Handicrafts of India

Ritu

2008-09-29T09:12:00.001-07:00

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Kalamkari Paintings

2008-02-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Kalamkari falls in the category of one of the oldest art forms of south India. A place called kalahasti in the state of Andhra Pradesh witnessed the birth of this visually stimulating art. kalamkari was born more than 3000 years ago. Sri kalahasti is located in the vicinity of the holy city of Tirupathi. Literally, the word traces its origin from the to words-kalam(pen) and kari(to work). In other words kalamkari means "pen work". Located in the vicinity of temple, this art form was patronized by the temples. These paintings were made on cloth depicting murals. Their theme was provided by the Hindu mythology. The temple walls are ornate with kalamkari wall hangings depicting stories from the Hindu Puranas and epics. They were so visually articulate that they even served the purpose of helping learned men in narrating stories. The distinctive feature of these paintings is that the artists made large murals which were filled in with a lot of detailed fine work.

Themes

Initially, the themes were based on religion. But these were not duly appreciated by art connoisseurs especially those who resided abroad. Traditional artists then started including contemporary themes like trees, birds and animals. One immensely popular piece is the "tree of life." Evidence also suggests that kalamkari artists also created murals based on Christian themes.

Process involved

The base of Kalmkari is formed by cotton cloth. A lot of attention is paid to fineness which makes the process of making kalamkari very laborious.

How the cloth is prepared?
Clean flowing river water is used for washing the cloth and removing the starch. The cloth is then dried. tannin containing pod of young unripe myrobalan fruits are soaked in water for a few hours to be made into a paste. The paste is then dissolved in cow's milk which is kept in a vessel. The cloth is soaked in it and dried. This procedure makes the colour of the cloth to turn into pale yellow.

Sketching

First the artist decides what is to be drawn on the cloth. Then he makes a sketch with the help of burnt tamarind tree twigs. The next step involves the preparation of an iron solution. This is prepared by keeping some some rusted iron pieces in a solution of water and cooking jaggry and palm jaggery which is kept in an earthen pot for 15 days. This solution though clear takes a black colour on coming into contact with the myrobalan treated cloth. The drawing tool is a bamboo stick sharpened at one end with a knife. A thread is wound round this stick. The thread absorbs the ink and lets it penetrate down while drawing on the cloth. The line drawing is very immaculately done, replete with all the key and sub elements of the work.

Coloring

On the completion of the line drawing,colours are added. Generally, red(maroon), yellow and blue are used.

For obtaining red(maroon)colour

Red(maroon)colour is obtained by painting an alum solution which is then dried for a day. this is done in the areas forming the background. Any excess mordant is washed away in flowing river water. Another laborious process of this art form is the boiling of cloth with a mixture of madder and "saveli koddi"the saveli koddi (in the stick form)and madder is dried and then turned into a powder. Only those areas which had been earlier treated with alum allow red colour to penetrate. Despite all the precautions, colour might smudge to other areas. To remedy this, the cloth is soaked overnight in a vessel containing cow dung dissolved in water. It is then cleansed in flowing water and dried. at frequent intervals water is sprinkled. At the end of this procedure the cloth is again dipped in cow's milk and dried.

For obtaininmg yellow colour

Myrobalan flower is dried, powdered and dissolved in clean drinking water. Its then boiled and continuously stirred which makes the solution turn yellow. After the application of yellow colour, the cloth is dried, cleansed in flowing river water and once again dried.
Natural vegetable dyes are used to make the rest of the colours, for example-katha for body colour (ie brown); seveli is used for rose; indigo for blue; yellow and blue are used to get the green colour. At the end of colour application the cloth is again washed with river water and dried.

Finally, the prepared pieces of kalamkari are stretched and framed. They are then ready to aesthetically beautify the interiors with their resplendent and vibrant colours replete with intricacy.

As an art form, kalamkari is traditionally practised as a profession by many families. it involves the entire family in the various stages of preparation. The head of the family also happens to be the master craftsmen under whose guidance the painting is executed.

The importance of kalamkari is highlighted by the fact that it is an extremely environment friendly traditional art form requiring natural products as the basic drawing material. In the present day when the dangers of global warming and acid rain are confronting mankind, an even greater need is being felt to promote such an art form.

