# Seals to Prints

## Overview
This chapter introduces students to the world of seals and their connection to printing traditions. Students explore the function, design, and impression-making capabilities of seals. Through hands-on activities, they test seal impressions using various materials, eventually creating personal stamps. The chapter also builds a connection to traditional textile printing, especially Ajrakh from Gujarat.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. What are Seals?
- **Introduction to Seals**: Commonly used in schools, offices, and by officials for authenticating documents.
- **Function**: Seals can carry symbols or text, indicating identity, authority, or beliefs.
- **Historical Context**: Seals have been used throughout history to signify social positions, kingdoms, or institutions.

### 2. Activity: Let’s Look at Seals
- **Task**: Observe seals from documents found in schools.
- **Discussion Prompts**:
- What image or text appears on the seal?
- What message does it convey?
- What is its use?
- **Observation Skills**: Identify symbols and scripts used in seals, and understand their deeper meanings.

### 3. Activity: Field Trip
- **Visit to Post Office**: Understand use of stamps in postal services.
- Material of stamp seal
- Postal logo or symbols
- Information present on the seal
- **Extended Exploration**:
- Ask family members for old sealed documents.
- Study coins through pencil rubbing technique.

### 4. Activity: Make Your Own Seal

#### Step 1 — Test with Found Objects
- Materials: Clay or dough, small items like buttons, caps, leaves.
- Process: Press objects into clay to observe impressions.

#### Step 2 — Design Your Seal
- Create a **personal symbol** (e.g., flower, animal, icon) representing your identity or values.
- Keep the design **simple** for ease of carving.

#### Step 3 — Make the Seal
- Choose materials like **cardboard, rubber, sponge**.
- Flatten the surface for a clear stamp impression.
- Carve or shape the design using safe tools.

#### Step 4 — Test Your Seal
- Use **wet clay** or **ink and paper** for testing impressions.
- Modify the seal if needed to improve clarity.

### 5. Activity: Printing with Seals
- Learn the **rubber stamping process** using an ink pad and seal.
- Compare it to **hand block printing** used in traditional textiles.
- Example: **Ajrakh printing** of Kutchh, Gujarat.
- Wooden blocks are carved with raised patterns for textile prints.
- Repeated use of blocks creates continuous textile designs.

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## New Terms and Definitions

| Term | Simple Definition |
|--------------------|-------------------|
| Seal | A mark made by pressing a design into paper or clay to show approval or identity |
| Impression | The mark left behind by pressing something into a surface |
| Symbol | A picture or shape that stands for an idea or identity |
| Script | A style or system of writing |
| Postal Service | The system that sends and delivers letters and packages |
| Dough | A soft, moldable material like clay or bread mix |
| Carve | To cut into a material to create a shape or design |
| Ajrakh | A special type of hand-printed cloth from Gujarat |
| Block Printing | A method of printing using carved wooden blocks |
| Pattern | A repeated decorative design |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3 Questions)

1. **What is a seal used for?**
A) Writing letters
B) Making impressions
C) Cleaning surfaces
D) Reading books
**Answer**: B
**Explanation**: Seals are used to make impressions, often for identification or approval.

2. **Which material can be used to test a seal design?**
A) Metal
B) Glass
C) Clay
D) Plastic
**Answer**: C
**Explanation**: Clay is soft and easy to press for testing seal impressions.

3. **Where is Ajrakh block printing practiced?**
A) Delhi
B) Kutchh, Gujarat
C) Mumbai
D) Kolkata
**Answer**: B
**Explanation**: Ajrakh is a traditional textile art form from Kutchh, Gujarat.

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### Medium (2 Questions)

4. **Why is it important to keep your seal design simple?**
A) So it looks good
B) So it is easy to carve and print clearly
C) Because teachers prefer it
D) To save time
**Answer**: B
**Explanation**: A simple design is easier to carve and results in a clearer impression.

5. **What are some common objects used to create impressions in clay?**
A) Leaves, bottle caps, buttons
B) Scissors, books, spoons
C) Markers, erasers, papers
D) Tissues, cloths, dusters
**Answer**: A
**Explanation**: These objects have textures and shapes that can make distinct impressions.

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### Difficult (3 Questions)

6. **How are seals and hand block printing connected?**
A) Both are used in cooking
B) Both require written permission
C) Both involve creating repeated designs by stamping
D) Both use watercolors
**Answer**: C
**Explanation**: Both processes involve pressing a carved object onto a surface to make repeated patterns.

7. **What is the function of the raised portions in a wooden block used for printing?**
A) To cut cloth
B) To absorb water
C) To transfer ink/pattern onto fabric
D) To make noise
**Answer**: C
**Explanation**: Raised portions of the block carry the ink and form the printed design.

8. **If your seal impression is unclear, what should you do?**
A) Throw it away
B) Add water to it
C) Modify and improve the design
D) Change the paper
**Answer**: C
**Explanation**: Adjusting the design can help improve the quality of the impression.

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### Very Difficult (2 Questions)

9. **How can you test a rounded seal that doesn't have a flat surface?**
A) Rub it on a wall
B) Press it on a wet clay or dough
C) Paint it and throw it
D) Cut it in half
**Answer**: B
**Explanation**: Rounded seals are better tested on soft materials like wet clay to capture full impressions.

10. **Explain how personal symbols in seal design can reflect your identity.**
**Answer**: Personal symbols (like a flower, leaf, or animal) can reflect a person’s qualities, values, or interests. For example, a leaf might show a love for nature, while a star might represent ambition or hope.

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