Block Print Bird Tee
Block Print Bird Tee
A mid-weight shirt made with 100% cotton jersey and digital printed all over with a Indian block print inspired design. Designed to withstand washing and be comfortable for regular wear.
- 100% cotton jersey
- mid-weight 200 GSM/6 oz fabric
- digital printed design
- machine washable
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Block printing is a traditional technique that is still widespread today. One of the things I love about India is that artisans still have a place in society (as an example, it's remarkable how many signs are still hand painted). I am hoping to eventually find a partner to help me make custom block prints, but in the mean time, I hired an Indian graphic designer to create a design that would be suitable for digital printing.
This is a wooden printing block from the 19th century which is currently in the Smithsonian's collection. It must have taken many hours to precisely carve all those details. Fortunately, these blocks are very reusable.
These blocks are made of wood such as sheesham/rosewood today, or teak, which is much more expensive. The whole process is intensive and requires precision to make sure the design lines up, but experienced printers go surprisingly fast because they've built up years of muscle memory and technique.
(Photos: Ketayun, Katz/Wikimedia Commons, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum)