DYEING

Batik is especially unique due to the way certain wax blends will "crackle" during
handling, allowing lines of color to come through on resisted areas. Batik can be done with
many types of dye & wax on cotton, silk and other natural fabrics. Most weights will work,
provided the wax penetrates all the way through the fabric, but the finer weaves work best
for detail work. We used cotton, but feel free to use what you want. Silk is a little more
challenging to work with because of its unique wicking properties.

what are dyes ?

Batik is especially unique due to the way certain wax
blends will "crackle" during handling, allowing lines of
color to come through on resisted areas.

Batik can be done with many types of dye & wax on

cotton, silk and other natural fabrics. Most weights
will work, provided the wax penetrates all the way
through the fabric, but the finer weaves work best for
detail work. We used cotton, but feel free to use what
you want. Silk is a little more challenging to work with
because of its unique wicking properties.
.

WHAT ARE MORDANTS ?

Batik is especially unique due to the way certain wax blends will "crackle" during handling,
allowing lines of color to come through on resisted areas. Batik can be done with many types
of dye & wax on cotton, silk and other natural fabrics. Most weights will work, provided the
wax penetrates all the way through the fabric, but the finer weaves work best for detail work.
We used cotton, but feel free to use what you want. Silk is a little more challenging to work

with because of its unique wicking properties. Printing

Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In
properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fibre, so as to resist washing and friction.
Textile printing is related to dyeing but in dyeing properly the whole fabric is uniformly covered
with one colour, whereas in printing one or more colours are applied to it in certain parts only,
and in sharply defined patterns.

In printing, wooden blocks, stencils, engraved plates, rollers, or silkscreens can be used to place
colours on the fabric. Colourants used in printing contain dyes thickened to prevent the colour
from spreading by capillary attraction beyond the limits of the pattern or design.

Traditional textile printing techniques may be broadly categorized into four styles:

 Direct printing, in which colorants containing dyes, thickeners, and the mordants or
substances necessary for fixing the color on the cloth are printed in the desired pattern.
 The printing of a mordant in the desired pattern prior to dyeing cloth; the color adheres
only where the mordant was printed.
 Resist dyeing, in which a wax or other substance is printed onto fabric which is
subsequently dyed. The waxed areas do not accept the dye, leaving uncolored patterns
against a colored ground.
 Discharge printing, in which a bleaching agent is printed onto previously dyed fabrics to
remove some or all of the colour.

Resist and discharge techniques were particularly fashionable in the 19th century, as were
combination techniques in which indigo resist was used to create blue backgrounds prior to
block-printing of other colors. Modern industrial printing mainly uses direct printing techniques.

The printing process does involve several stages in order to prepare the fabric and printing
paste, and to fix the impression permanently on the fabric:

1. preparation of colors,
2. preparation of printing paste,
3. impression of paste on fabric using printing methods,
4. drying of fabric,
5. fixing the printing with steam or hot air (for pigments),
6. after process treatments
BATIK

Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this
technique, originated from Indonesia, Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the
resist with a spouted tool called a tjanting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called
a cap. Batik is especially unique due to the way certain wax blends will "crackle" during
handling, allowing lines of color to come through on resisted areas.
Batik can be done with many types of dye & wax on cotton, silk and other natural fabrics.
Most weights will work, provided the wax penetrates all the way through the fabric, but the
finer weaves work best for detail work. We used cotton, but feel free to use what you want.
Silk is a little more challenging to work with because of its unique wicking properties.

Basic Wax and Tub Dye Method

(Dyeing something a solid color is also known as Tub Dyeing  )

This method uses repeated layers of wax

and dye applied to the fabric, yielding an
overlapping color design. If you plan to do
multiple layers you will want to dye your
colors from lightest to darkest.
 Pre-wash your fabric to remove any
impurities that might interfere with
dyeing. We recommend
using Synthrapol for this.
 Pre-dye a few of your fabrics in
some different base colors, we did
some in #3 Golden Yellow and #25
Turquoise.
  . Start melting your premixed Batik Wax in the little melting pot, or for bigger
projects, in a double boiler, electric wax pot, or old electric frying pan set at
about 220-230°F
  Stretch the fabric on a Frame or Hoop, that will keep the fabric flat and
horizontal or you can work on some newsprint paper or a piece of cardboard if
you don't have a frame. This is often easier with larger pieces of fabric.
  Start applying your wax with tools of your choice... Brushes are very easy to use
for larger designs and are a great way to get kids in on the fun. Make bold designs
like circles, stripes and funky polkadots.

