Block Printing Workshop for the special needs people

In its constant efforts to support the differently-abled, SETU organised a training workshop on Block printing for the special needs people at Very Special Arts, New Delhi on 2nd May 2014. This was second in the series of these training workshops to be organised here. Earlier in 2013, similar session was conducted at VSA who is our partner artisan group since many years. VSA is a non profit organisation that works in the area of using art as a form of therapy & skill development of children and adults with disabilities.

The NGO director, Ms. Meera of VSA, informed that the last workshop held there was very beneficial for the artisans and requested another workshop on block printing so that more artisans could be trained. Therefore, it was decided to hold another block printing workshop to provide the special needs people with an alternative source of income generation.

The programme was conducted by Mr. Anil, Mr. Vinay, Mr. Dharmendra and Mr. Praveen; expert block printing trainers on behalf of SETU Society. Special needs people belonging to the age group of 18 to 30 years participated in the session with great vigour.

The workshop started with an introduction about the traditional art form, its importance in Indian handicraft arena and demand in the international market. Further in the session, the trainers threw light on the technical aspects of the process, the pre- preparations to be done and much more. Other fine tips like how the printing table is prepared, number of layers needed of jute, woollen blankets and soft cloth to be laid down on the printing table, etc were also covered. Some of the important points discussed in the workshop were:

• Preparing color tray .
• Method of color mixing.
• Type of cloth to be used for placing on the table for block printing.
• How to correctly hold the block so that the print is evenly positioned
• Quantity of color to be filled in the block
• Extent to which the block should be dipped.
• Preparing the corners
• Fastening the print colors ; process of steaming.

Around 21 people participated in the workshop. A number of wooden blocks for printing were also donated to them by SETU.