
printing Also peculiar to jaipur blocks is the
number of air passages, or povanser, drilled
through the blocks to ensure circulation of air
in the block during the printing thus
preventing the fabric from lifting when the
block is raised. Sanganer is renowned for its
small decorative and delicate floral patterns,
known as Buta & Buti, Bel (creepers) & Jal
(floral net) printed on fine cotton. These
patterns consist of the motifs of different types
of flowers & leaves, trees & plants along with
animals & birds. Known as “Design” in
English, “Tarah” in Persian, these motifs are
conventionally called“Bhant” in Hindi. Bhants
are fine composition of flowers & leaves, tree
& plant.
Figure 4: Procedure of making a Block
Figure 9: Tools used for making Block
Figure 10: Holes drilled behind the block for air
circulation
Figure 11: Different Blocks with same design,1.Filler
block with entire flower raised,2.Filler block with only
lead pattern is raised,3.Background block
Figure 12: Intricate pattern on block
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2.2. Types of blocks:
The main tools of the printer are wooden
blocks which are available in several shapes
and size as per the planning and
requirement. The block makers mainly make
two sorts of block
1. Wooden Block
2. Metal Block
2.2.1. Wooden Block
These blocks are generally made on teak or
seesham wood. Artisans confirm that the
wood is seasoned then carve the motifs
thereon. The planning are first printed on
paper and stuck on the block of wood.
Artisan, then start carving the wood with
steel chisels, of various widths and cutting
surface. The motifs are carved on the
bottom while the highest features a handle.
These handles are either carved out from an
equivalent wood or by a coffee cost wood
attached to the surface with the assistance of
nails. Blocks designed in rectangular,
square, oval, semi-circular, circular etc.
shape. Once the block is formed it's soaked
in oil for 10-15 days to melt the grains. The
lifetime of these block are approximately
600-800 meter of printing. (Ganguly, A
brief studies on block printing process in
India, 2013)
2.1.2. Metal Blocks
For making complicated patterns and getting
high level of clarity in prints metal blocks
are used. These blocks are made by
embedding thin sheets of evenly cut metal
strips into the wooden blocks. The metal
strips are beaten to form them thin then
strips are cut of even length. The planning is
drawn on the wooden block and therefore
the metal strips are pressed onto the
planning by gentle hammering. Filling of
the designs is completed from center to
outside. Once made the blocks are checked
to ascertain the strips are of an equivalent
height from the wooden base. Metal blocks
are high priced, time consuming but long
running.
Figure 13: Wooden block
Figure 14: Metal Block
Figure 15: Different sizes of blocks
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3. Importance of study
The handicraft sector of Jaipur is a cultural
heritage of the pink city. This sector
requires conservation in the same way as
the certain species of plants and animals
whose survival is at risk. Urbanization and
westernization have made a disastrous
impact over the continuation of the
traditional art and craft and this is often
gradually resulting in change in the quality
of traditional masterpieces done by the
artisans, artists and craftsmen of older era.
This sector is facing shortfall of
recognition which is slowly resulting in
extinction of its identity. This study is
giving an insight about the challenges
faced by these artisans and proper
measures taken for its upliftment.
4. Reasons for the fading of the
Art
The art, which was once flourishing and
attracted customers from all across the
world, is now struggling to survive. The
brutal competition, use of chemical colours,
digital and screen prints all add to
the artisan’s woes
The work, which used to provide
employment to about 100 people, can now
be done with the help of only two people. If
people stop this (use of chemical colours
and screen printing) then a lot of people can
get work. So many artisans have become
unemployed because of screen printing,”
said Rinku Chhipa, a block print artisan
from Jaipur. (Pareek, 2018)
“Digital and screen prints have severely
affected our work. People are not getting
employment. Traditional artisans who were
earlier using natural colours and were in
hand block printing are shifting to screens.
Also, the cost of original hand prints is
higher than the screen print because ours is
an authentic work. So people who do not
have much knowledge they go after cheaper
and screen printed products,” said Lal Chand
Derawala, a traditional hand block print
artisan from Bagru. (Pareek, 2018)
Not just the printers,even wooden block
makers have not been able to escape the
adverse effects of screens. Meherbaan Khan,
a block maker from Sanganer who has been
in this business for 50 years, said: “The
demand for blocks has decreased a little after
the screen printing. We try to come up with
new designs to meet the market requirement,
but mostly we stick to our classic and good
designs. Screen prints offer a wide variety of
computerised prints. A hand cannot compete
with a computer.” (Pareek, 2018)
5. Statement of the problem
It is a work that requires a lot of patience,
hard work, and dedication. Most artisans are
not literate, they cannot find other jobs
neither they continue this profession. This
way, unemployment is gradually increasing.
