So just like me, you enjoy printing with wooden blocks? Don't you find them hard to clean? I did... and so I consulted it with the skilled printers of Jaipur who were working on some projects with me. Here I am sharing the pearls of wisdom so that you clean them correctly and make them last long.
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The composition:
Before we share care instructions, it is important to understand the composition of these beautiful pieces of wood. In India, wooden blocks are made using Teak, Oak, Rosewood and sometimes using the wood obtained from Pear and Pine tree. Teak is the wood of choice since it is strong, seasoned and waterproof.
The Making:
A suitable piece of wood is chosen to make a block. Before starting the carving, this piece of wood is planed and smoothened using tools. To get a good pattern on the wood after tracing, it is very essential to make the surface smooth and flat. After which the pattern that is usually traced on paper, is transferred on to the piece of wood using lampblack oil and chalk. With the use of chemical or chalk, the portion of the pattern, that has to be left out during the carving, is highlighted. Usually, the whole piece of wood is painted White before transferring the pattern on to it.
During the process of carving, the wood piece is kept damp using damp clothes, the reason behind carving only the damp wood piece is that it doesn't break at undesired parts of the pattern as dry wood will.
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| Wooden blocks after printing |
