Indian Painting Styles...Kalamkari Paintings (Andhra Pradesh)

For Updates and for the Check-List of other Indian Painting Styles...Please Click the link Indian Painting Styles...INDEX


Check this previously posted tittle too
Indian Painting Styles...Kerala Mural Painting

Indian Painting Styles...Madhubani/Mithila Painting (Orissa)

For More designs...check the updated version of Yashi's DESIGN CORNER..



Paying my sincere thanks to all content and image providers,the blogs and sites. Esp Google,my all time Assistant



Browse the designs/Patterns/Motifs from second page onwards.All the imges were from GOOGLE


Motifs Post
(11-15)

Peacock
(Post 15-21)

kalamkari Accessories(purse,bag,lamp shade,cushions,duppatta,saree)
(Post 21-30)

Village scene,tribal,lady
(Post 31-33)

Tree of life
(Post 34 -38)

Animals(Horse,elephant,lion
(Post 39-43)

Jesus
(Post 44)

Buddha
(Post 45-46)

Gita upadesa
(Post 47 - 48)

Ram darbar
(Post 49 - 50)

Hindu God
Hanuman (Post 51 -52)
Vishnu [I](Post 54- 55)[/I]
Ganesha (Post 56- 61)
Krishna (Post 62- 74)
Shiva (Post 75- 78)

Hindu Goddess
Durga (Post 79- 80)
Lakshmi (Post 81- 85)
Sarasvathy (Post 86- 89)

If you have any important information or designs to be added here,please make a note of it.

THANKS

Kalamkari Paintings (Andhra Pradesh)​

​

KALAMKARI – AN INTRODUCTION

The Kalamkari tradition is more than three thousand years old. The earliest fabric samples of this craft found in the Mohenjo-daro excavations date back to 3000 B.C. Some samples of Madder dyed cloth with traditional Indian motifs have also been discovered in Egyptian tombs during excavations at Al Fustat near Cairo. These bear testimony not only to the antiquity of the craft but also prove that it was well developed and formed part of a flourishing export in ancient times.

The Art of Kalamkari is an ancient and exquisite form of textile painting which has a heritage dating back to the ancient times. The term traces down its origin to the early period of alliance between the Persian and Indian trade merchants and identified any painted textile art form.
It is made up of 2 words, ‘kalam’ (meaning pen) and 'qari/kari' (meaning to decorate) .
Persian word Kalam or qalam allude to a pen or an instrument used for painting whereas the Urdu word Kari implies the craftsmanship involved and hence Kalamkari denotes the myriad manifestations of hand painted textiles.
The Mughal who patronized this craft in the Coromandel and Golconda province called the practitioners of this craft "Qua-lamkars" and the distinctive term “Kalamkari", for goods produced in this region persists even to this day.

Origin
Historically, the art of Kalamkari most prevalently represented the textile arts practiced all over the Coromandal cost stretching from Machalipatnam at the north to southern parts of India, especially in areas like Kalahasti, Salem, Madura, Palakolu, Machalipatnam, Tanjore, Eleimbedu in Chengalpet, and in Cocanada districts.

In present times, it epitomizes the technique of painting using natural dyes on textiles. Consequently, the wide range of hand painted and natural dyed textiles of India executed in various parts of the country are popularly recognized as the Art of Kalamkari.


In Southern India, Sri Kalahasti the pilgrimage city located on the banks of River Swarnamurki and renowned for the Shiva temple Sri Kalahasteewara has been considered one of the most prominent Kalamkari centers. The art form flourished under the royal as well as local patronage of the Hindu rulers in between the 13th to 16th centuries CE. The mythological textile paintings of this region served as narrative murals or temple hangings.

Hindu epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Shiv Purana, Vishnu Purana and other legendary myths and tales were narrated and illustrated in elaborate ornate style in vibrant color palette of red, white, black, blue, yellow and green.

In Northern Andhra Pradesh, the port town of Masulipatnam in Golconda was a prominent trading site along the Coromondal Coast from where Kalamkari was traded to far off lands. Under the Golconda Ruler Qutab Shahi and his international trade alliance, Kalamkari textiles gained significance in Persian Safavid Empire for personal and domestic utilization. It was also the rulers of the Outb Shahi dynasty that gave the craft its name "kalamkari"--derived from qalamkor, an artisan who works with the pen.

Style

• The Persian influence introduced an array of intricate forms and motifs representing trees, floral motifs, creepers and animal figures. With the advent of the Mughal Empire, new style of textile paintings emerged which represented personal portraits of the emperors along with panels depicting sagas of their rule and daily life.

• During this period Iran became a dominant patron of the art form and several centers were opened in the country to meet up with the Iranian demand for the textile art.

• With the demand from the West, themes from the Old Testament of the Bible also appeared in Kalamkaris. Various guilds developed that were a part of the social network and vibrant culture.

• The art form adapted multitude patterns portraying religious beliefs, flora and fauna, ornamental motifs and the like under the influence of diverse patrons.

Themes

• Initially, the themes were based on religion. But these were not duly appreciated by art connoisseurs especially those who resided abroad.
  

• Traditional artists then started including contemporary themes like trees, birds and animals. One immensely popular piece is the "Tree of Life."

• Evidence also suggests that Kalamkari artists also created murals based on Christian themes.

• The popular motifs included the Tree of Life, Cyprus cone, verses from Koran, Mihrab or the Arch which were seen amidst a number of floral scrawls and creepers.

• In the figurative designs the human faces were given a lot of attention the eyes were made bold and expressive.

• Female jewellery was made very elaborate and intricate details were given to costumes.

• The figures with rounded shapes and border designs are typical of kalamkaris. The motifs are a blend of both geometric and naturalistic depictions.

