UPMSP Hand Block Printing cheat sheet

Hand block printing is a resist- and mordant-based direct printing craft in which a carved wooden block is inked and struck by hand onto cloth, one impression per repeat unit.

Key South Asian centres: Sanganer and Bagru (Rajasthan), Machilipatnam and Pedana (Andhra Pradesh), Farrukhabad (Uttar Pradesh), Bagh (Madhya Pradesh), Kutch (Gujarat), Serampore (West Bengal).

Sanganeri tradition is associated with fine floral butis and butas on light grounds; Bagru is associated with dabu (mud-resist) and darker earthy grounds.

Bagh printing uses a natural-dye sequence with alum mordant and iron (syahi) black, with river washing between stages; registered as a Geographical Indication.

Traditional motif families include buti (single small motif), buta (large single motif), jaal (all-over net), bel/border, and paisley (ambi).

Chhapa is the printing action; rangrez/dhobi communities historically carried the trade, and blocks were cut by professional block-makers (bhatt).

Chronology anchor: Indian cotton textiles reached Europe in volume from the 17th century, prompting European imitation (indiennes) and later roller and screen printing.

Printing table is a padded table: a wooden or metal top covered with layers of jute felt or blanket, then a waterproof hessian or canvas cover stretched tight and tacked.

Block types by function: datta (background/ground filler), rekh (fine outline), gad (large solid area), and dabu/ resist blocks; each block carries a registration mark (typically a small notch or line).

Tray setup: a shallow wooden tray holding a dye pad of layered fabric over a false bottom, plus a separate starched cloth pad to control paste pickup.

Colour is picked up by pressing the block into the pad; excess is tapped off, and the block is struck with the heel of the hand or a wooden mallet for even impression.

Safety rules: keep dye powders from becoming airborne (weigh in a draught-free area), never add water to concentrated acid or caustic (add chemical to water), and store acids and alkalis separately.

Personal protective equipment for dye kitchen: rubber gloves, apron, goggles or face shield, and dust mask for powder handling; eye-wash and running water must be reachable.

Electrical and fire controls: residual-current device protection on wet-floor circuits, no open flame near solvent or turpentine, and dry-powder fire extinguishers for chemical stores.

Cotton is the standard block-printing substrate; silk, rayon/viscose, wool, and blends are also printed but need different preparation and dye classes.

Grey (loom-state) fabric contains sizing, wax, pectin, and natural oils; these must be removed or dye uptake will be patchy and crocking will be high.

Desizing uses amylase enzyme or dilute acid; scouring uses soda ash and detergent near boil; bleaching uses hydrogen peroxide (alkaline) or hypochlorite, then antichlor and rinse.

Mercerisation is treatment with strong caustic soda under tension: it increases lustre, dye affinity, and dimensional stability and improves colour yield.

Printing requires a smooth, absorbent, dimensionally stable surface; the fabric is usually starched or given a thin gum/ filler coat so the paste does not bleed.

Bleached fabric should be neutral (rinse until wash water is pH-neutral) before printing; residual alkali shifts shades and weakens some dyes.

Shrinkage must be measured on a marked sample before cutting; cotton can shrink 3-8% and viscose more, so print panels are cut oversize or pre-shrunk.

Dye classes in use: reactive (cotton, covalent bond, bright and fast), vat/indigo (fast, requires reduction), acid (silk and wool), and direct (simple, lower fastness).

Pigment printing uses insoluble colour plus a binder that forms a film on the fibre; fastness depends on the binder, not on fibre penetration.

Thickener choice governs sharpness: sodium alginate is standard for reactive dyes on cotton because it is non-ionic and washes out easily; starch or guar gum suit pigment and some natural pastes.

Reactive dye paste recipe logic: dye, water, thickener, urea (solubiliser/humectant), alkali (soda ash or soda bicarb) added last, and optionally a resist salt.

Mordant printing: alum (aluminium) gives reds and pinks with madder/alizarin, iron (ferrous sulphate) gives blacks and greys, tin brightens but is harsh on fibre.

Natural dye notes: madder root for red, indigo for blue (requires reduction to soluble leuco form), pomegranate rind and turmeric for yellow, harda (myrobalan) as a tannin base.

Colour matching rule: prepare a lab dip on the same fabric and thickener, dry, then compare after the full fixation and wash-off, because shades shift markedly on washing.

Blocks are cut from seasoned hardwood such as teak, sheesham, or pear wood; the wood is dried slowly to prevent warping and cracking.

Block construction: the design is drawn on paper, pasted face-down on the block, then carved in relief so only the design surface stands proud and takes paste.

Registration marks: each block in a set carries a matching guide mark (a small notch, dot, or line) so successive colours align to the same grid.

Repeat geometry: the repeat length is the distance between identical points; the block's carved area plus its margins must fit the repeat so seams are invisible.

Layout types: straight repeat, half-drop (brick) repeat, mirror or symmetrical repeat, and border/ pallu layouts with corner turning.

