by Madhavi on June 21, 2009
This is the completed picture of Ganesha using the Thangka painting technique. This is my first attempt at this painting.
Though the traditional Thangka art is done on cloths or fabric, the above was done on canvas. Hope everyone likes it.
Something more about Thangka painting:
Thangka artists use various types of fabrics. Loosely woven cotten fabric of about 40-58 cms width, is the most widely used type. Sometimes silk cloth is also used. Thangka painting is highly geometric like its other Buddhist counterparts. Symmetrical grid of angels and intersecting lines are used to depict arms, legs, eyes, nostrils, ears, and various ritual implements. This art form is so very religious that it follows the guidelines laid down in various Buddhist scriptures. This art form requires immaculate skills in drawing of perfect figures and an immense understanding of the iconometric principles.
by Madhavi on June 17, 2009
Continuing from my previous post -
Majority of Thangka painters follow well established and traditional scientific arrangement of color, content and proportion. These are based on a pre-defined set of rules, with slight variations based on the region. A conservator takes care of the paintings. The details of the artist (signature, etc.) are not mentioned in the paintings; their importance is displayed in a vast variety of pictorial information. Emotions are portrayed in different colors (for example, white represents peacefulness and compassion). The same picture portrayed in a different color shows a different mood.
by Madhavi on June 16, 2009
The word “Thangka” is derived from two Tibetan words – ‘than’ which means flat and ‘ka’ which means painting. Originally, this art form was used to make buddhist banner displayed in monasteries or at family altars. It was easy to carry around, as it was mostly done on flat surfaces which can sometimes be rolled up like scrolls. The paintings done in monasteries mostly depicted the life of Buddha, and served as invaluable teaching tools. There were different themes for such paintings, one popular theme being the “Wheel of Life” which symbolizes “enlightenment”.
(To be continued…)