Miniature Paintings

2008-02-12T03:08:00.000-08:00

Miniature paintings were those paintings that were made on perishable material. Perhaps this the reason due to which there is no definite proof of their birth & development. Miniature paintings have been painted in different parts of India with regional variations.
Miniature paintings are characterized by delicate brushwork and existed in the forms of ‘illuminations' or normal paintings. Miniature Painters used different substances for coloring their drawings, for instance minerals, vegetables, precious stones, indigo, conch shells, pure gold and silver.

The miniature paintings of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa, resemble the Ajantha style. Buddhist manuscripts were illustrated, mostly paintings of Buddha on palm leaves.

In Gujarat, miniature paintings, Jaina manuscripts can be seen. The style of the Jaina caves at Ellora were followed. In the later stages the fine application of colour diminished from the Gujrat miniature paintings. Gujrat miniature styles also have the influence of Persian style.
The miniature paintings of Mughals are known for their distinctive finishes and delicacy.

The Mughal miniature paintings have lot of Persian influence. Court scenes were depicted in grandeur. For the background hilly landscape were mainly used. The painters also depicted flowers & animals but applied their own skill to develop on the Persian ideas.

The Rajput miniature paintings can be further subdivided into the Rajasthani style & the Pahari style. The subject matter of the paintings were mostly religious & love subjects, based on Lord Rama & Lord Krishna. Court scenes were depicted as also royal portraits. Bold outlines & brilliant colours are characteristic of Rajasthani paintings.

Jadupatua Paintings

2008-02-12T01:13:00.000-08:00

Jadupatua paintings are scroll paintings that are executed initially on cloth and later on paper. These paintings belong to the region of Murshidabad, Birbhum, Bankura, Hooghly, Burdwan, and Midnapore districts of West Bengal and Santal Parganas of Bihar. The scroll painters are called as Jadupatuas or Duari Patuas, which literally meant magical painters. These artists or painters belong to the community of potters, barbers, blacksmiths, sweetmeat makers. These artists traveled from village to village and gave their performances for which they were paid in cash or kind.

Scrolls
Scrolls though appeared in minor idioms, they embodied common attitudes to form and style. All scrolls depicted figures in a single flat plane and showed a mild indifference to naturalism. The stories are depicted in a series of simple clear-cut images in panels divided by horizontal bands. Simple diagrammatic forms depict trees, flowers or rocks. The figures are depicted usually in a standard corrugated line linking forehead, nose, lips and chin and eyes were vastly enlarged.

Themes of the Paintings
Most unique theme painted by the Jadupatua artists, is the funeral theme. If any member of the village dies these artist visit their house and analyze the resource of the family and on that basis they paint the pictures of the deceased person which shows him wandering in the other world without a sight and they could restore the vision in return of the payment. Once they received the payment, the Jadupatuas would perform the 'Chakshudana' i.e. restoration of the eyes by filling in the iris of the eyes on the painting.

The Santals also followed a tradition where the charred bones of the dead were immersed in river Damodar. Most of the Santals found it a difficult preposition so they often requested the Jadupatuas to go to Damodar and make a symbolic immersion by consigning the drawing in the water. In return, the Jadupatuas received fees for it.

Other themes apart from the funeral theme are:

The story of the creation of the Santals as preserved in Santal tradition

Bahajatras – the festival of Santal
Santhals dancing in the mass meeting
Santhal clans personification
Human riding on a tiger or leopard
The adventures of Krishna with the milkmaid

Methods
Scroll were made by waste papers. Paper sheets are either glued together or sewn together to make the scrolls. In order to protect the paper from damaging, piece of old cloth or calico was sewn to the end of the scroll. The two ends of the cloth were sewn round pieces of bamboo, one of which acted as a roller around which the scroll could be wound. Finally a string was attached to one end to secure the wound-up scroll. Some scrolls were short and consisted of only two or three panels; others could contain fourteen or more. In the present collection one scroll has been kept intact and the remainder cut into sections and were separately mounted.

The brushes of the painters are made up of goat hair. Earlier the paintings were done with natural colors made from vegetable matter or minerals. Colors popularly used are black, red, reddish brown, blue and yellow.

Thangka Paintings

2008-02-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

What is Thangka?
Thangka symbolizes iconographic information in a pictorial manner. It is a rather complicated three-dimensional object consisting of a picture panel, known by many names-Tangka", "Thanka" or "Tanka". Originally Thangka served as a painted or embroidered Buddhist banner displayed in a monastery or at a family altar. It was also carried by monks in a ceremonial procession.

