.
Design Resource
Block Printing - Sanganer
Craft of Creating Patterns
by
Prof. Bibhudutta Baral, Ms. Anisha Crasto and Ms. Anushree Kumar
Design
Patronized by the rulers Sanganeri motifs are exclusive and intricate done over sun bleached white or cream fabric. The designs and styles of the Sanganeri block prints are mainly inspired by the nature and local sources. Taking inspiration from several resources artist used to develop buta, buti, jaal and borders. Sanganeri motifs are famous for its curves, fineness and delicacy. Generally curvature of floral motifs is towards the right side. A typical Sanganeri printed cloth has yellow, green or blue background. The motifs can be broadly classified as flowers, plants, fruits, animals, human figures and geometrical patterns. Each of these deigns, colors and motifs specify certain community, their occupation as well as the season.
Traditionally the printing was done for the royal families and motifs are highly stylized. Mainly, motifs are modeled after sunflowers, narcissuses, roses, rosettes, lotuses, lotus bud, lily, champa, canna, nargis, marigold, sosan, gulmehendi, javakusum, guldaudi, kachnar, kaner, etc. Fruits like, keri, dhatura, banana, dates, grapes and pomegranate are also developed. Apart from this bel, betel leaf, animals like parrot, fish, camel, elephant etc are also taken as models to create motifs. In some traditional prints katar (dagger) and other weapons are also seen as motifs. Sawai Ram Singhji of Jaipur was a huge devotee of lord Shiva and therefore during his regime a lot of motifs related to Shiva were made like, rudhraksha, bel patra, trishool etc.
