Rogan painting is a traditional art form from Gujarat, India that involves painting fabric with oil-based paints to produce designs that resemble embroidery. The paint is made from castor oil that is boiled for over 12 hours to produce a thick residue called rogan, which is then mixed with natural dyes. Using a small wooden stick, artists delicately apply the colored rogan threads by hand directly onto fabric without outlines to create geometric, floral, and motif designs. Once dry, the finished rogan painted fabric is durable and can be washed several times while maintaining its shiny, embossed appearance. This seasonal art provides employment and is often used to decorate bridal trousseaus and gifts with traditional motifs.

1. Roghan painting

2. HISTORY………………..
The traditional Rogan flower motifs and designs
speak of a Persian influence and the word Rogan
itself means oil-based in Persian.
In olden days this craft was practised in
Ahmedabad and Patan in Gujarat and Nasik in
Maharashtra.

4. ROGAN PAINTING…………….

5. INTRODUCTION……….
Roghan work on cloth, now a dying art, which
gives the impression of embroidery is actually
the craft of fabric painting that is centuries
old.
The effect is generated due to the surface
application of paint has an embossed and
shiny look akin to embroidery.

6. Rogan painting is delicately and precisely
painted from one's own creative imagination
and is done with total concentration sitting on
the floor without using a table-frame or any
outline.
Rogan painted cloth is used for making pillow
covers, tablecloths, wall hangings, file folders,
decorative pieces and even saris.

8. PROCESS OF PREPARING ROGAN……….
When castor oil is heated over fire for more than
twelve hours and cast into cold water, it
produces a thick residue called rogan, which is
mixed with natural colours obtained from the
earth.
With a six-inch wooden stick or pen, the
craftperson then draws out from this a fine
thread which is painted to the cloth.

10. COLORING OF ROGAN………
Various mineral dyes are used To colour the roghan
with the prominent colours being red from red
lead, white from white lead, silver from
powdered mica, green from orpiment and indigo,
yellow from orpiment blue from indigo, and silver
and gold leaves for metallic effects.
Consistency for a more workable texture is
obtained by adding a small quantity of dry lime
proportionately to the oil.

12. PROCESS OF ROGAN PAINTING…….
A short 6 inch stylus pointed at the tip is the
only tool used in roghan painting while the
craftsmen left palm is used as a palette for
warming, softening and mixing the rogan.
It is then stretched into fine threads and applied
to the surface of the cloth to form the design
with the stylus.

13. The roghan thread is then dabbed onto the
fabric along with a moistened fingertip so that
it sinks into the fabric and adheres to it.
The finished material can usually be washed.

14. Sometimes the designs are given a silvery or
golden sheen by dusting the roghan design
with powdered mica (abrak) or imitation gold
powder.
The roghan fabric is very durable and can be
washed several times without any loss in
sheen.

15. MOTIFS & APPLICATION OF ROGAN
PAINTING……
The designs include geometric patterns and
floral motifs, as well as birds and beasts.
Products like saris, cushions, kurtas, home
furnishings, ghagras ( long skirts), wall
hangings, book covers, file covers, table linen,
bedcovers and the like are often highlighted
with roghan.

17. COLOR USED………..

18. ROGAN PAINTING AS SEASONAL ART…….
Rogan painting is a ‘seasonal art’. It generates
employment for three to four months in the year
when weddings are held among the Dalits and
other backward communities.
Tradition demands that the bridal trousseau and
gift items like bed sheets, pillow cases and quilt
covers are decorated with rogan motifs.