Thangka is derived from the Tibetan word 'than' which means flat and 'ka' means painting. Hence, this is a painting done on a flat surface which can also be rolled up like a scroll when it is not on display. This quality also gives it the name of scroll painting. The most common shape of a Thangka is the upright rectangular.

How it came into prominence
Thangka could be easily rolled and transported from one monastery to another. Travelling Buddhist monks found it easy to carry these paintings. As the paintings depicted the life of Buddha, they served as invaluable teaching tools. One very popular theme is “The Wheel of Life” symbolizing the enlightenment.

Relevance of Thangka Paintings
In the Buddhist realm, these are not just colorful wall hangings but epitomize the divine beauty. Apart from being visually stimulating, Thangka also performs many functions. When depicting the lives of Buddha or historical events in the lives of lamas or visually narrating the myths associated with other deities, it becomes an important teaching tool. It functions as the centerpiece during a Buddhist religious ceremony. Thangka is used as a medium to offer prayers to the almighty. Most importantly it is used as a tool of meditation in an individual's endeavor to attain enlightenment.

Main features of a Thangka Paintings
The artists does not convey his personal vision in these paintings. Majority of these painters follow the traditional and well established scientific arrangement of content, color and proportion according to a predefined set of rules. There might be slight regional variations. The paintings are left under the care of a conservator. These religious objects do not display the name of the artist, technique employed or the date of their creation. Their importance lies in displaying a vast variety of iconographic information. Different colours portray different emotions. For instance,green indicates some activity,white conveys peacefulness and compassion. Same figure in a different color can convey a different mood.

Painting Technique
There are regional variations in the technique. This was owing to the training given to the artist, fund available to purchase the basic material and the number of assistants employed by the master painter. Even the technique of paint application varies from one region to another. Mountings, surrounding the painting were prepared by tailors as these were made of silk brocade. These may be frequently replaced owing to damage which may have been caused due to frequent scrolling and unscrolling.

Classification of Thangka
The material used and the technique employed can be used to categorize these paintings as follows:

Those which are painted

Those made of silk either by appliqué or with embroidery

They may be further classified as follows:

Painted in color(they form the most common type)

Applique

Those with a gold line on a black background

Block printed painting

Embroidered paintings

Gold background. This is an auspicious form and is employed for fully enlightened Buddhas

Paintings in red background.

Material used
Thangka artists employ various fabrics. The most widely used is loosely woven cotton fabric. Its width varies from 40-58 cms.

Method used
Basic materials employed are cotton canvas or silk .Mineral and organic water soluble pigments which are mixed with herb and glue solution are then used to paint. This process requires immaculate skills in drawing perfect figures and an immense understanding of the iconometric principles. Like its other Buddhist counterpart, Thangka painting is also highly goemetric. 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 intrinsically religious that it is executed in accordance with the guidelines laid down in the Buddhist scriptures.

Summary
Thangka portrays the physical attributes and qualities of Buddha. They are composite and complicated art pieces used not just for decoration but also to convey icnographic ideas. It is final product of an arduous and impeccable effort of many tailors and artists who have been trained under different masters.

Patachitra

2008-02-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

Patachitra, or painting on cloth, represents the vibrant folk art of Orissa. This art form has been extremely popular since the very ancient past. The best work is found in and around Puri, especially in the village s of Raghurajpur and Dandasahi. However, when temples were erected in other places in the state of Orissa, the artists spread in other areas also, like- Bolangir, Sambalpur, and Ganjam.

Distinctive features of the Patachitras
Bold lines and brilliant play of colors is what differentiates this hereditary art form from other styles of painting.

Themes
The vibrant themes are provided by religious and mythological stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Gita. The painters articulate the pictures of Radha- Krishna, Shakti, Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra with immense bhakti. Figures like a dancing girl or mother and child also formed popular themes. Lord krishna seems to form an inexhaustible supply of themes to the painter for eg.- Krishna dancing with gopis and Krishna playing various pranks on his playmates ,popular legends about Radha and Krishna, set in a riot of exhilarating colours.

Colors used

For the background, red, orange, yellow is used; lapis lazuli for the sky, trees are represented by dark green and parrot green is used for grass. This visually vibrant background is then used to display the blue figure of Krishna. Whereas, silver pink purple, wheat and brown and a whole gamut of shades are used to portray Krishna’s playmates. These figures are then touched off by gold and silver brushing.