Design constraints: minimum line width must survive carving and paste pickup; very fine rekh lines need denser wood and a stiff paste to avoid flooding.

Block care: after use, wash with water and a soft brush, dry face-down away from sun, and store with camphor or neem to deter insects; never soak blocks for long periods.

Sequence rule: print the lightest or largest ground area first, then outlines, then dark accents; the outline (rekh) is often printed first to lock the grid, then filled.

Registration check: after each colour, verify that the guide mark of the next block aligns with the printed mark; misalignment of one or two millimetres is visible as a gap or overlap.

Strike technique: place the block heel-first, then roll to the toe with even pressure; rocking or double-striking causes smudged edges and uneven paste.

Repeat advance: move the block one repeat length along the table, using the previous impression's edge as the guide; the last impression of a row is the reference for the next row.

Dabu (mud resist) printing: a paste of clay, lime, and gum is printed, dried, dyed, then the resist is removed by washing, leaving the ground colour beneath.

Batik and wax resist and clamp resist are related resist methods; resist printing must be dried fully before dyeing or the resist smears.

Common faults at the table: patchy pickup (dry pad), bleeding (thin paste or too much pressure), and offset (block set down before the fabric is flat).

Reactive dye fixation: print, dry, then steam or cure; soda-ash-fixed prints are usually aged (steamed) 8-30 minutes at atmospheric steam, then washed.

Washing sequence for reactive prints: cold rinse, hot soap wash to remove unfixed dye, warm rinse, then cold rinse until the rinse water runs clear.

Soaping is essential: it removes hydrolysed (unreacted) dye that would otherwise bleed and crock; skipping it is the most common cause of poor wash fastness.

Indigo and vat dyes require oxidation after the reduced dye is applied, then soaping to develop the final shade and improve fastness.

Pigment prints are fixed by dry heat curing (binder crosslinking), typically 140-160 C for a few minutes depending on the binder; under-curing causes crocking.

Finishing steps: stentering or stretching to width, calendering for smoothness, and optional softening; the fabric is dried under tension to control shrinkage.

Fastness testing after finishing: wash fastness (colour change and staining), rub/crock fastness (dry and wet), light fastness, and perspiration fastness.

Defect: patchy or light impression - causes are dry pad, thin paste, insufficient pressure, or a worn block face.

Defect: bleeding or halo around motifs - causes are paste too thin, too much paste on the block, fabric too absorbent or not starched, or excessive pressure.

Defect: misregistration or gap/overlap - causes are missing or worn guide marks, uneven fabric stretch, or block set down off-grid.

Defect: crocking (colour rubs off) - causes are unfixed dye, inadequate soaping, under-cured binder, or excess pigment on the surface.

Defect: white specks or missing dots - causes are blocked/ filled carved areas, dried paste in the block, or fabric fold.

Defect: uneven shade across the piece - causes are inconsistent paste viscosity, varying strike pressure, or dye exhaustion during a long run.

QC sampling: check first-off, mid-run, and last-off pieces; inspect under standard light against a limit sample, and record shade, registration, and fastness results.

Cost sheet components: fabric, dyes and chemicals, thickener, blocks (amortised over the run), labour (printing, washing, finishing), energy, wastage, and overhead.

Costing formula: total cost per metre = (material + direct labour + overhead) / good metres produced; add wastage percentage because rejects raise effective unit cost.

Pricing rule: selling price = cost per metre / (1 - target margin) when margin is expressed on selling price; margin on cost uses cost x (1 + markup).

Break-even quantity = fixed costs / (selling price per metre - variable cost per metre).

Product mix levers: value addition through design exclusivity, natural-dye positioning, made-ups (stoles, yardage, home textiles), and small-batch custom orders.

Marketing channels: craft fairs and exhibitions, Geographical Indication and craft-brand labelling, e-commerce with consistent photography, and B2B supply to designers and exporters.

Working capital: block printing is seasonal (festive and wedding demand), so plan cash flow for stock build, and price in credit terms given to wholesale buyers.

Chemical hazards: caustic soda causes severe burns, acid mists irritate lungs, and dye powders can sensitise skin and airways; handle powders in a draught-free zone with a mask.

Ergonomic hazards: prolonged standing, repeated block striking, and hand-tool use cause wrist, shoulder, and lower-back strain; rotate tasks and use anti-fatigue mats.

Dye-house effluent is high in colour, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, and dissolved solids; it must not be discharged untreated to drains or fields.

Waste hierarchy: reduce dye and paste waste by preparing only the needed quantity, recover and reuse thickener where possible, and segregate chemical waste streams.

Effluent treatment: screening, equalisation, coagulation-flocculation, and biological treatment reduce colour and organic load; treated water can be reused for washing or irrigation if tested.

Solid waste: fabric offcuts can be used for patchwork or paper-making; spent dye powder containers must be rinsed and disposed of as hazardous waste.

Safety compliance: keep safety data sheets for every chemical, label all containers, provide washing facilities, and train workers in spill response and first aid.