Kalamkari Painting in Textiles

In history of Indian economics, Kalamkari textiles obtain imperative recognition as a medium of currency used in the spice trade. A wide range of ceremonial and ritual textiles as well as fabrics for apparels were created for Southeast Asia and Indonesia who were known for their exotic spices and oils and hence became significant patrons of the art form. This in return reflected back key aesthetical and cultural inspiration in the evolution of the art of Kalamkari. The European market declared it as part of the opulent Indian luxury goods and during the 18th to 19th century, Kalamkari textiles adorned the British Empire with exclusive hand painted home furnishings and dress materials.

During the 19th Century, Chintz or Indian painted/printed cotton cloth became popular in Europe. Originally the term Chintz implied a pattern created on cotton fabric with a bamboo pen or kalam and dyed with mordants and resists. With the increase in demand block printing became the most favored medium. The shiny surface of the textile was created by finishing it with polishing it with a shell or other natural substance.

Over centuries this textile tradition has undergone series of transformations. The strong spiritual base of the art form creating the most splendorous textile murals with time became the most flourishing popular culture. It then metamorphosed into a secular craft under the patronage of Muslim rulers and became to be known as a luxury good by the Europeans.

The art of Kalamkari in Southern India has historically been one of the most significant textile traditions and still is practiced with equivalent fervor and dexterity.


Kalamkari Painting in Trade

• Merchants and traders from around the world used Indian textiles, the majority of which were kalamkari, as a currency in the Spice Trade. Thus a triangular trading system was established that implicated Indian textiles in a larger global exchange of goods and products.

• During the Mughal rule, Kalamkari Paintings were sold to Persians and Egyptians. Several hand painted cloth pieces are discovered from Egypt, Iran and Gujarat that hints at the Kalamkari art trade during the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the English and French trading organizations bought Kalamkari paintings customized with English, French and Chinese designs.

• After interest in kalamkari textiles waned during the mid 20th century, the industry was in danger of becoming extinct. In Sri Kalahasti, after a training school was established during the 1950s these textiles continue to be produced for domestic and overseas markets.

• Today, Kalamkari Paintings has earned a special place in the Indian handicrafts industry. The tedious efforts taken by the Kalamkari craftsmen are recognized by the world market as this popular folk art form has wide demand.

• Religious beliefs, traditional ethos, trade and cultural exchanges influenced the art of Kalamkari and extended its application from temple hangings to products of daily use.

• The Dutch and Europeans introduced the art form to assorted collection of products like home furnishings, canopies and garments.

• Several tribal and textile art shows around the world showcase Kalamkari art works in one and more forms. Mostly authentic Kalamkari paintings are used as wall hangings.

• Other items available with Kalamkari paintings are curtains, sarees, dress materials, lampshades and table, cushion and bed covers.

• Kalamkari textiles took many forms depending on their intended market. Prayer rugs, canopies and door covers painted with meharab designs, animal forms and floral motifs were made for the Middle-Eastern market, while tree-of-life bedcovers and dress material that resembled crewel work was painted for the European market. On the other hand, patterned hip and shoulder wrappers and narrative wall hangings were traded to the Southeast Asian market and material for robes and jackets were sent to East Asia.

• Designs now involve global themes including Biblical stories.

Different names associated with Kalamkari :
Over the years the patrons and appreciators bespoke various names for the art form, the Portugese called it Pintado, the Dutch used the name Sitz( origin from the Tamil word denoting the kalamkari: Chitti or Sitti), and the British preferred Chintz.
Along with the myriad range of names, the technique contributed in creating innumerable textile product range and till today is considered as one of the most celebrated textile art forms in India.

Continues......................

 

Types of Kalamkari Paintings


During the 16th and 17th centuries, two centers for Kalamkari painting emerged - Masulipatnam in Golconda and Srikalahasti in Coromondal region in southern Andhra Pradesh. These centers had similar yet different processes of Kalamkaris.

Another style of Kalamkari became popular among the Maratha rulers in Thanjavur, named Karupur.

Bagru, Sanganer, Palampur and Faizabad are few centres in northern India where Kalamkari is practised.

In Gujarat the Kalamkari technique was often used traditionally to create Pachedis or temple canopies and hangings. Pachedis were usually printed with a mother goddess figure in the center, surrounded by religious themes or scenes from daily life. Peasants and nomadic tribal groups rigged up impromptu temples using pachedis for temple walls and ceilings--hung from trees or rigged up as canopies on poles--or they were simply worn over the shoulder of a priest. The Vaghari community traditionally made them.


Please check the following links for Kalamkari of Gujarat:-
Celebrations Decor - An Indian Decor blog: Kalamkari of Gujarat/Mata ni Pachedi

Sonali Dalal's Photo Blog from India: Matani Pachhedi -Kalamkari art from Gujarat, India


Karupur style of Kalamkari
Karupur is a style of Kalamkari that developed in the Thanjavur region during the Maratha ruler Shivaji in the 19th century. The Kalamkari work was a further embellishment to the gold brocade work in the woven fabric, which was used as sarees & dhotis by the royal family during the period of Raja Sarfoji and later Raja Shivaji.


Masulipatnam style of Kalamkari

• Masulipatnam is about 200 miles from Hyderabad.
  

• Masulipatnam designs are intricate and delicate forms.

• The pen used is sharp enough to paint the boundaries of elements finely.

• The process of Masulipatnam Kalamkari Painting requires 12 steps.

• In Masulipatnam, the weavers were involved in the block printing art.

• The Kalamkari artisans of this town worked usually for Persian and Egyptian clientele. Thus, the design themes were usually about nature. More than hand painting, the old traditional block prints were largely used with Persian motifs like trees, creepers, flowers and leaf designs to fill the whole fabric.

• Later came the Dutch influence when there was an increase in demand from Europe.
  