The preparation of Patachitra canvas
This is initiated by preparing a double coarse white cloth pasted together with an adhesive made in tamarind seeds. To provide a sticky consistency, the tamarind seed powder is soaked in water overnight and then boiled to give a stiffer feel to the canvas. Sometimes, rice powder is also added.

The next step is application of a coat of tamarind on both the sides of the cloth, which is then left to dry. This is followed by the application of a coat of soap stone powder mixed with tamarind paste. Final step is the polishing of canvas by rubbing coarse grain and polished stones.

Method
Once the canvas is ready, the next step is to mark the border area and outline the central composition. It is followed by painting the background in red, also known as pahili ranga bhara or first coloring. Subsequently, figures are colored and red ornaments and black details are applied. Border decoration is then completed. The central colors used in Patachitra are red, brick red. yellow, white and lamp black.

Pottery forms a very common article on which painting is done. For this purpose,. a mixture of clay and powder from a stone rich in iron oxide is used. Another method is to incise and cut a pattern on the raw pottery using comb - like and knife like tools.

On the completion of the painting, a protective lacquer glaze 'jausala' is finally applied. However, earlier resin powder was sprinkled on the pata on which a bag of hot sand was put. This technique has now become outdated, as nowadays most of the artists apply synthetic varnish, thereby giving a brownish tint to the Patachitras.

Basic materials required: Cloth, tamarind seeds, mixture of chalk and gum, brush

Colors: Earthen colors, stone colors

Brushes/tools: comb-like and knife-like tools

Various kinds of brushes are used. An interesting feature is that painters do not use the squirrel hairbrushes but the fine brushes made from the hairs of a mongoose or rat, or the coarser brushes made from the hair of a buffalo neck. Kiya plants were also used in the past to draw thick lines.

Importance of Patachitras
Patachitras play an important role in the temples of Orissa. Painted wooden images of jagganath, balabhadra and subhadra are ritually given the holy bath. This forms an important annual ritual. The images are thus, discolored; hence they are removed from the garbhagriha for repainting. While repainting is underway, the temple images are substituted for three patachitras representing the divine trio.

Not everyone shares the privilege of painting patachitas, as this honour is bestowed only upon three families,reffered to as hakimas. For this purpose, a cloth measuring 120cmx90cms is used. The entire figure ,with the exception of the eyes ,is completed by the artist. Which is then given to the priest who in turn performs a ritual, 'netrotsva' which induces life to the painting.

Tourists visiting orissa, treasure these patachitras as an important souvenir item. These mementos ,represent the indelible images of the utsava and the central sanctuary of the puri temple. In today's context, the patachitrs have gained immense fame for thier richness of colors are are widely treasured as a collector's item.

Mysore Paintings

2008-02-06T04:18:00.000-08:00

Mysore Paintings, a rich traditional art form of South India enables one to understand the rich cultural values of India. As the name suggests, this art flourished and developed in Mysore (Karnataka). Historically, Mysore was ruled by many rulers who had a strong passion for visual arts.
Among many rulers, the name of Raja Woodeyar(1578-1617 AD) stands to forefront for contributing significantly for the cause of artists in the different parts of the erstwhile state of Mysore. The art and crafts of Mysore received major fillip during the reign of Mummadi Krishnaraja Woodeyar. The paintings during his period had a variety - murals depicting several scenes of Hindu mythology, portraits of heroes and kings, icons of Hindu mythology, strictly adhering to the iconography principles.

How Mysore Paintings are Made?
Mysore painting making, involves many steps. As a part of first step the artist makes a preliminary sketch of the image on the base, comprising a cartridge paper pasted on a wooden base. Thereafter, he makes a paste of zinc oxide and Arabic gum, known as 'gesso paste'. The paste allows to lend raising effect of carving to those parts of the painting that require embellishments and is allowed to dry. Then, gold foil is pasted onto the surface. The rest of the painting is prepared with the help of watercolors. After the painting is fully dried, it is covered with a thin paper and rubbed lightly with a smooth soft stone.

In the traditional Mysore paintings, all the inputs were made by the artists, including brushes, paints, board, gold foil, etc. The colors used were natural derived from vegetable and minerals. For the base, paper, wood, wall and cloth, were used. The sketches were made with the help of charcoal, which was prepared by burning tamarind twigs in an iron tube. The brushes were made of different materials, like squirrel hair, camel hair, goat hair, etc.

