Raj Kumar Pandey is an award-winning, 7th generation artisan. We began by choosing our hand-carved wooden blocks - there were both traditional Mughal florals and modern motifs like sunglasses. With fabric stretched out on a long printing table, the session got started.

Each stamp requires precise pressure. This print with its pink background, green leaves and orange flowers requires real skill to ensure a flawless repeat pattern. The girls worked as a team, creating this stunning design.

500-year-old Sanganeri block printing is unique to this small town due to its climate and the skill of artisans from the Shri Vitthal Namdev Chippa Samaj. It is known for its delicate florals and fine lines. Traditionally, its natural dyes were extracted from plants, but today, artisans like Raj mostly use eco-friendly pigments.

Rahat, Priya, Rani, Sakshi, Pinky and Kaynat first attended my still-life class for the school last year. Since then, thanks to Rajasthan Studio, we’ve explored lac work and now block printing together too! It was incredible to see how each girl approached designing their block printed scarf and harnessed their new knowledge. Huge thank you to Raj and Rajasthan Studio!

If you’d like to learn from Raj, contact Rajasthan Studio to book a block printing class. They offer one-on-one and group workshops at award-winning artisans' studios across the Rajasthan.