Colors

Colors: colors of kalamkari, One of the unique features of this craft is the colors which are used for painting. Only non-intoxicated colors extracted from Natural sources like plants and herbs are used as dyes for painting. In this process of extracting colors of kalamkari, Black Color is obtained from mixing jaggery, water, and Iron fillings it is also known as (KASAMI), Vibrant yellow, blue, red, and mustard is acquired from Indigo leaves, alum, and boiled pomegranate peels. And finally, Golden color is extracted from MYROBALAN flowers. This technique uses metallic salts called as Mordants to include the dye into the cotton fibers.

Red: This color is made with a solution of alum and tamarind seed powder this solution gives rust color. Tamarind seed powder is boiled in water until it becomes light viscous and this solution is taken out in a vessel and kept aside for cooling when it comes to normal temperature this solution is filtered using a muslin cloth to avoid small particles to mix with the color.

Black: This color is made by using Iron Ore, this one is powdered and boiled for making a fine solution, this color making process also involves boiling and cooling and filtering after cooling this color is directly applied on the design with the help of wooden block or bamboo pen.

Yellow: This color is made by using turmeric, in olden days saffron is used for making yellow and orange colors but nowadays due to the high price of saffron and limited availability, turmeric is used for extracting yellow color.

Orange/Red: This color is made by using flowers from the tree of Palash, this flower is also used for making colors for playing Holi which is North Indian festival celebrates in India also.

Violet: This color is made by using Natural Indigo crystals, these crystals are finely powdered and boiled to make a fine thin solution, the amount of indigo used for making the solution gives the result of dark color or a light color so, in order to make fine color, makers will measure the contents.

These are the techniques used to make colors of Kalamkari