Remember: When applying wax, no matter what method you are using, regulate the
temperature so that it penetrates the fabric; not so cool that it just turns yellowish and sits on
top, and not so hot that all your lines spread out too much. The wax should have a clear
appearance, indicating it has penetrated to the other side. Flip fabric over and apply wax
anywhere it has not. Thin layers of very hot wax will often allow some dye to stain the fabric
under the wax, whereas a thicker buildup will keep the wax off. Tub Dye the fabric, first using
the lightest or brightest color that will be on the piece and will mix well with successive
colors, for example yellow; then the next dye bath could be turquoise, which would actually
mix with the yellow to dye the fabric green in all the un-waxed areas. Remember, after Soda
Ash has been added to the dyebath, don't leave your waxed fabric in for more than 30
minutes more, as soda ash eats away the wax eventually, exposing areas to unwanted dye.

 Rinse and gently hand wash the fabric in Synthrapol and allow to dry. Use lukewarm
water so as not to melt your wax!
Boil the wax out. Choose a pot to become your official wax pot that will comfortably
hold your fabric and fill with water and a dash of Synthrapol, or other liquid detergent,
to get the wax and any excess dye away from the fabric. Bring this to a simmer and
add fabric. Stir the fabric around in the boiling water keeping it submerged. After a
few minutes the wax will melt out of the fabric and float to the top. When the wax
seems completely removed from the fabric, remove from heat and allow the water to
cool. Be sure that the fabric sits on the bottom of the pan, avoiding the floating wax
residue. You can weigh it down with rocks or something heavy. Allow to cool, then
peel the hardened wax off the surface and remove the fabric.

Iron the wax out. Sandwich your fabric between layers of absorbent paper and iron,
to melt the wax out. This process often leaves a wax residue that looks like a grease
spot and won't come out, so it is not our favorite.
 Wash your fabric one last time in the washing machine with Synthrapol to
remove any left over dye you couldn't get out by hand. Dry your fabric.
Now you can get to sewing, quilting, wrapping or just hang it up because it looks so
good you can't bare to cut it up!
TIE AND DYE METHOD

Tie and dye, a form of resist dyeing, is a technique of patterning fabric by tying parts
of it in different ways to prevent the penetration of dyes. This craft is one of the
oldest in the world for making colored designs on a fabric. Its definite origin is
unknown, but the earliest information of this craft can be achieved from books and
other records of the 6th century AD which are to be found in the East, particularly in
China, India, Japan and Indonesia. Records also say that this craft was in existence
in South America and Africa during the 5th century. Europe has only recently
discovered the creative possibilities of tie and dye.

Raw materials: The fabrics used for are muslin, handloom, silk or voile (80/100 or
100/120 count preferably in voile). The dominant colors are bright like yellow, red,
green and pink. Maroon is also an all time favorite. Traditionally vegetable dyes were
used but today chemical dyes are becoming very popular. Various synthetic fabrics
are also highly in demand. For tying knots mostly synthetic thread is used on the
fabric.
Vat dyes are an ancient class of dyes based on the original natural dye, indigo,
which is now produced synthetically. Both cotton and wool, as well as other fibers,
can be dyed with vat dyes. 'Vat dyeing' means dyeing in a bucket or vat. It can be
done whenever a solid, even shade, i.e. the same color over the entire garment, is
wanted. It can be done using almost any dye, including fiber reactive dyes, direct
dyes, acid dyes, etc. The opposite of vat dyeing is direct dye application, for
example, tie and dye.
Tools: Although there is no tool required for the process, in some places in
Rajasthan the craftsmen wear a metal ring with a protruded point to facilitate the
lifting of cloth for tying.