• This style of Kalamkari was mainly done on bed covers, curtains and also garments, as it was a popular demand from the west.

• In the nineteenth century, block prints reached its peak and even today it is largely produced for Indians and foreigners.

Srikalahasti style of Kalamkari
Srikalahasti, Close to Tirupati and 80 miles away from Chennai, showed a unique form of Kalamkari paintings that catered to the taste of the Hindu rulers who ruled the southern areas of Andhra Pradesh, where temples were a major inspiration. Here the theme of the Kalamkari paintings centered on Hindu gods and goddess.


The Srikalahastisvara temple built during middle-Chola period
(circa 1000 AD.), rich in stone carvings and decorative motifs remains to be the source of inspiration for the craftsmen even today.

The climatic conditions, availability of dyestuffs and clean flowing water from the river Svarnamukhi makes Srikalahasti an ideal place for Kalamkari production.

The art flourished under the patronage of the temples with their demands for scrolls and wall hangings with story figurative and narrative components. It richly displayed episodes from the Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana, and other Mythological stories for their themes painted in the panels with a script running along the border. The subjects chosen to paint were restricted to Gods such as Krishna, Brahma, Ganesha, Durga, Kiratavinyaarjuna, Lakshmi, Rama, Shiva and Parvathi.

Normally a big story panel is segmented into many smaller sections. The panel commences with the picture of an artist, seeking blessing from Lord Ganesha. A scene from the story is depicted in each section. The artist also narrates the events of the story by means of written Telugu passages below the picture. The language is usually formal.

• At Kalahasti, the Balojas (a caste involved in making bangles) took to this art.

• They entirely hand paint the cloth using sharp as well as flatter pens, alternately for free hand drawing the picture by the sharp pen and then filling the elements with color by the blunt one. The artists use a bamboo or date palm stick pointed at one end with a bundle of fine hair attached to this pointed end to serve as the brush or pen

• The process of Srikalahasti Kalamkari Painting requires 17 steps.

• Around mid nineteenth century printing blocks were introduced and from then on very little freehand kalam drawing was done.

Some important features of Srikalahasti Kalamkari traditions :

1. The colours Red, Yellow, Blue, Green and Black are dominant.
2. Red colour is obtained from Indian madder, Yellow from myrobalan flower, Blue from Indigo plant and Black from Iron fillings and sugar molasses.
3. There is a religious colour code for the decoration of Kalamkari cloths – all Gods are painted blue, female characters golden yellow and all demons and bad characters are red.
4. Elaborate decorations on jewellery / costumes etc.
5. Use of beaded line and use of heart shaped designs in borders.
6. Simplification of colours, shading is eliminated.
7. Slim figures with rounded faces, long and big eyes, big bindi dots,.

In spite of many repercussions of the modern age, the skillful artists of Srikalahasti continue and maintain their own identity and workmanship. Today there are 150 craftsmen practising this ancient craft.
In addition to the traditional uses of kalamkari as ritual cloths in temples and textile material; the present day craftsmen added innovative designs like table clothes, letter holders, bags, purses, files, greeting cards, and dinner mats.




Continues......................

 

Colours used

The popularity of Indian textiles in the markets of the ancient world may be attributed to the fact that India had even at that time perfected the technology of fixing the fugitive colours found in nature with a certain degree of permanence to fabrics.



With the bounty and variety of tropical vegetation at his doorstep the Indian craftsman was able to evolve a palette of many colours derived from vegetable, animal and mineral sources. There are numerous references in ancient Hindu texts describing the colours and patterns of the clothes worn by the people of the Vedic Age which reveal that more than a hundred species of plants were known and used by the craftsman of those days.
The world over, people are turning away from dangerous chemical dyes.







No chemical dyes are used is producing kalamkari colours.
The harmless, naturally dyed fabric is used for Kalamkari paintings. The artists believe in using natural dyes, extracted from bark, flower and root.
The dyes are obtained by natural resources like extracting colors from parts of plants along with mineral salts of iron, tin, copper, alum, etc., which are used as Mordants.
Many of the dyes are extracted from materials that have medicinal properties.
One would be stunned to know that the colour red is obtained by using the Indian madder root, yellow from Myrobalan fruit & galls,Pomegranate peel, mango bark dust, turmeric powder & flowers of the dadup ,black from myrobalam fruit, blue (from indigo flowers) and green (by painting yellow on blue)


Since the palette is based on natural colors, the range of shades are limited. The basic colors created are black, red, yellow, blue and green. 15 other hues are created by mixing these basic colors.

Certainly there are religious color codes for the decoration of kalamkari clothes - all gods are blue, female characters are golden yellow, bad characters and demons are red. The water of river Swarnamukhi in Srikalahasti is regarded as excellent for developing the colors.











Process involved


Varahamihira author of the voluminous Hindu text Brihatsamhita belonging to the 6th century A.D.describes not only the dye but also the process of Mordanting in fixing colours to cloth.The action of Alum (Sanskrit: Tabari) in fixing-the colour Manjishta to cloth is detailed,and the technique is described as Raga Bandhana (Raga-colour; Bandhana to fix or tie).

This technique in modem textile parlance is known as Mordanting, from the latin Mordere (to bite). This is a process by which a mineral salt like Alum, Tin or Chrome isapplied to the cloth, which "bites" the fibres and makes it receptive to the dye. By this method a fugitive dye is fixed and forms a colour lake in the fabric which is fast to washing and light.

The procedure involves the use of kalams or blocks for application of the wax resists on the fabric which would be later dyed blue, red, green, yellow and black.

The fabric used for manufacture of these kalamkaris is the unbleached plain weave cotton fabric for the mordanting process. To produce black colour iron mordant called Kasim is used, whereas for red Alum crystals as mordant is painted on the cloth followed by washing for removal of excess mordant and then finally dyeing of the fabric in different colours by subsequent removal of wax is carried out.

