Block Printing | Block Printing Workshops | Amoha Prints - Bangalore - India

One summer ago, came the birth of a DIY kit that would make kids and parents re-think the traditional art and craft hour. The Amoha Prints Kids Starter-Kit is a block printing do-it-yourself kit that was envisioned by Pooja Gokul, the entrepreneur of the brand, in close association with her daughter. The Kit will bring out the hidden ‘Chota Kaarigar’ in your child.

Pooja’s daughter, Miraya was only 1.5 years when she first started showing keen interest in her mother’s vocation. She dabbled with the colours and marvelled at the wonderful prints her tiny hands could create. By holding the wooden blocks and engaging her senses of touch and smell, her firm grip and muscles developed quickly, with over an hour of printing almost every single day! She started to make connections with the colours and blocks to things she saw around her on a daily basis. For a mother, there is nothing more important than for her child to have fun and develop a healthy body and

It’s a no brainer that creativity is like a gateway to your soul. The calming effect it ensures the minute we commence our creative endeavor has a soothing effect on the mind, for the primary fact that creatively expressing oneself produces a similar reactive state in the brain as would a good session of meditation. Ever wonder why our ancestors were always on their feet, never wasted too much time thinking, it is because in the art of doing that their minds remained tranquil.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and so was the planning that led to the best workshops Amoha Prints has ever conducted! (Unfair comparison, but what the heck!) Google’s UX India team in Bangalore not only wanted to have a block printing workshop for their employees but went the extra extra mile and designed a set of blocks corresponding to their logo! So Extra Extra points for going the creative mile. We always enjoy dealing with perfectionists. Take a look:

Yes. Before you continue to read it, this is a cliche blog list on how to style your home, but with a twist. At Amoha Prints, we always attach a sentiment with everything we embark on. Whether it is painstakingly handcrafting a single intricate block or hand block printing on a set of 100 Torans, we always make it a journey that uplifts the craftsmanship and the craft itself.

Block printing has been a part of ancient Indian tradition since many centuries, the best way to revive this aspect of our culture, we believe, is to integrate it in some way into your home in a manner that suits your aesthetic sensibilities. If prints (traditional or contemporary) are your go-to’s then here are some ways we think your home will thank you for:

The ancient ‘Toran’ stems from the Sanskrit word ‘Torana’ which loosely translates to pass. The Toran is placed at the entrance of one’s front door. In Indian culture, the entrance to a home is very important. It is the buffer, between the outside haphazard world and the calm interior of your home. The natural scent of a mango leaves toran or the marigold flower toran was believed to be sacred.

Cue the 21st century’s ‘Nuclear’ household, the need for a Toran made to measure in with their stressful life. The underlying significance of a Toran is not only with the material with which it was fashioned. It is the aspect of decoration, a welcome to the owner of it’s home and the eternal ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’. A Toran is like the crown of the Home’s Entrance. It sits majestically atop your main front door or even above the Pooja room, culturally believed to attracting Goddess Lakshmi and her bountiful blessings of wealth and prosperity.

The festival that embodies the spirit of ‘victory over evil’, a festival that is heralded all over India for being the ‘Festival of Lights ’ is also widely celebrated as a festival of ‘giving and receiving. From giving gifts to granting forgiveness, Diwali is one festival that lasts up to 5 days and one which you definitely cannot ignore.

Giving is the basis of receiving. Every year, almost every Indian household is almost engulfed by the ‘gift recycling syndrome’. Oh come on! We’ve all done it! The kaju mithai ka dabba has seen more drop-off’s than an über pool witnesses on one entire day! Ha Ha, jokes aside, when it comes to gifting, we’ve been sort of ancestral in our approach, not that it’s a bad thing, but we at Amoha believe that gifting is a moment to impact someone’s life and mood, for the better.. but more importantly it is a reflection of your respect for the other person.

Weddings! Weddings! Weddings! It has to be by far the most special day of one’s life. Coming together of two souls, but also a gathering present to bless and take part in the couple’s nouveau life. There are weddings that are great and then there are weddings that are memorable.

It’s always important to have the perfect Jewelry, outfit, shoes, lighting, flowers, you get the idea.. but in all this hum-drum, the presiding guests and loved ones are invited alright but ensuring that they return from your wedding with fond memories to cherish forever is a tough feat to accomplish.

There was once a time where people relied on the market for their expertise when it came to buying products  or using services. The concept of DIY or ‘Do It Yourself’ became a rave in the 1950’s. Crafting or Repairing, Mending, Stitching or even Fixing, this concept received a huge response especially from women. The fact that they could design or fix something for themselves without seeking out help was a thrilling experience then and it will always remain so for many eons to come.

At Amoha Prints, we have studied the excitement at each event, workshop and wedding. The freedom to creatively express oneself and design something that is of value for yourself or another brings a sense of ecstasy on the faces of our clients! Well suffice to say that we wanted this feeling of ‘creative independence’ to last, longer than a 3 hour event. That’s what led to the invention of our Starter-Kits.

Pooja Gokul is an artist with a visual art background and has 10 years of experience in the art world. She has been an art teacher alongside developing her art with varied media. Pooja is a master of portraiture. Her artwork is an eclectic blend of traditional material and contemporary technique.

She spends quality time on her paintings from the idea to execution, it takes her 2- 3 weeks to complete an artwork. She can only paint when something inspires her. The  avid reader is an admirer of Praveen Kuar, Gustav Klimnt, Paul Klee, Anish Kapoor, Frida Khalo and many more. Even with inspirations ranging so diversely, Pooja’s artistic conscience remains willfully uncluttered.

My first visit to the pink city, Jaipur, was a dream come true. It met all my expectations and more with its rich culture. One can see how proud the locales are of their history. The beautiful palaces, forts, lakes, city architecture are maintained well and is welcoming for the viewer.

The various arts and crafts are a treat to the eyes, they can add a royal touch to any home. We at block beauty are proud to be part of this ancient and traditional art of block printing. To see its origin, gave us a wider perspective and have opened up various possibilities.