Block printing!

The rustic allure of a hand block printed piece of fabric,
The impression left behind by an intricately carved piece of wood,
Worked skillfully and masterfully with experienced hands...
A work of art emerges…

There is so much that can be said about block printing!

I cannot even begin to fathom the very first time someone in our history discovered they could make impressions with the most simple everyday items. Then someone actually went further and created these beautiful textile printing blocks (block prints or block printing stamps) so we could have the pleasure of repeating the design again and again. Absolutely ingenious!

My love affair with block printing began pretty much in early childhood. Almost anyone can block print today but it truly requires expertise to create a top-notch block print!

Hoping to practice and get better…

Here are some of the newest block printed silk scarves that I am excited about!

        

Tye Dye Love… Love the colours!

Tye Dye is a truly unique art form! While you can control which way the colours will flow through numerous folds, twists and ties… you can never really predict how the colours will mix! Presenting below some Tye Dye posters from my Tye Dye scarves on Etsy -

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KavitaKriti?section_id=7354427

      

                       

    

                            

      

DIY Gift bags from brown lunch bags by KavitaKriti

In preparation for my craft show on May 25th, I decided to create my own gift bags out of brown lunch bags. Here's a DIY on how I did it :)

Paisleys and Mandalas

Art Poster from two hand painted silk scarves by KavitaKriti on Etsy

Paisleys are the most common motif used in Indian textile design. A google search on "What is a Paisley" gave me the following definition-

pais·ley/ˈpāzlē/

Noun:

A distinctive intricate pattern of curved, feather-shaped figures based on a pine-cone design from India: "a paisley silk tie".

In this fun paisley silk georgette scarf I incorporated paisleys in different colors. A set of paisleys border either ends of the scarf. I left the center of the scarf white so that there was a good balance of color and white space.

Mandalas are used heavily in henna and mehndi designs. A google search on "What is a Mandala" gave me the following definition-

man·da·la/ˈmandələ/

Noun:

A geometric figure representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. Such a symbol in a dream, representing the dreamer's search for completeness.

In this vivid mandala silk georgette scarf, different mandalas in different colors border both ends of the scarf. Once again the center of the scarf is left white to retain balance between color and white space.

Pink and Orange: perfect Indian colors

Pink and Orange are quintessential Indian colors in my opinion.

Pink represents romance, love, fidelity, friendship and honor. Orange represents fire, lust, vigor, excitement, adventure and attraction. A typical Bollywood movie isn't it? Also the perfect color for spring... the season for L O V E. In this lovely handmade silk scarf, a pink monochromatic color scheme is accentuated with a red-orange contrast border.

The perfect colors to pair with this scarf? For a more subtle look, choose a hue from this analogous color scheme.

For a little oomph, pair the scarf with a hue from this triadic color scheme.

Complementary color scheme case study

Complementary color schemes use hues directly opposite each other on the color wheel. In this silk scarf, the basic colors are derived from the hues - red and green.

Contrasting colors tend to be sharp and vibrant, especially when they are used at full saturation. However I think the complementary color scheme works well in this scarf because each dominant hue is supported with a corresponding tone for balance.  Also, white is always an excellent color choice for creating a harmonious color palette.

Because of the bold colors in this scheme, I would play it safe and pair the scarf with hues from the complementary color scheme.

Playing with Silk

This week I was in the mood to play with silk and I captured the process in a storyboard below. I tried several techniques and basically just let the silk do all the work :)

Dribbling paint, watermarks, salting, gutta work, watercolor effect, brush strokes, paint spots... basically all around good fun!

My idea was to paint alternating squares of blue and black blockprint designs with a border all around the scarf. I was going for a blockprint-batik effect and so started with two blockprint designs and traced them on the silk using clear gutta. Once the gutta dried it was on to the painting.

My color palette consisted of a sky blue, sort of lime green and black. I started with the blue blockprint squares and then filled-in the border. The green seemed too green (if that is at all possible :)), so I dulled it down with a little watered-down blue overpainted on the green and then finally gave the entire border a rinse of black resulting in this lovely dull henna color.

Next I filled in the black blockprint squares. All of the silk dyes were painted on dry silk and I let the colors flow in every which direction. The gutta lines were not solid so the colors mixed and mingled in every way possible. 

The dry silk probably stopped the dye from flowing around too much ofcourse. Finally I did a little bit of salting for texture in some of the squares and watermarks in others. I did not wipe away any of the paint spots purposely leaving them in for an uneven look. The final pictures of the scarf are displayed below and I'm quite happy with the final result. The colors work well together and the blockprint design is interesting.

Sand Dunes - Crepe silk, Indian luxury hand painted silk scarf

Sand Dunes is a breathtaking pure crepe silk scarf in brown, black, rust and caramel shades. The colors in this scarf are rich and warm and can accentuate any formal wardrobe beautifully. The style of the scarf is typical of tie-dye dupattas in India.

A henna inspired peacock motif decorates one end of the scarf. The other short end of the scarf is embellished with a string of henna flowers.

Measurements: 10 x 63 inches (25 x 160 cm)


Shop at KavitaKriti

The henna peacock motif is stunning and the rust, copper, caramel, chocolate, black colors of the scarf are regal.

My color palette for this scarf from the Color Palette Generator

Harmonizing palettes matching colors in my scarf from COLOURlovers

And now my styleboard

Sand Dunes by kavitakriti

Copper, rust and chocolate make for a rich and regal combination in this hand painted silk scarf. The scarf works beautifully against muted beige or taupe but it definitely enhances a wardrobe in burgundy, mahogany or rust. A lime or olive green contrast may only work for a few but it is an interesting pairing nevertheless.

The Elephant Parade - Crepe silk, Indian luxury hand painted silk scarf

The Elephant Parade is a lovely pure crepe silk scarf in luscious vermillion red and copper rust orange. A row of elephants and fish adorn one end of the scarf like a decorated sari border. The colors are vibrant and rich and very Indian. The style of the scarf is typical of tie-dye dupattas in India.

Measurements: 10 x 58 inches (25 x 147 cm)


Shop at KavitaKriti

The henna elephant and fish motifs are whimsical but still reflect tradition. Looking at the design reminds me of an Indian wedding invitation actually and the elephants and fish are part of the parade :)

My color palette for this scarf from the Color Palette Generator

Harmonizing palettes matching colors in my scarf from COLOURlovers

And now my styleboard

The Elephant Parade... by kavitakriti

The colors in this scarf, orange and rust, are intimately Indian to me. And I'm not at all surprised that hot pink and luscious lime green are proving to be good accent colors against the scarf. Indian fashion already markets these groups of colors together and I guess this styleboard just proves why. It works!!! Amber gold and chocolate are basic staples and my orange-rust scarf works beautifully against them. Good styleboard exercise people!!! :)