Starching is also done where rice starch and buffalo milk are applied on the fabric. The wax used is generally the beeswax.


Fabric commonly demanded include products like upholstery material – curtains, sofa covers, bed covers, cushion covers etc. Dress materials like women’s petticoats, children garments, caps are popular choices. Wall hangings, prayer mats, waist bands, jamas have also been made.



Stages

• The cloth is first whitened by immersing in a solution of goat or cow dung and letting it dry in the Sun for a few days.

• The cloth is then treated in Myrobalan solution. Ripe fruits are used in Masulipatnam, raw ones in Srikalahasti.

• Milk is then added to the solution to prevent the colour from spreading in the next step.

• Then iron acetate solution is filled in, either for solid spaces or as outlines, with a brush-pen in Srikalahasti, and wooden blocks in Masulipatnam.

• All the areas meant to be red are painted or printed over with the alum solution as a mordant. Mordant is a substance that fixes the natural dye on the material.

• After applying alum, the cloth is kept for at least 24 hours. Then the excess mordant is removed by washing the cloth under flowing water.

• Colors are dyed in different ways to make the dye stay on the fabric. Fabric is boiled in red, immersed in blue and hand painted in yellow.

• The dyeing is done for the red colour by boiling with the red colouring materials.

• All the portions that are not to be blue are covered with wax.(Batik method) The waxed cloth is immersed in indigo solution.. Then the wax is removed by boiling the cloth in water. In Srikalahasti, the blue is painted with the Kalam.

• Once the wax removed, finally applying the color yellow (serving also to produce in combination with green, blue).

• The cloth is finally washed again and dried before the final colours emerge.

• The piece of Kalamkari undergoes at least 15-20 washes before the final colors become apparent. A complex piece can take up to 9 months to be completed.

In the early 20th century, Kalamkari painting started to lose its patronage, fell into steep decline since Indians became more concerned about freeing the country from the British colonialism. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay is credited for resurrecting the art of Kalamkari after the formation of the All India Handicrafts Board, post independence.
Today the All India handicrafts board has set-up a training course and school for kalamkari workers, drawing on the skills and creative urges of the few remaining workers.

At present several efforts are being made to reinstate the glory of Kalamkari paintings as the demand is beginning to increase in the global handicrafts market.

Notable Kalamkari artisans are C. Subramanyam, J. Lakshmaya, Guru Rambhoji Naik, Sri Niranjan and Sri Gurappa Chetty.



Content courtesy:
http://www.thechromaacademy.com/art-of-kalamkari

http://www.dsource.in

http://about.nsw.gov.au/collections/doc/samples-kalamkari-cloth-painting-india/

http://gujaratkalamkari.blogspot.in/2011/02/art-of-kalamkari-south-india.html

http://www.indian-art.net/indian-art/kalamkari-art-india.html

http://www.indiahandicraftstore.com/paintings/kalamkari.html

http://resources.archedu.org/kalamkari.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/25012865/Kalamkari-New


Kalamkari-The Art of Painting fabric with a Pen-1,2,3,4,5

summersofindia.blogspot.in


Continues......................

 

Tools and Raw Materials

The tools and raw materials used for the production of traditional Kalamkari printing are basic handmade and natural materials.

Tools:

1. Charcoal pencil
2. tamarind twigs (Chinta boggo)
3. Pointed and round-tipped kalam (pen made of bamboo sticks)
4. Gaada (unbleached cloth)

Raw Materials:

1. Iron pieces and jaggery - for preparing black color .
2. Buffalo’s milk - added to avoid spreading of color.
3. Buffalo/cow dung,- a natural bleaching agent.
4. Myrobalan nuts(Termalia chebula Retz / Baheda/ Chebulic myrobalan /Kadukkai/ harra /Nallakaraka - Mordant for black color.
5. Myrobalan flowers, dried Pomegranate skin - for producing yellow color
6. Chevvallikodi root (Rubia Cordifolia linn) Indian Madder / Manjishta/Mungeet - dyed to obtain red in the alum painted portion, available as twigs.
7. Suruduchakka bark(Ventilago madraspatana Gaertn) / Black murdah/Red creeper/Surul pattai/Pitti - added with Chevvallikodi to enhance the red shade
8. Indigo Blue Cake(Indigofera tinctoria Linn) - extracted from leaves of Indigo plant, for creating blue color.
9. Kattha - (Acacia catechu) Heartwood/Cutch tree- imparts a strong brown & chocolate shade.
10. Alum - Patikka/Padikaaram- Mordant used to obtain red color.

1.Kalam-bamboo pen is the most important tool used in printing process. This is made of bamboo reed. A cotton cloth is rolled over the reed and it is tangled by a cotton thread. Two types of kalams are prepared for outlining and color filling processes. The sharp tipped ones used for outlining and drawing the details and the round broad tipped one used for filling in the sections.

2.The cotton cloth used for the fabric printing is locally called as Gaada.

3.Vegetable dye stuffs are used

4.Myrobalan flower (Karakapuvvu locally) and Myrobalan bud (Karakapinde locally) used to make the black dye permanent.

5.Chavalakodi and Suruduchakka are the two types of roots which are procured from local forest areas are grounded into powder to obtain red color.

6.Pomegranate skin is used to obtain light yellow color.

6.Alum is the mordant used in dyeing process.

7.Kattha -is the substance boiled to obtain lighter red color.

8.Kasim kaaram-Iron black color solution prepared using rusted iron filings, cane jaggery and palm jaggery. These materials are dissolved in water in a closed earthen pot and allowed for fermentation. After 10 days the solution is filtered and the iron filings are taken out. The prepared Kasim kaaram is used for drawing outlines and to fill black color.

9.The tamarind stems are burned and made into charcoal. This charcoal is used for initial sketching.

10.The buffalo milk is used to treat the cloth which helps to avoid color spreading.

 

Making Process
​

The Kalamkari art of painting undergoes a laborious, slow process of resist – dyeing and hand printing. Many stages have to be undergone before the final results are achieved.

1. Making of kalam
2. Preparation of Black Solution(Kasim Kaaram)
3. Preparation of Cloth
4. Initial Drawing & Outlining
5. Obtaining Red color
6. Color Filling

Unlike other styles of painting, Kalamkari painting demands a lot of treatment before and after the painting is completed on the cotton fabric.

Depending on the treatment of cloth, or quality of the mordant, the colours change accordingly. Every step from soaking of the cloth, to sketching the outlines to washing and drying the cloth, is done carefully and correctly.


MAKING OF KALAM
The Kalam, or bamboo pen, is the most important tool in painting kalamkari and gives the art form its name: kalam (pen) kari (work/action/agent).

• A Kalam is made from bamboo splinters measuring about 4-6 inches in length, sharpened to a tip of desired thickness. A thicker point is preferred for filling in background color, while a finer point is used for outlines. About 1 to 1 ½ inches from the tip of the kalam, is a Dye Reservoir made from small rags of coarse wool that are wound around the bamboo and tied in place by cotton thread. This reservoir absorbs and retains the dye solution.

• The reservoir of the kalam is never allowed to dry. It is washed and dried thoroughly before storage.

• The tip of this instrument should be thin and sharp. The skin of the bamboo is retained on one of the side, which gives the reed strength and longer life to the tip.

• When this instrument is dipped in to the dye solution, the woolen ball absorbs the dye by capillary actions. The artist holds the loaded kalam in upright position gently presses the woolen ball and drags it on the cloth. The dye, which comes out of the woolen ball, passing through the bamboo point, reaches the cloth.

• According to many artists, cotton cloth cannot be used for the reservoir as it has higher absorptive capacity, no resilience, and would release larger amounts of dye when squeezed. Artists regulate the flow of dye down the bamboo kalam to the point through deliberate and controlled squeezing of the reservoir. In this manner an artist can vary the thickness of the lines she/he draws by skilfully moving the tip of the kalam over the cloth.
  

• Kalams with thinner points are sometimes slit from the tip to the the reservoir, and filled with a few strands of hair or thread to facilitate the flow of black dye.

• The kalams that have broad tips are used and also for filling flat areas on the cloth.

• The sharp tipped ones used for outlining and drawing the details and the round broad tipped one used to draw thicker lines and also for filling flat areas.

• Usually a separate kalam is used for each colour or else the wooden rag which form the tip is changed.

PREPARATION OF BLACK SOLUTION(Kasim kaaram)


Black ink/dye or Kasim is at the basis of all traditional kalamkari paintings; it is used to outline all figures, write texts and narrative descriptions, and is the first ink to be applied to Myrobalam-treated cloth.(Known as Kassim in Srikalahasti parlance)


The following are soaked in the closed earthern pot for fifteen days.
Cane Jaggery- 300 grams.
Palm Jaggery- 150 grams.
Iron Fillings - 2 Kg.
Water 10 litres.

• Palm and cane jaggery powder are mixed together and allow it to dissolve in the water, after which iron fillings are dropped. The solution is stirred once in a few days. Keep the kasim solution in an earthen pot, cover and let ferment for 12-15 days (longer if in a cooler climate). The reaction takes place between molasses and the iron fillings to form the resultant solution, the ferrous acetate.

• A brown/grey/blackish froth forms at the surface, indicating that the solution is ready. The iron acetate is strained through cotton cloth into another container (earthenware, plastic,stainless steel, glass). If stored in a cool place, the solution can be kept up to one year.

• This solution is fairly clear and only develops a highly permanent black (Ferrous acetate reacting with Tannin)when in contact with the myrobalan treated cloth.

• Iron bits can be reused in later preparations of the solution.

• Kasim solution is used for outlining of figures/motifs and for filling in larger areas in black color. When the iron acetate is applied to treated cloth, a chemical reaction takes place between the iron acetate and the myrobalam solution, causing the kasimi to first appear as a dull, brownish gray, and after a few seconds reach a deep black color.

PREPARATION OF CLOTH
​

1. Initially the cotton cloth, locally known as Gaada is immersed in water overnight to remove the starch in it. The cloth is then boiled in water for sometime in order to remove other impurities.
2. The washed cloth is then treated in a solution which is made by mixing Myrobalan bud paste and Myrobalan flower paste and buffalo milk.

The Myrobalan, a tannin containing pod ,acts as a Mordant(Mordants are used to fix the colour to the cloth, and to modify colour, tone, and brightness) .The Myrobalan nut not only serves to develop the black colour of Kassim but also acts as an excellent fixing agent for the other natural dyes which are subsequently used.

The fat in buffaloes milk prevents dye from spreading on the cloth,also adds a certain stiffness to the fabric thereby making it an easier canvas to work on,and keeps the drawn line from running.

For the best results boiled milk or standardized milk that is supplied in sachets are avoided.

