Elephant Gateway
Block Printing
Block printing has the essence of sculpture and the stickiness of paint
SADDLEPHANT
High Contrast Design
First, we have to ask ourselves, what is high contrast design and why has Indian art always been so successful at creating it?
As our artist friend, Johannes Itten has taught us, the definition of contrast is the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association. What’s more contrasting than a huge elephant and a tiny monkey? Well, black & white would be one thing. So, our first task is to create an image using only black and white. Hopefully, we can create some dimension and depth while doing so, along with patterns, rhythm, and visual texture.
There is no shortage of inspiration when we look to India. From the vibrant textiles of Rajasthan, the intricate mandalas of Hindi tradition, and the illuminating illustrations of ancient scriptures. Once we have examined some of the greatest Indian examples of all time, then you will be able to stop monkeying around. You’ll be wise, powerful, and lucky like an Indian elephant ready to design!
Master Oamie’s Thoughts
Can you think of any popular high contrast designs? Often teenagers are familiar with the famous high contrast design of Bob Marley, Che Guevara, or Audrey Hepburn.
ELEFORT
Linocut Carving
It’s time to dress the elephant in the room and start carving our blocks. Hmm… but what type of dress and what carving tool should we use first? We have the design, we’ve transferred our image so its time to start carving.
Block printing is essentially a fancy art way of saying “lets make a stamp and start stamping stuff” In the past, The stamps were carved from wood blocks and then pressed onto ink before being applied to fabric or paper. Working with wood blocks can be difficult so luckily we have a synthetic material called linoleum which is softer, easier and safe to handle for all ages.
The earliest known block print was printed on paper as a book on what is known as the Diamond Sutra, The Diamond Sutra is believed to have been composed in India, likely in the first century CE, during the period when Mahayana Buddhism was emerging as a distinct tradition within Indian Buddhism.
Our monkey oamieMon applies the ink and our oamieMon elephants stamp it by stepping on the block print. Sometimes they are lazy and just sit on them!
Master Oamie’s Thoughts
These carved lino pieces can be used for a variety of purposes, including art prints, stamps and printing images on t-shirts.
CASTLEDERM
Ink Printing
Our Elephants are ready to stomp stamps, and our monkeys are inked up and ready to roll!
Block printing revolutionized the way art was reproduced, squashing the time needed to create duplicates and enabling the printing of intricate patterns that seemed to stretch into infinity. Just like the mesmerizing Paisley or Jaali designs of Indian art, block printing allowed for the creation of elaborate patterns with interconnected shapes that would be printed on sarees, salwar kameez, dupattas, and other traditional Indian attire.
Now that your block is carved and you’re ready to apply ink to it using a roller called a brayer, the possibilities are endless. You can print on almost anything. Paper will be our first choice—perfect for making copies to share with friends and family. You might consider making a holiday design and even sell a few prints.
After you get the hang of it, let’s explore printing on fabric! Imagine turning your printed fabric into a one-of-a-kind pillow, or a charming handcrafted t-shirt. Then you could cuddle your art or wear it proudly!
Master Oamie’s Thoughts
Block printing revolutioned art in the west since goods shipped from Japan where often shipped stuffed with worthless block print advertisements. Western artists were enchanted by the prints more than the expensive goods that the paper stuffing was protecting.
