BLUEPRINT (MODROTISK)

TECHNIQUE

Blueprint (Modrotisk) is a traditional textile printing technique, most commonly involving the negative printing of a so-called "reserve" onto white linen or cotton canvas. Imagine the reserve as a thick, pale blue liquid—a mixture of gum arabic and "secret ingredients." Every dyer strictly guards their unique family recipe for this reserve.

The reserve is applied to the fabric using a hand-block mold that carries the desired pattern. Once printed, the white fabric—where the pattern is barely visible at this stage—is hung to dry. It is then submerged into a vat of blue dye called indigo. The printed cloth is lowered into the deep vat for a set amount of time and then pulled back out to oxidize. The duration of immersion and oxidation varies for each dyer according to their recipe. This process is repeated as needed, typically about six times, to achieve the desired shade. Consequently, dyeing a single pattern on a piece of fabric can take several hours.

The resulting shade of blue even depends on the quality of the water on any given day. A manufacturer cannot guarantee the exact same shade across two batches of material; this is part of the beauty of handmade work. As the color oxidizes, the white pattern becomes increasingly clear. While I mention white fabric and blue dye, blueprint does have other color variations; however, for the sake of clarity, I am describing the most common blue-and-white version. At the end of the dyeing process, the fabric is washed in approximately 2% sulfuric acid, which dissolves the reserve print and reveals the white pattern.

Wooden or wood-and-brass blocks are used to apply the reserve. Pear wood is most commonly used because of its hardness. A stamp for an infinite pattern is a square measuring approximately 30 cm per side. A piece of wood like this, especially when fitted with metal, has significant weight. To print the pattern, the stamp must be dipped into the reserve every single time; each impression thus involves several hand movements while continuously holding the heavy stamp. Printing a pattern is therefore quite physically demanding work that also requires intense concentration to ensure the most precise placement, making the transitions as seamless as possible.

Blueprint is among the intangible cultural assets of the South Moravian Region and, since 2018, has also been on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Blueprint is widespread across much of the world. China is most often considered the country of origin, and it reportedly arrived here from Japan, where it remains a popular traditional technique today. In our country, it gradually spread to all towns, even smaller ones, and was used extensively, resulting in countless workshops.

Currently, two family workshops in our country have been dedicated to traditional blueprint for many generations: the Danzingers in Olešnice and the Jochs in Strážnice, today led by Gabriela Bartošková. In Olešnice, I collaborated on a collection for the Czech Olympic Team for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), and since 2016, we have been sourcing fabric for Tradice. In Strážnice, we collaborated on a project for the South Moravian Region with the Tourism Authority to map the Intangible Assets of the SMR and create a card quiz game about folk culture; this was accompanied by a dress collection using the same historical pattern that graphically unified the Assets and the Cards. Jiří Danzinger Jr. recently received the title of Bearer of Folk Craft Traditions, and Gábina Bartošková received the Master of Handicraft award. In Strážnice, the title of Bearer of Folk Craft Traditions is currently held by her great-uncle, František Joch.

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THE DANZINGER FAMILY IN OLEŠNICE

At the Danzinger workshop, father and son—both named Jiří—handle the dyeing, with Mr. Danzinger Jr. currently performing most of the work. Olešnice is situated where the Vysočina, Pardubice, and South Moravian regions meet, though it officially falls under South Moravia. According to Mr. Danzinger, however, the local folklore and simpler, more modest patterns belong to Vysočina. This is also reflected in the local atmosphere and weather; it is cooler here, and you can truly feel that you are in the hills. Even inside the workshop in the cottage, it remains quite chilly, and the Danzingers appreciate heavy wool sweaters for their work all year round.

Mr. Danzinger sometimes likes to joke that they are the northernmost town in South Moravia, but in truth, he has jokes for every region and stories so full of curiosities they are hard to believe, yet wonderful to hear. A poorer region means simpler patterns—the correlation is direct. Wealth in the Olešnice collection is symbolized by the "Rose" border, which is large and dominant, but compared to the historical floral patterns of Strážnice, they are indeed all noticeably simpler. Jiří Jr. is the fifth generation of dyers in the male line and the 11th in the extended family lineage.