Design is mainly carried out on the mandapams, the jewelleries, the attire etc., with a specially prepared compound and a brush. Once the compound is dried, gold foils are placed over them and stuck firmly. Painting is subsequently done. After the painting is completed and it dries, a thin paper is placed on top of it and rubbed softly with a smooth soft stone to bring the richness in the relief work done with gold foil. In order to give a sharp edged effect to the painting grass blades were used.

Themes
The main theme of the painting is mythological and religious. The figures mainly depicted by the artists are divine figures like Goddess Saraswati playing the Veena or Goddess Laxmi bestowing an abundance of wealth on her devotees. The colors used incorporate enhance the overall effect. Paintings are made lively with the use of high up light and shade effect. Some of the characteristic themes in these paintings are Dashavatar, Laxmi, Saraswati, Rajarageshwari, Sri Rama, Kodanada Rama, Tandavashwera and Vishvarupadarsha.

Warli Paintings

2008-02-06T04:15:00.000-08:00

Introduction
Warli art is a beautiful folk art of Maharashtra, created by the womens of Warli tribe. Warli is the, tribe found on the northern outskirts of Mumbai, in Western India. Warli Art was first explored in the early seventies. It is believed that the art originated in the early 10th century AD. Warli people express themselves in vivid styles through paintings which they execute on the walls of their house. This was the only means of transmitting folklore to a populace not acquainted with the written word. Madhubani.

Warli paintings were mainly done by the women folk. The most important aspect of the painting is that it does not depicts mythological characters or images of deities, but depict social life. Pictures of human beings and animals, along with scenes from daily life are created in a loose rhythmic pattern. Warli paintings are painted white on mud walls. The paintings are beautifully executed and resembles pre-historic cave paintings in execution and usually depict scenes of human figures engaged in activities like hunting, dancing, sowing and harvesting.

Color and Themes
The painting is done on an austere mud base using one color, white, with occasional dots in red and yellow. This colour is obtained from grounding rice into white powder. This sobriety is offset by the ebullience of their content. Warli paintings representing Palghat, the marriage god, often include a horse used by the bride and groom. This type of painting is considered sacred and without it, the marriage cannot take place. These paintings also serve social and religious aspirations of the local people. It is believed that these paintings invoke powers of the Gods. Geometric designs dominate most paintings; dots and crooked lines are the units of these compositions. The appeal of these unicolor compositions lies in their lack of pretentiousness in conveying the profound.

Modern Trends
Warli artists hardly use a straight line. Instead of line, series of dots and dashes are made. However nowadays modern artists have begun to draw straight lines in their paintings. Warlis have also started to use modern elements such as the bicycle, etc apart from traditional motifs.
Warlis are now shifting to paper and cloth paintings. Warli paintings on paper have become very popular and are now sold all over India. Today, small paintings are done on cloth and paper but they look best on the walls or in the form of huge murals that bring out the vast and magical world of the Warlis. For the Warlis, tradition is still adhered to but at the same time new ideas have been allowed to seep in which helps them face new challenges from the market.

Symbolism in Warli Paintings
Every symbols of Warli art has their own meaning and language. Men and women in spiral form and concentric circular designs in Warli Paintings symbolize the circle of life. The harmony and balance depicted in these paintings is supposed to signify the harmony and balance of the universe.

Batik Paintings in India

2008-02-05T23:14:00.000-08:00

Batik painting is an ancient art of making paintings using Wax. It is a demanding art and the artist has to be very skilled because the final design must be conceived before the picture is begun. Batik art is supposed to be 2000 years old and is not specific to one region. It is practiced in different parts of the world. The batik artist works intimately with color; if he wishes parts of his design to be light blue, for example, all these parts must be waxed at the same time before any subsequent dyeing.

Origin
Batik or Batique painting is an ancient art form and is believed to be originated in Indonesia. Batik is derived from the word “Ambatik” which means clothes with many dots. Some attribute this art to ancient Egypt or Sumatra. Whatever is the origin but it is clear that this art is popular art that is practiced in many regions of the world such as India, Sri Lanka, Iran and Thailand.