1. Myrobalan, is pounded and soaked in water for a few hours to be made into a paste. The paste is then dissolved in buffalo’s milk which is kept in a vessel. This solution is kept for 1 hour to extract tannic acid from the seeds. The cloth is loosely folded and slowly dipped into the solution for 15 minutes. It is then soaked and pressed down with the hands. This type of pressing helps greater absorption.
2. Stirred well until the solution appears pale yellow.
3. The cloth, after immersing in milk solution for 5 to 10 minutes, The cloth is removed, wrung, and opened out. The process is repeated again, but this time the twisting is done in the opposite direction to spread the fat content of the buffalo milk. The fat holds the colors on the surface and prevents color from spreading. Once all the pieces of cloth have been processed, they are spread out to dry in the sunlight.
4. The cloth obtains the yellowish color after dyeing. This process is done to smoothen the cloth and also to avoid the spreading of die color and outline color, to absorb the required metallic mordant, and also to develop a permanent black colour , using ferrous mordant.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Non- reactive vessels like plastic / enamel /glass or stainless steel are used for soaking.
The Tannin coated cloth should stored in a dry place, away from moisture and strong sunlight. Otherwise, spreading of dye and poor line quality would result .The maximum life of treated cloth is 40 days. (since Tannin on the fabric, becomes inert on passage of time)

 

INITIAL DRAWING AND OUTLINING​

Making of charcoal pencil
Most artists will sketch a charcoal outline on the prepared cloth before application of black dye. Some artists use charred tamarind twigs to draw, while others use commercially manufactured charcoal or lead pencils.
The following steps are taken to prepare tamarind twigs (chinta boggo) for sketching:

1. Dried twigs that have fallen around the tree are gathered and broken to a length of 3-7 inches.

1. To char the twigs, a shallow circular pit is scooped out in dry soil and a heap of sand is kept besides the pit.

1. The dry twigs are piled up to a height of 2-3 inches above the ground level. Some newspaper is also placed among the twigs to facilitate burning. The twigs and paper is set on fire

1. When the flame dies down, sand is thrown over the twigs, and they are set to cool in the pit for 3-4 hours.

1. This slow cooling makes the pencils tough. The ash coloured twigs are then unearthed, rolled between fingers to remove greyish bark until black color is revealed.

1. The pencils so prepared can be stored until further use (do not remove bark before charring,else the twigs will turn to ash).

DRAWING BLACK LINES
The cloth is folded and pressed and straight lines are drawn in charcoal along the pressed creases, defining the decorative panel within which the main theme will be drawn. In outlining the main theme, the leading figures are sketched first, followed by the others. The charcoal drawing provides the basic layout. All details are subsequently filled in by pen.

• Preliminary lines are drawn with charcoal, usually made of burnt tamarind twigs.

• Kalam is dipped in iron black solution. The woollen ball attached to the reed absorbs the dye. (The cloth is placed onto a woolen blanket spread on a wooden table, which provides a smooth work surface and also absorbs color seeping through to the reverse side.)

• The artist then drags the kalam in upright position on the cloth, slightly squeezing the woolen ball. The dye on contact with the Myrobalan treated cloth turns in to black. (Reaction of Fe. Acetate on Tannin)

• The lines thus obtained are allowed to dry for about 5 minute, after which the excess dye is carefully removed by an absorbent cloth. (Thin cotton cloth–slightly wet)

• The artist takes extreme caution to prevent any accidental spilling of dye on the cloth.

• The Kalamkari black has an excellent colour fastness.

• The tip of the bamboo pen has to be renewed whenever it becomes blunt.

• The thick padding is necessary underneath the cloth while using pen or kalam.

• After every use, kalam is washed with plenty of water, squeezing woolen ball several times.

USEFUL INFORMATION

The same black dye might be used for block printing on Myrobalan treated cloth; however, the dye has to be thickened by adding glue (Meypro gum / gum arabic) to the required consistency.
When an artist wishes to retain the drawing only in black and white, he must wash the drawing in enough water and allow it to boil in water for about 2 minutes.

 

MORDANTING TO OBTAIN RED COLOUR

Red colour is obtained by Mordanting the cloth with alum and then dyeing with dyestuffs rich in naturally occurring Alizarin. Mordant colours are those colouring matters, which while possessing no colouring power in them, yet are capable of combining with metallic basses to form insoluble precipitates on the cloth.

• Alum powder (50grams) is dissolved in warm water (1 liter) until a thin and watery consistency is achieved (in plastic / glass vessel). The artists sometimes test the concentration by means of tasting a drop of alum solution. It should taste very sharp and caustic.

• During this process, the areas which are intended to be red are brushed with alum solution.

• The solution thus applied is allowed to dry on the cloth completely and the painted alum cloth is allowed to sun dry for 2 days.

• To remove unfixed mordant attached to the cloth, the cloth is washed under running water for 5 minutes. While washing, care should be taken to prevent the unfixed alum which is flowing away from the cloth does not touch other areas (i.e. unmordanted areas).

• Now the Boiling process is done using natural dye stuffs i.e.300 gm of Suruduchakka bark and 1 Kg of Chevvallikodi tree root powders along with ½ Kg of alum are added in boiling water. After 20 minutes, the painted cloth is immersed in this dye solution and boiled for 40 minutes at a high temperature.. It is stirred for sometime. When all the mordanted areas become Red, the artist removes the cloth.

• The cloth is now taken to the river water and it is washed repeatedly for 3 days near the bank of the river until the cloth is completely bleached. During this process, the colored areas remain the same and the rest part of the cloth is whitened.

• Despite all the precautions, colour might smudge to other areas. To remedy this,BLEACHING is done. The cloth is soaked overnight in a vessel containing cow dung dissolved in water. Sheep dung is more effective as it contains a higher proportion of sodium carbonate.

• In presence of strong sunlight, the cloth is kept on a moist riverbed. The water is sprinkled continuously. This process goes on for weeks until that cloth is fully bleached. The Red and Black portions will retain the colour while the rest is bleached white.

• At the end of this procedure the cloth is again dipped in buffalo's milk and dried, thus leaving a coloured design on white background.
• The dying vessel must be non-reactive as it will not interfere with dyeing.

TO OBTAIN VARIATIONS OF RED COLOUR:

• By adding little bit of Kasim Kaaram-Iron solution in the mordant, darker shades of red like maroon, chocolates are obtained.

• By altering the proportions of the dye stuffs employed in dye bath. i.e. more parts of Suruduchakka in the dye bath will cause darker shades of Red & Maroon.

