CRAFT DOCUMENTATION LACQUER/LAC AND BLUE POTTERY
DRISHTI NEGI PGIDS-B
CRAFT 1:LAC/LAQUER
INTRODUCTION Lacquer art bears the aroma of Indian ethnicity. "Lacquer", the term is generated from the Portuguese word "lac" which connotes a type of resin which emanates from certain insects. In India, lacquer is derived from the excretion of an insect which is named as `Tachardia Lacca`. Bengal and Madhya Pradesh are well known for the production of resin. In modern usage, lac based varnishes and craft has gained importance in India. Lacquerware are objects decoratively covered with lacquer. The lacquer is sometimes inlaid or carved. Lacquerware includes boxes, jewellery,tableware, buttons and even coffins painted with lacquer in cultures mostly in the Eastern Asia. Lacquer ware is one of the oldest arts.
HISTORY OF LACQUER ART • One of the equipment obtainable abundantly in natural world and known to man from very premature times in the use of arts and crafts is lac or shellac a natural resin, fashioned as a result of the secretion of crimson-red tiny insects which thrive on certain species of floras and faunas. The antiquity of this resin goes back to centuries. The palas or in sanskrit, lakshataru, or the lac tree has been mentioned in the vedas. In the atharva veda, there is a small chapter devoted to the description of lac insect, its habits and usefulness. • The infamous lac palace built by the kauravas in the epic mahabharata by an architect, purochak to do away with the pandavas by setting fire to it is a well known episode. That was supposed to have happened 3000 years ago! Lacquer art is popular in many parts of india. The poems of kalidasa the famous indian poet of mediaeval age writing during the reign of vikramaditya describes the use of lac dye based cosmetics in making up the women`s lips and feet-known as alta. In marriage ceremony and many ritual and festive occasions indian women use the lac bangle. • The lac art was originally introduced in rajasthan in the 18th century. The art was patronized familiarised by raja of jaipur maharaja ram singh. He brought artists from the other states and established the lac art industry in rajasthan. This art was imported from persia through the route of punjab. Since then the craft has been developed by the tribal people in rajasthan. The lac art industry saw a boost after the second world war and since then several artists have been engaged in this industry.
RAW MATERIALS Lac dana and Lac chips (chapdi)
Talcum powder
Giya stone or Beroza
Color
TOOLS Hatta-for rolling warm lac in equal thickness
Angethi/coal burner-foe heating up coal pieces
Silla-plate used as a base to roll melting lac
Lac wooden mandrelused for making varying bangle size
Lac wooden stickswhere lac is mixed with colored powder and colored lac is formed
PROCESS OF PREPARING LAAKH
Add beroza in a kadhai1
Add lac Chips or Chapdi
Let it melt Properly. Keep stir-Ring to Avoid Lumps
Add little Water
Add Powder
Mix well
Mix till It forms A paste
Keep this Paste on A plain Surface And mix it
Now Attach It to a Stick And Laakh is Ready
BANGLE MAKING
The laakh is colored and rolled to form a thin rod like sturcture with the application of heat Which is flattened and rolled In a mould in which it takes the shape of a bangle.Both the ends are joined by application of Heat,and the bangle is further polished by rubbing it with a cloth
PRODUCT RANGE
MY LAAKH PRODUCTINCENSE STICK STAND
MASTER CRAFTSMAN Mr. Awaz muhammad The royal artist of this craft. He is the recipient of many awards. He received a national award in 2015. He conducts workshops worldwide and Has travelled the world to promote and Spread his knowledge abou the craft. He has also worked with number of Famous designers also. It was a great experience learning from Such a great yet humble personality.
CRAFT 2:BLUE POTTERY
INTRODUCTION • The name 'blue pottery' comes from the eye-catching blue dye used to color the pottery. Some of this pottery is semi-transparent and mostly decorated with animal and bird motifs. Being fired at very low temperature makes them fragile. • the 'dough' for the pottery is prepared by mixing quartz stone powder, powdered glass, Multani Mitti (Fuller's Earth), borax, gum and water.[ • The range of items is primarily decorative, such as ashtrays, vases, coasters, small bowls and boxes for trinkets. The colour palette is restricted to blue derived from the cobalt oxide, green from the copper oxide and white, though other non-conventional colours, such as yellow and brown are sometimes included
HISTORY • The use of blue glaze on pottery is an imported technique, first developed by Mongol artisans who combined Chinese glazing technology with Persia Later, following their conquests and arrival in India, the Mughals began using them in Indian decorative arts
BLUE POTTERY IN JAIPUR • Blue pottery came to Jaipur in the early 19th century under the ruler Sawai Ram Singh II(1835 – 1880). The Jaipur king had sent local artisans to Delhi to be trained in the craft. Some specimens of older ceramic work can be seen in the Rambagh Palace, where the fountains are lined with blue tiles. • However, by the 1950s, blue pottery had all but vanished from Jaipur, when it was re-introduced through the efforts of the muralist and painter Kripal Singh Shekhawat, with the support of patrons such as Kamladevi Chattopadhaya and Rajmata Gayatri Devi
RAW MATERIALS • • • • • •
Powdered glass Quartz stone powder Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth) Gum Borax Water.
TOOLS • Oven • Chisel • Birds Feathers • Mould
PROCESS
PRODUCTION PROCESS • Firstly dough is prepared by mixing 40kg quartz stone powder ,multani Mitti, I kg borax gum, 6kg powdered glass and water. This is kept for for two days. • It is then ready to make pottery after it turns into soft and flexible dough. • Pre made moulds (made of pop) are used to make different shapes of pots . • After leaving for two days the dough is flattened on the floor with the help of a flat based stone. • Then the whole saacha along with the mixture filled in it is put upside down on to the flat tile very carefully and slowly the saacha is removed, leaving the dough in the desired shape.
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It is then left under the sun to dry for 2 days. The product is then balanced and smoothened with the help of sand paper and further can be modified with the help of the dough prepared earlier. it is coloured with vegetable/ natural colours. It is then followed by the designing process where various kind of animal or flower motifs are drawn. The solution used for designing is a mixture of copper oxide and gum and therefore gains its blue colour because of copper oxide. After the paint is dried, glazing is done. At last they are baked for 4 Hours in a brick kiln and then are kept for cooling for a few days.
PRODUCT RANGE
ARTISANS Blue Pottery was started by the forefathers of the Sawai Ram Singh in the eighteenth century. Only two generations were involved in Temple & house building or in painting. In 1965, Shiv Kripa’s father Sh. Bhag Chand Ji Kumawat took interest and joined Sawai Ram Singh Shilp Kala Mandir. In 1969, he had set up the manufacturing at Sanganer. It is naturally adapted to by all family members who participate in every stage of the making process including design sketching and selling. New items have been added and more product range has been added on demand basis. Beads ,decorative bathroom tiles in different fixes, door knobs and ash trays in innovative styles, soap dish are items that are used everyday. These items were not made earlier. Other decorative items include flower vase and birds & animals in various sizes. SETUP Artisan : Bhupendar (9928943322, 931487479, 9785402991) Girdhar Doraya Shop Name an Address: Shiv Kripa Blue Art Pottery Sanga Sathu Road, Lakshmi Colony, Sanganer, /Jaipur Website : shivkripabluepottery.in
BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • •
WWW.CRAFTSININDIA.COM WWW.ITC.IITB.AC.IN WWW.INDIANETZONE.COM WWW.LACBANGLEMAKER.COM WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM