Block Printing - Ahmedabad
The wood used for the block is seasoned, cut into required size and smoothen for the process, chalk-paste is applied on the upper surface and allowed to dry. Pattern usually based on geometric forms or comprising of motifs derived from leaves, flowers, fruits and figures of animals, gods and goddesses. Block has two parts, a base and the other part as the top, carved out from the same wood or by attaching low cost wood as a handle.
Designs are first drawn or traced on the butter paper, these are then carved on to the wood, and the repeating patterns are traced by applying the carbon filling to imprint the designs on to the wood. The negative space is then carved out with chisels, leaving the finer and more delicate work until last so as to avoid any risk of injuring the cutting of the coarser parts. The pattern is then raised in deep by scooping out the negative areas with the aid of a manually operated hand drill, ensuring the pattern is thrown in high relief by removing the intermediate walls of the bored sections through careful chiseling. Each block has two or more cylindrical holes drilled into the block for air passage to allow and release of excess colour. Blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the grains. The finished block presents the design standing out. Rectangular, square, oval, semi-circular, circular are the common shapes of the blocks. The makers of these blocks specially make for the Chitara community as per the designs.
