Electricity back on, and heat aside - Akib began the block printing demonstration. All the paints and dyes are entirely natural.
1. Soak the fabric in water for one day to remove the starch.
2. Mix Myrobalan powder with water. Myrobalan is derived from a seed. It ensures that the dye reacts with the fabric and is colour fast.
3. Creating the resist paste; mixing lime and natural gum with water. Amazingly Akib’s father will taste the paste, and the taste will determine wether the mixture is correct!
4. Black paint; iron oxide, taramind powder and arum.
5. Red paint; alum and clay
6. Indigo paint; must be dyed twice to ensure colorfastness.
7. Yellow; Boiled in turmeric powder.
Once the resist pastes and filler paints were prepared, we moved to the printing.
A tray of resist paint was prepared. In the tray, Akib laid two layers of thin foam, and a piece of jute. The foam and jute filter out any grit, and allows for an even transfer of paste/ paint on the block.
The cloth is yellow as it has been soaked in the myrobalan.
The block is tapped lightly a few times in the paint tray. Akib blew lightly on the block, to remove dust and air bubbles.
He lines up the wood block, and sets it on the fabric. Then with little warning and furious force, Akib thumped (for lack of a better word) the top of the block with the outside part of his hand. This is so the paint transfers onto the fabric evenly.
It was very cool to see the paint get darker slowly as it oxidized.
After a few demonstrations, it was our turn to have a go. Most of us approached tentatively... Not too keen on sacrificing our hands.
To line up the wood block to match the first print, Akib showed us a certain technique to hold the block in our right hand, then with our left hand create an anchor by placing our pinky and thumb on the fabric, and supporting the block with the index finger.
Once the resist is completed, Akib demonstrated using the filler paints.
A short video showing block printing. (Sorry that it was filmed upside down!)
After all the block printing is completed, the resist has to be washed off, and the whole piece dyed. After the piece is dyed, alizarin is placed in the wash bath to draw out any excess colour and remove the resist.
We were shocked to learn that Akib was only 19! He studied a Business degree originally, but decided he wanted to devote his life to this amazing craft that was taught to him by his father, and now is carried on by Akib and his brother.
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| Final product! |
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