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SUCCESSOR

In Olešnice, they are fortunate that the master has found his successor in his son, currently 14 years old, who already manages a great deal of work. When he isn't at football practice, he comes to the workshop to learn and help, proving to be truly reliable. "Observe how we live, how I live, and think about what you might want to do differently, because one day you will take over this entire responsibility. I wouldn't want you to feel like you're living in a treadmill like I do. So try to figure out how you would do it even better," Mr. Danzinger tells his son, giving him a significant task.

BLOCKS

There are around 250 blocks for infinite patterns—also called single-chamber or full-surface blocks—in Olešnice. There are up to 50 functional border blocks, with dozens more awaiting repair. However, the two current block-makers, Milan Bartoš and Jaroslav Plucha, who collaborate with both workshops in our country, reportedly cannot manage to repair all of them in their lifetimes and focus instead on repairing the full-surface stamps. Additionally, the workshop's depository holds around 200–300 smaller stamps that are not used much. There is already plenty of work; interest in excursions and production has long exceeded the workshop's capacity, and Mr. Danzinger continuously seeks a balance so he can manage production while accommodating as many people as possible who wish to experience the craft up close. I am therefore very grateful to him today for taking the time to talk with me.

PRODUCTION

Metrage (fabric by the meter) is the top seller. This wasn't always the case; there was even a period when metrage didn't sell at all, the looms stood still, and only finished products were sold or items brought in by customers were dyed. In the post-revolution era, metrage sales were nonexistent, whereas today, the metrage alone could sustain the Danzingers. In addition to this, they have seven seamstresses who sew products: oven mitts, aprons, tablecloths, scarves, shirts, and toys. Of these, the most popular product is the classic kitchen oven mitt, with thousands sold annually. I have them at home myself, and they are my favorite. Another item that always sells out is the annual wall calendar; however, since it is produced as a limited edition, it doesn't reach the sales volume of the oven mitts.

You can also have your own fabric dyed or buy a jar of the reserve and create at home. I must admit I’ve had my own set ready for a long time, still hoping to find the time to prepare my own hand-painted blueprint. Seasonally, the most demanding period is Christmas, during which Mr. Danzinger says he feels like he’s baking bread: "People want everything immediately and are afraid there won't be enough left for them." Christmas is thus marked by haste and a full workload. Another busy season is spring, which brings an increase in excursions.

After the UNESCO listing and before the start of the Olympic Games, the warehouses were filled and time was set aside for excursions. Mr. Danzinger rightly expected increased interest in blueprint. They prepared for this period six months in advance, yet everything sold out within 14 days, and the work continued at full speed. Mr. Danzinger has experienced various atmospheres in the workshop: "Sometimes the workshop is completely silent, almost sacred, and other times the space is filled with curious excursion participants." He enjoys both and always looks forward to them.

OUR COLLABORATION

Over the years of our collaboration, our customers have purchased hundreds of dresses, skirts, and blouses created under the Tradice brand using blueprint from Mr. Danzinger's collection. Sometimes a border and pattern were combined at my request; other times, I chose from the available stock of metrage. My favorite patterns without a border are "Holubička" (Little Dove) and "Kytička" (Little Flower). We have sewn by far the most from these. I limit the selection to approximately six patterns, and so far, neither I nor the customers have grown tired of them.

The pattern for the Olympic Games is the only one we had custom-made by the block-makers as an original design. It was technically demanding to ensure that the small head and body of the jumping gymnast did not "bleed" together during printing. The gymnast, which served as the graphic symbol for the Czech Republic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was created by academic painter Milan Jaroš. I am the author of the pattern itself. It took the block-makers nine months to complete the mold. I must say that we truly enjoyed this period of exploration and testing. The blueprint was used on fans for the Czech Olympic Team Tokyo 2020. Other parts of the collection for both the Olympic and Paralympic teams featured digital printing that imitated the shade of blueprint, preventing the dye from bleeding into the light-colored components in the hot, humid climate of Japan in July.

