Block Print

Block print is a motif that emerges from manually stamping a fabric by applying dye to a block—typically wood or linoleum—that has been carved into a print. The dye-coated side of the block is then pressed onto the surface of a fabric, in a process that is typically repeated to configure a recurring pattern from the individual prints. Often evoked in printed textiles, block printing techniques are largely associated with the Indian subcontinent, where they first appeared in the 12th century.

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