Ghalamkar: hand block printing on cotton

Process

Carved pear-wood blocks are dipped in dye and pressed by hand onto cotton cloth, one colour at a time.

Colours

Traditional colours include black, red, blue and yellow, some from plant sources.

Hand vs screen

Hand-printed cloth shows slight misalignments and repeats; screen-printed copies are more uniform.

• Small registration shifts
• Uneven edges of colour
• Vendor able to name the workshop