The mold is the property of the Czech Olympic Committee and can be borrowed for exhibition purposes. The Olympic collection was well-received worldwide; it was featured in dozens of prestigious media outlets, and the word modrotisk appeared in its original Czech form in most of them. This collaboration is a beautiful and unforgettable experience for all of us involved. Complete sets for both women and men are held in the archives of the National Museum, the Moravian Museum, and the Olympic Archive of the COC. They may be borrowed for exhibition purposes with the consent of the COC.

STRÁŽNICE BLUEPRINT

The name of the Joch family is synonymous with Strážnice blueprint. However, nine years ago, the workshop was gradually taken over by František Joch’s great-niece, Gabriela Bartošková. At the time, she was only twenty-one years old. Today, she represents the fifth generation, working alongside two of her three brothers and her mother. They are fortunate to have so many family members involved in the operation, as it allows the workshop to expand its current offerings and areas of focus.

For several years, management of the company was handled by whoever happened to have time. Today, Gabriela's older brother, Martin, has taken charge, organizing the firm and leading it systematically. Her younger brother, Vojtěch, is very skilled and has learned to maintain the sewing machines, handle electrical repairs, and drive to trade fairs; he manages the warehouse and fixes or installs whatever is needed. The siblings work this way alongside their mother, who focuses on sales, the e-shop, excursions, and leading workshops. The eldest brother, Tomáš, works outside the blueprint business in IT, though his skills could also be utilized by the family firm in the future.

GÁBINA

Gabriela, now thirty years old, recalls the various periods the workshop has passed through and how she found her own path to it:

“After the revolution, production remained with my great-uncle František, my grandfather’s brother, while grandfather ran the office. They operated in a way they were used to from the ÚLUV era (Center for Folk Art Production), which handled sales and everything we now have to do ourselves. It was very difficult when the last branches in Prague (Krásná jizba) closed after 2000 due to floods, ending the ÚLUV era completely. Back then, we had to learn to do everything ourselves; we gradually launched an e-shop, but it was hard because no one remembered us or knew anything about us. Furthermore, interest in blueprint plummeted after the revolution.

Personally, I wasn't interested in blueprint as a child, and even though we ran around our uncle since we were little, he didn't tend to teach us anything. Even when I later studied fashion design, I didn't choose blueprint as a technique or topic. It was my mother who convinced me that before I left home, I should at least try everything in the family workshop once. That was when I fell in love with blueprint. But I knew immediately that many things in the operation had to be done differently, and for it to work, we had to go all in. We started participating in every exhibition and opportunity to show our work. At one point, I couldn't handle it; I packed my suitcase and left for six months. I just hitched a ride on a truck and went to clear my head. I returned when I was 24, and I was finally truly ready. I finally had the right amount of humility to stay and fully devote myself to it."

Before ÚLUV, it worked so that people brought their own canvas or bought metrage to sew at home. Upon joining, Gábina saw that she had to handle operational matters as modern times required, not the old way. When people kept asking for excursions, they started doing excursions. They gave people the opportunity to come and try printing with those beautiful matrices themselves, building a relationship with blueprint. People treat everything with respect; nothing is stolen or damaged, and these events are a direct response to public interest. Her uncle hadn't wanted to do this, and Gábina describes how she used to be the quiet one in the corner who couldn't imagine giving a lecture; now she enjoys it all—teaching and speaking in front of people. She gained self-respect and confidence, and blueprint showed her she is capable and does her job well. She joined the workshop as a left-hander, which was a challenge, but ultimately beneficial; she learned to switch the stamps from one hand to the other, using both. It is physically demanding work on the back—both the printing and carrying the fabrics—so at least she doesn't overload only one side. She is still learning, even after nearly ten years of doing this work. She has found her place. For the first few years, she worked 17 hours a day, including weekends, to get it back on its feet; gradually, she reduced that to at least 10–12 hours a day.

