Lac is a resinous substance secreted by an insect called Kerria Lacca. The insect hosts itself on the branches of certain trees such as kusum/papal and forms a red encrustation around it. The coated branches are cut and sieved and the material obtained is washed to remove all impurities. The resulting seed ( lac) is used in making several products.
In Rajasthan, for centuries, craftspersons have been using it to make a number of items ranging from jewellery to building pieces of architecture and decorative items. Originally when Lac work was introduced it was used for adorning doors and windows of houses. The work offers excellent finish to the doors and it is easy to make different designs and carvings on Lac.
The Lac work from Sawai, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Madhopur are known for their charming colours and vibrant and flawless finish.
The art of making Lac jewellery and decorative items is very intrinsic and complex. It requires skilled craftsmanship and a lot of precision. The process involves heating, combining, kneading, hammering and shaping till dough like mass is made.
In case of making a Lac bangle, the lac is expanded and formed into the required diameter and is thickened accordingly. A toll is used for rolling the bangle to give it the thickness. After this the lac is shaped by moulding it into a groove. The entire process requires a lot of accuracy and skill to give rise to beautiful jewellery. After lac has been moulded it is cleaned, polished and given the final finishing. Lac jewellery at times is adorned with beautiful glass beads and mirror work.
For other pieces of jewellery, lac is poured into dyes of different shapes that are lined with different colours. After the material sets in and cools and dries off it is removed, cleaned and polished to give the final finishing.
The material lends itself to a whole range of modern and contemporary products.
To read more, check the link http://banglemaker.blogspot.in/2012/02/lac-bangles.html
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