Artisans who were involved in block printing
are shifting to screen printing. But the other
artists like block makers are going
unemployed as block print is taken over by
screen-prints.
This paper emphasis on block maker artist,
and provide employment to artist yet
maintaining the age-old art.
Figure 16: Problems faced by artist
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6. Design solution to sustain
the art in the field of
Interior Architecture
Solution for sustaining the art is use the
blocks made by block makers in a new way
not restricting it for printing.
One of the solutions is to use the wooden
blocks as interior elements for designing
feature wall and furniture’s.
A feature wall is a wall that adds interest and
energy to a room through texture, colour and
contrast. It’s like standing out from the crowd.
A feature wall can impact how the space looks
and feels, reinforcing your design style and
creating a visual impact. Feature walls give
interior or exterior space a decorative focal
point. They can also be great way to give a
space a new look and feel, reinvigorating the
style of the space.
Wood is a much-loved building material. It has
been used for many years in the construction
of houses and other buildings. Teak, oak,
beech, mahogany… every type of wood has its
own appearance and strengths. These strengths
in combination with the warm appearance of
wood make it the perfect material for
decorating an interior. Wood can be used in a
variety of ways in an interior. Namely:
Wooden Floors
Panelling
Separating /Partition Wall
Ceilings
Furniture
Lighting, and
Decoration
In this study, we are going to discuss using
wooden blocks for designing a feature wall
and furniture. The wall or the furniture is
broken down into modules of 25-30 cm. These
blocks are designed with a specified pattern
by the artisans from their place, and it is
exported to the site once the design is
done. By doing this procedure the chance of
artist settling in the city where the work
is proceed can be avoided or which in turn
results in the forming of slums due to
unemployment after the particular work at the
site is done.
The design on the blocks depends on the space
it is used and as per the user. Modules are
joined by using dowels which gives a seamless
look for a wall. The patterns on the modules
are designed as per the requirement; modules
are joined together using a dowel joint. Each
module is designed with punctures on all sides
to fasten the dowels at the site. By using
dowels the final result will have a seamless
look. The blocks can also be used for creating
3d patterns on walls. E.g. it can be used while
plastering on the walls like clay plastered wall,
which gives a rustic ambiance (fig21).
Figure 17: Design of module with dowels
Figure 18: Joinery details of two modules using dowels
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7. Bibliography
[1] Baral, P. B. (n.d.). Block Printing -
Sanganer. Retrieved from Craft of
Creating Patterns:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/block-
printing-sanganer
[2] Ganguly, D. (2013). A brief studies on
block printing process in India.
researchgate.
[3] Keller, S. a. (2017, december 21).
Hand Block Prints - How the Blocks
are Made. Retrieved from
meherashaw artisans blockprints:
https://meherashaw.com/blogs/news/bl
ock-carving
[4] paliwal, V. (2014). An analysis of
problems faced by handicrafts sector
in jaipur,Rajasthan. International
Journal of Research Science &
Management.
[5] Pareek, S. (2018). Block Prints of
Rajasthan: A Fading Fable and
Artisans’ Efforts to Save the Art.
Retrieved from thestoriesofchange:
https://thestoriesofchange.com/block-
prints-rajasthan/
[6] Ranjan, A. (2009). Handmade in
India. New York: Abbeville Press.
Figure 19: Seamless look after joining
Figure 20: Final product
Figure21: Using blocks while plastering
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8. References:
[1] WWW.erajasthantourism.net
[2] https://www.travelogyindia.com/b
log/most-popular-traditional-folk-
music-and-dance-of-rajasthan
[3] https://www.welcomerajasthan.co
m/economy-rajasthan.htm
[4] Delhi Agra Jaipur by Surendra
sahai
[5] Stones in the stand: the
architecture of Rajasthan by Giles
Henry Rupert Tillotson
[6] http://www.dsource.in/resource/bl
ock-printing-sanganer