• By varying Alum concentration i.e. light Red appears where alum is applied once where as bright Reds appear in those areas where alum is applied twice or thrice.

• Some artists are also applying lime juice onto portions cloth that have already been dyed red, in order to obtain a light pink color. Typically lime juice is used to create pink line details on red figures or on floral motifs.

• At present it is important to note that most artists are using a synthetic form of Alizarin for obtaining red colors on cloth. Typically the Alizarin is mixed with alum and painted directly onto the cloth, however some artists maintain the two-step process of painting alum first then dyeing the cloth in a red dye bath (in this case Alizarin)

 

COLOUR FILLING​

The color filling is done so cautiously to avoid color spreading. Red colored cloth is now taken to color filling process. Initially the yellow color is filled in the required portions and then it is followed by green and rose. Finally blue color is filled. The color filling is done using tapered edged Kalam. Tapering is done by chisel.




Colour making:

After bleaching, cloth is soaked in buffalo’s milk, squeezed tightly and dried. This will prevent spreading of colours (i.e.. yellow, blue, and green) after dipping the cloth in the milk, the cloth is dried in sunlight for 1 day. It is then allowed to dry under shade for another day. It is now ready for colouring.

1. YELLOW COLOUR

• The Myrobalan flowers are grounded into fine powder. It is poured into water and boiled in an earthen or metal pot. The solution is stirred continuously and the volume is halved. Then set to cool for about 2-3 hours. Some artists have indicated that a better, darker shade of yellow is obtained if the solution is left to mature for a week in a glass (or non-absorbent) vessel. Later, it is applied on the cloth using the bamboo reed or kalam.

• Before painting the yellow dye solution onto cloth, 10 grams of alum is added. All portions of a cloth that should appear yellow and green are painted with this dye solution. The dye can be stored up to 6 months in a cool place.

• After the application of yellow colour, the cloth is dried, cleansed in flowing river water and once again dried.

• Light Yellow: Pomegranate skin is dried and mixed with alum to obtain light yellow color. About 200 grams of rinds are powdered and boiled in 3 liters of water. Once cooled, about 8-10 grams of alum is added to the solution. The pomegranate rind solution can then be painted directly onto cloth, creating a dullish yellow color.

• Occasionally artists add a solution of aged mango bark/dust and boiling water over the Myrobalan yellow dye solution to obtain superior color fastness, or to create a slightly brownish color. The yellow solution, if set for several days, can turn a slight greenish tint. Otherwise, green can be obtain by painting portions with the myrobalam yellow solution, then treating the same portion of cloth with indigo dye.

2. BLUE

NEELI MANDU / AQUAMARINE
For the most part, the blue dye currently being used in Sri Kalahasti is a synthetic ultramarine blue. The solution, called Neeli mandu, is made from about 10 grams of commercially produced ultramarine blue dye lumps dissolved in water. It is applied to the cloth on unpainted portions where a blue color is desired, or it is painted over existing yellow portions that should be green.

Once dried, the cloth is then washed lightly in water and dried. Based on the existing method of using ultra marine blue, the color is not very fast, therefore the cloth is washed carefully




INDIGO (Nil)
When indigo is applied by kalam / painting directly to the cloth, the dye is not fast. To insure fastness and stability of indigo, it is necessary to submerge the cloth in an indigo vat, using a resist (like wax) to protect portions of the cloth that should not be blue. While indigo is used in limited situations by kalamkari artists in Sri Kalahasti, the following method has been cited for indigo painting onto cloth.

• If this technique for indigo application was used, it would likely fade easily and disappear if washed.

• An earthen pot is buried in the earth, filled with powdered indigo cakes or nil (1/2 kg) and water (15 liters).

• Another earthen pot is half-buried in the ground. The half that is left exposed outside is coated with lime. On top of this pot another earthen pot is placed, with a hole at the bottom. The upper pot is filled with paddy husk.

• Two solutions are then created, one a mixture of alkaline dirt (8 kg) and water (5 liters), the other a mixture of shell-lime (5kg) and water (5 liters). These solutions are poured over the upper pot, filtered through the husks, and drained into the lower pot. A lid is placed over the upper pot. The filtered alkaline-lime solution, collected in the lower pot, is called Appala karam.

• In a small pot, 2 kg thagarsa (Cassia tora or Tandipa ginjalu) Chakavat/ Foetid cassia/ The Sickle Senna) seeds are boiled an aluminium pot with 3-4 liters of water for about 30-45 minutes until the seeds soften to a paste. The paste is cooled, and then mixed with the appala karam until a solution is obtained with the same consistency as that of the nil solution (step one). The two solutions (nil and thagarsa-alkaline-lime) are mixed together and left for 10-15 days (7-10 days in the summer, 15 days in the winter), stirring twice a day until a yellow-greenish color is obtained and the solution smells like mud. The indigo solution is then ready for painting, turning blue when exposed to air (through painting).

GREENS
Blue colour is painted over the yellow areas to get Green.
OR
Myrobalan flower, Kasim Kaaram and alum is mixed with water and boiled to obtain green color.


ROSE
Chevvallikodi root powder and alum is mixed with water to obtain rose color.



BROWN:
Painting the cloth with Alum and an extract of Kattha (Cutch tree/ Acacia catechu), imparts a strong brown & chocolate shade.
Kattha with chrome- red-brown with; brown-black with iron; medium brown with copper.





Final Stage:
At the end of colour application, the cloth is again washed with river water and dried.

The palette of vegetable dyes was limited & variation in tone was introduced by painstaking repetition to obtain a particular depth of colour. Sometimes a stark background was softened by a dotted pattern. The stark, black outline in the painting was often softened by another thinner line in red, or soft brown, which served to soften the colours.
Finally, the prepared pieces of kalamkari are stretched and framed. They are then ready to aesthetically beautify the interiors with their resplendent and vibrant colours replete with intricacy.




