The colourful world of Kalamkari Kalamkari or the drawing with a pen is one of the timeless art expressions on fabric. A tribute to the storytelling traditions of India, the master craft is now an important expression of art on textile. People generally associate Kalamkari with the creative excellence of artistry or Kalaakari. Both complete each other. It is the kalaakari of the master artists only that turns up a simple cloth piece into a masterpiece. The intricate process sees a lot of changes in the look and feel of the fabric. In fact, each step brings the cloth one inch closer to this marvelous piece of art. The process starts from the initial dyeing to prepare the cloth for painting. The starch from raw silk or cotton is removed with first wash and then it is dipped in a cow milk and Karaka fruit powder solution. After following this process only, we get the perfect base for intricate Kalamkari to begin. The plain cloth now gets to witness the sheer brilliance of artists in the form of sketching. The designs to be drawn are either inspired by scenes from great epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, temple architecture or lovely floral motifs and Persian vine patterns. Both the designs are popular in the fashion world for exhibiting unique art form in an authentic way. Many times, the artists draw directly on processed cloth with a charcoal pencil, which displays their Kalaakaari and the command over the art form. To draw thin and intricate parts, the artists use a thin pointed pencil. All this is just the beginning of the fabric transformation. Next step is one of the most important process, based on which the art form is named. Yes, you guessed it right. It is the making of the pen or Qalam. There is a special pen made especially for this textile art from bamboo. The stick is chiseled in the shape of a pointed pen and wrapped with a thread spool to create a perfect soak for the natural inks. The idea is simple. The ink gets slowly transferred from thread spool to the tapered bamboo point, which helps outline and fill the colour on the painting. In the next step, the star attraction is put to best use where artists trace the painting and give it a permanent outline. The black outline colour is prepared with a mix of cane and palm jiggery with rusted iron fillings and water and is traditionally called Kaasim Kaaram. The artists dip their creative Kalam in this permanent dye and outline the painting with great dexterity. All the intricate steps followed till this are just the starters. The actual Kalamkari craft gains a new high when the artists start working on filling their colours of imagination in the fabric painting. They don’t buy or source any colour from the markets, but they actually make it. They use natural tints from flowers, plants, leaves, and even sugar molasses. The red colour is made from alum, yellow from myrobalan flower, blue from indigo, black from iron fillings, etc. The colour variation and shades on the piece of art are achieved with the number of coats. For darker shades, extra coats of colours are suggested. Also, the colours are filled in phases. It’s not that all the colours are filled, dried and washed once and the fabric making is complete. It takes great levels of patience while painting the fabric. The cloth is first painted in a single colour, for e.g. red, dried for two days and then washed in running water. Next, it is put in boiling water solution of tree root powder and alum powder. Once the cloth completely turns red, it is removed from the solution and washed for three consecutive days to bleach the unwanted red colour. After such an extensive cycle of colouring and washing, the Kalamkari artists get one permanent colour coat on their cloth painting. The same intricate process is followed with great patience for every other colour. The Kalamkari artists make sure only the best passes through their hands. The expertise with which they work and adhere to the timeless traditions of Kalamkari does not need any quality checks. Every piece of fabric they work upon expresses their expertise and dedication in a great way. And when this masterpiece reaches the art aficionados in the form of paintings, dress materials, sarees, dupattas, or suit materials, they are totally dazzled with the artistic dedication. They feel blessed for having hold over the artistic fabrics that passed from the hands of Kalamkars or master painters. They feel good for supporting the ancient art form and contributing their bit to preserve the artistic traditions of Andhra Pradesh. Will you also feel the same way upon touching the Kalamkari fabric for the first time? Will you marvel it for hours before draping it? Or What will you do with it when you see this art yourself? Do share your feelings with us in the comment box.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 06:41:30 +0000