PROCESS OF TIE AND DYE:

i) Preparation of materials (washing and cleaning)
ii) Printing of the motif
(The fabric is folded into four or more layers before tying)
iii) Tying of the motifs
iv) Dipping of the textile in the lightest color
v) Touching the textile with a light color
vi) Removal of the knots and then dyeing in the next darker color
vii) Renewal of the tying and dyeing with the darkest color
viii) Washing of the fabric
ix) Opening the knots
For simple designs in Bandhani, the artisans draw directly on the cloth. For more
complicated designs, the design is first printed on to it with a washable solution of
geru (red ochre color). At some places to print the design on the cloth, a wooden

block with nails is used that imprints the pattern when pressed on to the folded
cloth. After the design has been marked, the cloth is given out for tying to women
and young adults in the locality and then the raised portions are tied with a thread
coated with a resist paste. The little finger of the left hand pushes up the portion
to be tied and it is tied three or four times. The tying is slightly wider than the dot
spot or ring in the design as the dye spreads a little. Then the cloth is dyed, either
by dipping the cloth into the dye solution or dabbing the color on to it with cloth.
Product and their uses As per the designer’s imagination a complete range of
products can be created using tie and dye fabrics, for example, shirts,

MATERIAL
EXPLORATION AND
 WORKSHOP
TECHNOLOGY

TOPIC – DYEING AND PRINTING

S
U B
M IT
T E
D TO – DR ABHIJIT MUKHERJEE
SUBMITTED BY – TANYA CHOUDHARY
UNIQUE ID – BFT/18/895
HAND BLOCK PRINTING

History: India has been renowned for its printed and dyed cotton cloth since the 12th
century and the craft flourished as the fabric received royal patronage. Though the earliest
records mention the printing centers in the south, the craft seems to have been prevalent all
over India. The earliest centers for block printing seem to have been located in what are now
the states of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. From these centers, the craft appears to have
spread gradually with the migration of craftworkers to other areas. Centers such as
Sanganer in Rajasthan rose to prominence in the 18th century. Other centers such as
Serampur developed even later, becoming the hub of block printing in West Bengal only in
the 1940s. Now, there is the increasing phenomenon of block printing units being set up in
urban areas including Calcutta and Jaipur city.
Raw Materials :Block printing has become popular because the simple process can create
intricate designs in rich and vibrant colors. Originally natural dyes were used but today they
have bee n replaced by chemical and artificial colors.

Tools :The main tools of the printer are wooden blocks in different shapes - square,
rectangle, oval, round and semi-circular or crescent - and sizes called bunta. Blocks are
hand-carved of seasoned teak wood by trained craftsmen. On the bottom face the motif are
engraved with steel chisels of different widths and cutting surface by the carver. Each block
has a wooden handle and two to three cylindrical holes drilled into the block for free air
passage and also to allow release of excess printing paste. The new blocks are soaked in oil
for 10-15 days to soften the grains in the timber. These blocks sometimes have metal over
the wood.

Printing Process: Block printing is undertaken on both cotton and silk fabrics of varying
counts. The fabric requires a pre-printing treatment where the fabric to be printed is washed
free of starch and soft bleached if the natural grey of the fabric is not desired. If dyeing is
required as in the case of saris, where borders or the body is tied and dyed, it is done before
printing. The fabric is stretched over the printing table and fastened with small pins (in the
case of saris the pallu is printed first then the border)
Historically, the fabric was stretched across a low table, usually about 2 feet wide and 5 feet
long, and the craftworker sat on the floor while imprinting the fabric. However, since 1950,
this has gradually changed with the tables now being waist high and measuring
approximately 3 feet wide and 9 feet long. Each table now may have multiple block printers
working simultaneously on imprinting the fabric depending upon the intricacies of the design.
The block printer pushes along small wooden trolleys with racks that have castor wheels
fastened to their legs to facilitate free movement as he works. On the upper most shelf trays
of dye are placed. On the lower shelves printing blocks are kept ready. These blocks are
then dipped in dye and imprinted on to the fabric by a skilled blockprinter. The printing starts
form left to right. The color is evened out in the tray with a wedge of wood and the block
dipped into the outline color (usually black or a dark color). When the block is applied to the
fabric, it is slammed hard with the fist on the back of the handle so that a good impression
may register. A point on the block serves as a guide for the repeat impression, so that the
whole effect is continuous and not disjoined. The outline printer usually is more experienced
because he is the one who leads the process.
Different dyes are used for silk and cotton. Rapid fast dyes, indigo sol and pigment dyes are
cotton dyes. Printing with rapid dyes is a little more complicated as the dyes once mixed for
printing have to be used the same day. Standard colors are black, red, orange, brown and
mustard. Color variation is little difficult and while printing it is not possible to gauge the
quality or depth of color. It is only after the fabric is processed with an acid wash that the
final color is established. Beautiful greens and pinks are possible with indigo sol colors but
pigment colors are more popular today because the process is simple, the mixed colors can
be stored for a period of time, subtle nuances of colors are possible, and new shades evolve
with the mixing of two or three colors. Also the colors are visible 8 as one prints and do not
change after processing. Colors can be tested before printing by merely applying it onto the
fabric. The pigment color is made up of tiny particles, which do not dissolve entirely and
hence are deposited on the cloth surface while rapid dyes and indigo sols penetrate the cloth
Pigment colors are mixed with kerosene and a binder. The consistency should be just right,
for if it is too thick it gives a raised effect on the material, which spoils the design. Small
plastic buckets with lids are ideal for storing the mixed colors over a few days..
 Fabrics are dried out in the sun after the pigment printing as part of the fixing process. They
are rolled in wads of newspapers to prevent the dye from adhering to other layers and
steamed in boilers constructed for the purpose. Silks are also steamed this way after
printing. After steaming, the material is washed thoroughly in large quantities of water and
dried in the sun, after which it is finished by ironing out single layers, which fix the color
permanently. The craft of Block printing is therefore characterized by the following processes
that are integral to the craft:
• The blocks for imprinting are hand-carved by skilled artisans in wood
• These hand-carved block are used to imprint the design onto the fabric
• The imprinting is done by hand by a skilled block printer
Motifs: The style and motifs of block prints are inspired from the local sources and can be
largely grouped as floral, figurative and geometric categories. The designs have large
bootas, small bootis, trellis or jal, (kind of designs) small border and large borders and
sometimes geometrical designs also. Generally each design has 2-4 colors. Each color has
a separate block. Sometimes as many as 5-8 blocks are used depending on the design.
However the cost of block making and production goes up accordingly.