SOCIO ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE ARTISTS & THE PRESENT SCENERIO

• Today, there are over 300 individuals in and around SriKalahasti involved in some aspect of kalamkari work from preparing cloth and dyes, to design motifs and format layout, to final painting and execution.

• The highest income earned by a craftsman is Rs. 7,000 a month and the lowest Rs. 1,500. There is demand but they are not able to meet it for an artist may not have the particular piece a customer is looking for at that point of time.

• Except for a few who have developed contacts & areable to market their paintings at fancy prices, the majority of craftsmen sell the paintings to the A.P. Govt. Co-op. Society called Lepakshi.

• Paintings are purchased by the government emporium on a fixed price of Rs. 300 to 350 per metre.

• The craftsmen cannot produce more than 2 or 3 pictures of approx.2 mts. each per month, if paintings of exceptional quality are to be produced.

• Quality is sometimes affected when artists who depend on quick sales for their day-to-day needs produce too many pieces without devoting adequate time to the execution.

• In 1991, a co-operative of sorts was set-up in Kalahasti, known as the Srikalahasti Kalamkari Kalarula sangam. This was the first attempt to form a group of about 50 craftsmen to produce kalamkari fabrics as a joint venture.

• There are now 3 or 4 co-operatives funded by the local industries. The Central Government has many schemes to help the craftsmen. The benefits however are not going to the craftsmen but to the middlemen as the former are preoccupied with their work and have no time for the marketing aspect.

• Although there are so many voluntary organisations, only 10per cent of them are serving the craftsmen properly, he feels.

• The prevailing wide spread corruption is worth appalling.Government officers act like brokers and demand a percentageof the sales even at exhibitions. Money is also being made byguides who bring tourists to Kalamkari worksheds in Kalahasti. They are fleecing foreigners.

Please Refer these sites for the procedure:SBS


http://www.dsource.in

Handicrafts,India,SouthAsia,SouthEastAsia,Bangladesh,Bhutan,Maldives,Nepal,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Crafts,Handlooms,Textiles,Artisans,Craftspersons

Kalamkari : technique

Design Decor & Disha: Indian Art: Kalamkari (South Indian Art)

http://1001indian-handicrafts.blogspot.in

kalamkari

Kalamkari Painting | All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association

Indian textile: Kalamkari

Kalamkari

Thanks





It is unfortunate that traditional craftsmen have lost faith intheir own heritage & are led astray by the glitter of the present day textile market. There is a craze to be modern & introduce new colours to keep up with the changing social patterns. They copy new designs, which are bizarre & totally out of character& use cheap chemical dyes for easier production.

There is no agency for proper designing, nor market-oriented selling. The Kalamkari heritage with its beautiful & vibrant colors, its eco-friendly nature, has a great potential as a vital component in the fashion trade. Proper design inputs would go a long way to present this craft in a modern setting, without losing its moorings in tradition

 

[SIZE="[SIZE="5"]4[/SIZE]"]Video Tutorials [/SIZE]

aalii: KALAMKARI. . .

Kalamkari Hand Painting of Andhra | The Craft and Artisans

KALAMKARI by Mouligamary PART1 - YouTube

Kalamkari-The Art of Painting fabric with a Pen-1,2,3,4,5

summersofindia.blogspot.in


Site that holds the SBS with Pictures
http://ilmaofswedenenglish.blogspot.in/2009/06/kalamkari.html


Kalamkari Printing- Process in pictures

Continue to view the remaining pics by clicking the below Link:

My Textile Notes: Joy of Kalamkari Printing- Process in pictures

 

Making of the World Record Kalamkari


The World Record Kalamkari created by Patalam Ramachandriah and his team has so far been exhibited only once, well before all the colours were infused, at an exhibition held at Kalakshetra in Chennai in February-March, 2008. The artists are looking for opportunities and the space to display it. They are also seeking prospective buyers.


The tapestry painted by Patalam Ramachandriah draws literary inspiration from popular Telugu translations of one of the Sanskrit versions of the Ramayana, that of Raghuvamsa by the great classical poet, Kalidasa.

It is perhaps of interest to note that Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa is a retelling of the Ramayana by Valmiki in which the former delineates the story with major sections devoted to all those in the Raghuvamsa (or the dynasty of Raghu) that came before and after Rama. The central piece remains, in both versions, the story of Rama, the beacon of Raghuvamsa.

Notice the label inscriptions on the cloth in Telugu, and Hindi, penned in Ramachandriah's own words.

The whole tapestry and some of the details given below provide a fleeting glimpse of the cloth which, at 70' x 40' is impossible to photograph in one snap. You can access the full text of the description of the painting by Smt. Shakuntala Ramani, former Chairperson of the Craft Education and Research Centre at the Chennai-based Kalakshetra Foundation and the author of Kalamkari and Traditional Design Heritage of India, here.

The cloth is of a single piece along the width and of seven segments heightwise. The central rectangle, which depicts the Pattabhishekam or the coronation of Rama, is set at about 35' x 20', at nearly the same aspect ratio of 1.75:1 of the whole cloth. There are 24 strips from top to bottom, 10 of them interrupted by the central rectangle, the rest of them flowing through. The circular compositions are free-floating elements, offset to highlight a specific aspect of the story, in proximity to the region of the cloth where the respective narrative occurs.

The tapestry took 30 months to execute, 22 months for the drawing and 8 months for infusing the dyes. 17 distinctive shades are discernible.



Continue to view the remaining pics by clicking the below Link:


Details from the World's Largest Kalamkari





Making of the World Record Kalamkari:

Continue to view the remaining pics by clicking the below Link:

Making of the World Record Kalamkari