Woodblock printing is a technique of printing text, images or patterns on paper
or fabric. It is one of the oldest techniques known and practised to date. It
was originated in China. Later the Japanese adopted the technique and within a
short period, it got spread and flourished into a fine way of artistic
expression.
The technique of woodblock printing:
Woodblocks prepared as a relief matrix. It means that the areas to
show white are cutaway with a chisel or knife, leaving the characters or image
to show in black at the original surface level. The block is inked properly and
then pressed hard against the fabric or paper to achieve the impression of that
engraved pattern. These wood blocks are generally made up of sycamore, plane
and pearwood. These may vary in size but ya, all of these are 2-3 inch thick.
The art of carving on the wood is technically known as xylography.
At first, woodblock print was
mainly used for printing calendars, auspicious charms and books on agriculture
and medicine. Later with advancement and invention, different motives started
getting engraved on the wood. These motifs when stamped on fabric resulted in
beautiful patterns. For multiple colours, a separate block is used every time.
The woodblock printing or hand block printing is now used in both fashion and
interior industry.
Everything now is mass printed and produced in modern
and atomized ways still, the importance of this century-old and intensive
tradition is alive. There are many villages in India where the craftsmen are
practising and passing down this skill through generations. The prints from
woodblock have been cherished for a long time; it has been drawing consumers
from across the globe.
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