QUOTE:

“Our workshop is open to all new ideas, experiments, enthusiasts, and 'heart-strikers,' and we love to take on unknown or untested challenges. Everything is about communication, so even when we are busy, we are happy to connect and arrange things. Blueprint is a timeless and relevant fabric that has been adapting to the contemporary customer for several thousand years, and it will be no different now. Gone are the days of rumors that blueprint is unwearable, that it bleeds color (the Joch workshop guarantees their cotton won't bleed after the first two washes), that it wrinkles, or that it’s just for folk costumes and nothing more can be made of it. I feel a new era is beginning, where things made from the heart and with love for the planet, for one's country, one's surroundings, and the people in it will survive. Blueprint offers all of this and is ready for everyone.”

FORMS AND TECHNIQUES

The blocks in the Strážnice workshop are by no means limited to historical and traditional patterns, which in this region are richer, more ornate, and blooming, like the landscape itself. The general public might not distinguish them at a glance, but Gábina can immediately spot a historical pattern in a parade crowd and know if it’s from them or from Olešnice. In their depository, they have a total of around 210–220 blocks, of which about 70 are borders, 25 are stamps (smaller individual motifs), and the rest are wooden or wood-and-brass infinite pattern blocks, about half of which are repaired and in use. Gábina recently managed to acquire three Indian blocks. Another point of interest is the approximately 100 screen-printing screens.

The workshop also uses interesting techniques such as "block printing" using polystyrene squares, which creates a very interesting pattern, or "pop batik," where they crumple a piece of fabric, dip it in the reserve, and print it onto the canvas in various ways, resulting in a batik-like effect. They also do "counter-printing," where they place a second canvas under the one they are printing on; the reserve that seeps through layers over time, and once the dyers find the pattern interesting, they dye the canvas.

Over the years, various blocks from closed workshops have ended up in their depository. People still come by saying they found old blocks in their attic—the same thing happens at the Danzingers'. The number of blocks grows, and with it the backlog of repairs, as all these found blocks are in a damaged state. They are stored unrepaired in the depository, archived with all available information regarding their pattern and origin. Some repairs, being very time-consuming and expensive, will never be completed due to the limited capacity of the two remaining block-makers.

Striped (band) patterns are typical for Strážnice; these arrived when girls from the Horňácko region came for them, for whom Gábina’s great-great-grandfather Cyril purchased them. The oldest blocks they have come from the defunct Strážnice workshop of Emanuel Ježek and may be well over 200 years old. Smaller localities always wanted to differentiate themselves through patterns. For example, on the richly pleated skirts of Horňácko, women wanted striped patterns. Two different bands would alternate—for instance, rosemary and a little rose. When standing in a gathered costume, one pattern is visible while the other is hidden in the folds. The second pattern is revealed only during dance. These striped patterns became typical for the Joch workshop.

During the ÚLUV era, various designers became accustomed to working in Strážnice. Notable ÚLUV designers included Arnoštka Ebernhardová and Jana Kubínová, who created from the 1950s until the revolution. While Arnoštka drew from folk motifs in her own way—her "Ride of the Kings" pattern is well-known—Jana Kubínová has a striking style of atypical, almost childishly primitive motifs. "We own these blocks, and we are a global rarity in how we operated. Nothing so untraditional and visually completely new was created in Olešnice or in neighboring Slovakia, where ÚLUV also operated."

Because blueprint is currently experiencing a great comeback after falling into obscurity after the revolution, they can afford to experiment in production and reuse less common patterns, such as geometric ones. They use borders, stripes, ÚLUV designs, and one-off or non-repeating stamps like the "Snail" (a single impression-stamp, usually smaller at 20 x 20, whereas infinite patterns are 30 x 30).

In Strážnice, screen printing is also performed; the screen designs in the depository are again mainly the work of ÚLUV-era designers, such as Eva Horáková, who still creates today. During ÚLUV, there were many collaborating artists, including Ludvík Vašina, who was a family member—Gábina’s uncle—who designed for a while even after the revolution. He died when Gábina was small. Some screens from other brands, like Woodstyle or Tři vinaři, are also stored there. Even now, the Strážnice workshop collaborates with a graphic designer who can prepare everything if someone comes with a new proposal for a pattern.

