What began as a honeymoon trip soon turned into something far more enduring. London-based textile and interiors designer Rosanna Falconer kept returning to Jaipur with her family, and with each visit, the Pink City began to feel less like a destination and more like a creative anchor. Over time, she found herself drawn not just to its colours and culture, but to something deeply rooted in its everyday life—its centuries-old craft of block printing.

Falconer recalls that during one such visit, when she was travelling with her two-year-old daughter, she found herself painting more than usual. That quiet, personal moment sparked a question—how might her watercolours translate into the language of block printing?

Curiosity soon turned into immersion. She began spending time in local studios, quietly observing the rhythm and precision of the craft. The experience, she says, transformed something within her.

When she produced her first sample, the result was more than she had imagined—her paintings were not just recreated, but elevated through the process. “I was completely hooked," she says.

Since then, Jaipur has become an integral part of Falconer’s creative and professional life, shaping her work across interior design projects and homeware collections, developed in close collaboration with local artisans.

In a city that Rosanna described as a craft and culture capital, block printing is so deeply embedded in everyday life that it can almost go unnoticed.

“Block printing is so embedded in Jaipur that you almost take it for granted," Falconer says. “What shifted for me was not seeing the craft differently, but finding my own way into it."

That “way in" came through her own visual language—soft, fluid watercolours inspired by English florals, a departure from the bold, traditional motifs typically associated with block printing.

What she discovered, however, was not limitation but expansion. “Working with artisans, I was struck by how the process could actually enhance that hand-drawn quality rather than limit it," she explains.

The journey of a single design begins with moodboards—gathering references for colour, tone and feeling—often drawn from nature: the curve of a leaf, the softness of petals.

From there, Falconer sketches by hand, layering watercolours before refining the design digitally. The artwork is then translated into wooden blocks, each element painstakingly carved by hand.

In the studio, sampling becomes a process of trial and refinement—testing colours, adjusting balance—before the design moves into production.

Each piece is printed by hand on cotton, with every colour applied using a separate block. The result is a meticulous, almost meditative process that relies on precision and repetition.

What many outside India don’t realise, she points out, is how deeply this craft is governed by nature itself. “The dyes and prints simply won’t behave properly if there’s moisture in the air," she says. “Even a hint of rain can bring production to a halt." In contrast, the intense heat of summer creates ideal conditions, allowing dyes to properly bind to the fabric.

Working closely with artisans has also reshaped her understanding of the craft in more intangible ways. “It’s taught me patience above all," she says. “It is a process that can’t be rushed."

“Things often come together at the last minute, but they do come together, and that requires a certain trust in the process."

It’s a philosophy that mirrors the craft itself, where patience is not optional but essential. There is a deep respect for precision, every placement matters, and an intuitive understanding of colour that comes from generations of practice.

Her role, she believes, is not to disrupt that system but to work within it.

“Block printing has its own rules; if they’re not followed, the print simply won’t work. My drawings are really just the starting point, the match that lights the fire of the artisans’ skill and expertise."

This delicate balance between tradition and reinterpretation is perhaps what gives her work its distinct voice. It is not about altering an age-old technique, but about allowing it to hold new expressions.

Beyond the studio, that sensibility extends into everyday life.

Read the full interview