SCREEN PRINTING
Introduction: Screen printing is a simple ornamentation technique of surface designing for
embellishment of fabric with the help of a simple stencil or screen through which colour is
passed, with a design on its surface. This process is a very widely used in India for creating
attractive designs. The equipments can be automatic, semi-automatic or manual. The
manual process is very popular in India and provides jobs to a large number of people. It is
of utmost importance that the right tools and the right process are used to create designs on
fabrics.
Tools and Materials Used in Screen Printing
1)Frame :The frame serves the purpose of holding the bolting cloth or silkscreen in a
tight position as well as a basin for holding the paste while printing. There is no hard
and fast rule about this. The idea is that sufficient paste is held at one end, to be
taken to the other by the squeegee, covering the entire area to be printed. The
frames must be made of good quality seasoned, knot-free wood. Metal frames are
mostly used where rigidity is necessary for quality production e.g. in mechanized
screen-printing. Such screens are very primitive, but for a beginner they are
adequate. For professional use polyester mesh.
2)Squeegee:This is sold by the meter by screen-printing suppliers. This is a fine
gauze mesh of man-made fabric. Earlier the mesh used to be made of silk hence the
term ‘silk screening’, which is still in common use today. Mesh numbers can range
from very coarse (30) to fine (90) and then to ultra fine. The numbers indicate the no
of threads per 2.5 cm [1 inch]. Screens using higher mesh count fabric produce very
sharp prints with small and fine details. The paste consumption will also be less, and
reverse the case with screens of lower mesh counts. Good quality printing will result
from a properly stretched and prepared screen, especially when multi-colours are
used in the process, so prime importance should be given to this aspect during
screen preparation. 1.5” wider than the width of print or design taken in hand. Also its
width should be less than the inside width of the frame by about the same margin of
1.5”. This will allow for a side play of Squeegee inside the frame while printing is
carried on. Printing base Any flat surface can be used as long as it does not wobble.
The bigger the surface, the better it is, as it is easier to print large pieces of fabric. A
dining table or a table tennis table can easily be converted into a temporary printing-
table by covering them with a thin piece of foam rubber as large as the area to be
used for printing and with a couple of bed sheets to cover it. These can be removed
after a printing session. If, however, you are going to do more than an occasional
print, you will need a special table in order to work with long lengths of fabric and
also to avoid having to tidy them up every time. To prevent the fabric from moving
around while you print the material to be printed can be fixed with the help of pins .
Drying rack or line: The printed fabric or made-up dresses need to be hung out, For
long fabric or saris, rows of plastic or wire lines are best suited, and racks for drying
the made ups. The time required for drying and curing may depend on various
factors related to the weather
Other basic tools:
• Craft knife, ideal for cutting out paper stencils
. • Sheet glass, useful for resting paper stencils on when cutting them out with a craft
knife. A piece of hardboard can also serve this purpose well or a wad of newspapers
can be used instead.
COLOUR COMBINATIONS FOR SCREEN PRINTING:
When measuring your colours, it is not critical to measure precisely to the last drop,
but it is important to be consistent, so that when you need to remix a colour it will be
the same. Stir the printing paste thoroughly together until there are no streaks. Then,
once you have mixed a colour, label it. It is very frustrating if you cannot find a colour
and have to re-test them all in order to find the right one. To make secondary and
tertiary colours, mix the following:
• Yellow in a small container(Fig. 14.6) o Green - mix Yellow with Blue (50-50%). o
Lime-green - mix Yellow with Blue (75-25%). o Deep green - mix Yellow with Blue
(25-75%).
• Blue in a small container. o Violet - mix Blue with Red (50-50%). o Reddish Violet -
mix Blue with Red (25-75%). The colour wheel Yellow o Bluish Violet - mix Blue with
Red (75-25%).
• Red in a small container Orange - mix Red with Yellow (50-50%). o Reddish
Orange - mix Red with Yellow (75-25%). o Yellowish orange- mix Red with Yellow
(25-75%)

Peparing the fabric for screen Printing:Cotton fabric is available in the

market ready for printing or dyeing. This is useful as washing and ironing of long
pieces of raw fabric is tedious. The normal cotton fabric must first be washed in cold
water to remove the starch and then in hot water (above 60°C) to shrink it. Using a
washing machine, wash the fabric twice on a cold cycle and then, with detergent, on
a hot cycle. Alternatively, if you do not have a washing machine, soak the material
over- night in soap water and rinse and dry in the morning for shrinkage to be
effective. To remove all the creases from pure cotton, always iron the fabric when it
is damp. Spread the fabric on the printing table and smooth it out with the palm of
your hand, making sure that the warp and weft of the fabric lie at right angles to each
other. While smoothing out the fabric, feel for any foreign objects underneath the
cloth that could cause printing irregularities or damage to your screen. Even if
everything is straight, lift up the material again to remove even the slightest lump or
ridge.
Marking the Fabric before Printing: This is the method of putting the screen down
in exactly the right place on the fabric. You can position the screen by peering
through the mesh, and it works quite well until the screen becomes darkened by the
ink. Therefore, it is better to mark out the fabric with a chalk line.
Screen coating method:
• After fixing the screen (by covering the frame with mesh), draw the design on to the
screen with the help of pencil.
• After tracing the design, apply enamel paint on the screen with the help of a flat
brush, leaving the design portion.
• Cover the entire screen (excepting the design portion) with enamel carefully , so
that pores may not be left open
. • Leave the screen for drying the enamel.
• After drying, wash the screen with water
Cleaning the Screen: If some enamel is left on the design portion, clean it
immediately with urea water, otherwise it will block the design.