PRODUCTION

In Strážnice blueprint today, approximately 30% of the workload consists of communication with people through excursions and workshops. The advantage of a family business is that they can take turns at these events; Gábina doesn't always lead them herself, allowing them to offer more. Workshops are held for larger groups, but it is also possible to book small private workshops, such as for birthday celebrations or bachelorette parties. At such workshops, local spirits are drunk, and everyone enjoys it immensely—it's something different. Recently, Gábina will also be organizing a workshop for adolescents with physical disabilities, and she is curious to see what the experience will bring to both sides.

Among workshop participants, women significantly outnumber men, often being young students. Gábina does not have a family of her own yet, saying she doesn't have time, but she sees hope for a successor in her three nieces and one nephew, whom she has been wrapping in blueprint since infancy to build the right relationship. Another possibility is that she will find her successor within the workshops. A successor must, above all, love the work of a dyer and find absolute fulfillment in it. Spreading awareness among the public also increases the chances of finding the right person who will one day be the new heart of the workshop. The greatest reward for the work is the work itself and the gratitude of the customers.

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Metrage accounts for approximately half of the sales in Strážnice. Most of it is produced to order for smaller designers. A large portion also consists of dyeing clients' own materials, such as linen and silk, sometimes in volumes reaching thousands of meters. Then there are smaller projects, like hand-painted blueprint dresses, and occasionally orders for folklore ensembles. When new projects arrive, the Strážnice workshop is capable of scaling up its capacity significantly. Every year recently has been different, making it hard to know what to expect. Currently, they produce about 500 meters of metrage per month, but they have the capacity for 2,000 to 3,000 meters monthly. Of the two large tables, they only use one, and similarly, only one dyeing vat is in use, although two are available.

The core product range consists of tablecloths, placemats, oven mitts, aprons, decorations, and toys, with bed linen currently experiencing a comeback. They also offer their own line of clothing with the option of custom tailoring; men's shirts are particularly popular.

For workshops, people often bring their own items to be dyed—ranging from shoes to faded white clothing—which promotes recycling. It took Gábina a few years to figure out how to beautifully dye already-sewn garments, but now she manages it perfectly, allowing her to revitalize pieces that people love through dyeing.

Designers can also rent the workshop, which is another service Strážnice Blueprint currently offers. Creators can use the facilities and equipment, including two five-meter tables, to paint on large canvases. The same opportunity is provided to those who wish to do tie-dye or stitched batik.

During the annual Strážnice Folklore Festival, the shop remains open, and as Bearers of Tradition, they participate in the market of Bearers of Folk Craft Traditions at the open-air museum, where all participants are provided with a stall free of charge.

CHALLENGES

Gabriela considers marketing, grant writing, and setting prices correctly to be the primary challenges for modern artisans. Furthermore, finding a successor is far from easy; those who do not find one among their children must look elsewhere. Currently, the situation in the Czech Republic is such that more than half of artisans have no one to follow in their footsteps.

The financial aspect remains a question of whether a modest livelihood will discourage a potential successor. The cost of labor and the value of handcrafted products is a significant topic that I will continue to address. For masters of traditional crafts, training a successor is a prerequisite for obtaining the title of Bearer of Folk Craft Traditions. This title is not only a recognition of preserving ancient techniques and an honor for honest work but also provides access to significant subsidies, such as those for the necessary repairs of production technologies.

Alongside the master dyers, the master "formstechers"—the block-makers—stand behind the art of blueprint. They care for the blocks, repair the old ones, and manufacture new ones. For many years, two men have been dedicated to block-making: Milan Bartoš and Jaroslav Plucha. Both are passionate artisans who, with love and enthusiasm for every pattern, maintain collaborations with both the Olešnice and Strážnice workshops. Many old blocks have been gathered over time; both workshops have depositories containing hundreds of patterns, including borders that can be combined with the patterns in various ways.