Batik paintings in India
Batik painting can be procured from different parts of India. The themes used mainly in the Batik paintings are both religious as well as abstract. The major Batik art centers in India are Orissa, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Technique of Making Batik Paintings
Simply speaking, Batik painting is a common wax-proof coloring procedure which is applied on the fabric. Wax is the basic material used for making batik painting. The procedure involves heating of the wax to the liquid state which is then applied onto the fabric prior to being dished in a colored dye.

The basic idea behind the use of wax is that the areas on the fabric where the wax has soaked itself will not get infiltrated by the colored dye. Wax is applied on the fabric by using special brush, hammering the wax directly on the fabric and putting the boiled and liquefied wax to an already designed timber slab or block and then quickly pounding onto the fabric. After the completion of whole process, batik painting is hanged up on a wire to get dry.

Crackle Effect
Crackle is a unique aspect of the Batik painting. When the waxed cloth is dipped in the cold dye bath, crack is formed. The cracks of wax results in the formation of veins of darker colour on the lighter areas. To have more crackle effects on the design, the proportion of wax could be reversed to one part bee wax and two parts paraffin wax adding a little resin. Paraffin wax crackles faster than bee wax. The full effect of crackling can be seen when the wax is ironed out or removed by boiling

Hand-made designs are also carved on these paintings rather than being entwined because if the designs are made by hand it permits extra creative choice to the painter. Batik paintings are also popular because of their resilience.

Dewaxing
Dewaxing is the final stage after dyeing and waxing. The wax is removed by ironing with a moderately hot iron. While ironing, good layer of newspaper underneath the material and a single sheet on top is used. Extra wax is absorbed by the paper. The paper should be renewed as they become soaked with wax. If too much wax is remaining even after ironing, the cloth should be dry cleaned. Now the cloth is ready to use. Try out this with any design, according to your idea to make a wonderful garment for yourself.

Indian Glass Painting

2008-02-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

Genesis of glass painting in India
Eighteenth century saw the flowering of a distinct art form in India -now popularly known as glass painting. It flourished chiefly due to the patronage given to the Chinese artists, who lived and worked for the nobility and royalty. As is evident from the name itself, these paintings are done on clear glass. Requiring immense skill , glass painting is extremely difficult, for the technique required when painting on an opaque surface, is reversed in painting glass. Religious themes dominate these paintings;however, court scenes and portraits also find place in these paintings.

Important centers

Falling in the genre of popular art, glass painting spread rapidly in western and southern India. Regional styles also flourished simultaneously in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Bengal. The town of Thanjavur ( Tamil Nadu) became a popular centre of the craft of painting on glass and this tradition continues till today. Thanjavur became such an important centre that very often the glass paintings are mistakenly referred to as the Thanjavur sacred icon paintings..Glass painting became popular with the masses, as it was quite inexpensive. These pictures began to be hung on walls.

Types of glass painting

Glass paintings fall into two broad categories- one comparatively courtly and the other folk. The main themes of the paintings were religious. Apart from religious themes secular subjects and the natural objects were also painted.

Decoration

The glass paintings are decorated with gold leaf, providing devotional images for the puja (worship) room. The colours used are rich and bold. If the figure painted is that of a deity, it is surrounded or housed within a frame. Often the formal frame is created by depicting heavily fringed and tasselled curtains, chandeliers, glass lamps, winged angels, or heavy furniture.

Process and techniques

Glass painting follows a procedure that is markedly different from the process followed when painting on opaque surfaces. The technique requires visual memory since the details, especially the finishing and shading lines, are painted in first and the large areas of colour are filled in afterwards. The picture is mounted with its unpainted side uppermost so that it can be viewed through the glass. The painting is executed by skilled artists,who exude exemplary confidence and immaculate craftsmanship. The picture, in tempera, is begun with the brush outlines and finer details being filled in first. Interestingly when the painting is finished these lines appear on the top layer. The effect of gilding is achieved by pasting gold or silver foil on the unpainted areas. This is followed by filling the larger areas with opaque paints. These areas are generally given a flat finish except when depicting drapery or when used to depict the face and body, in which case shading techniques are used. Gold leaf, small sequins and other shining particles are used to imitate jewellery. Sometimes portions of the picture are mirrored with mercury

Pahari Painting

2008-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

The Rajput paintings carried out in the Sub Himalayan states between 17th century to 19th century are known as Pahari paintings. The geographic region of Pahari painting includes Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and few areas in erstwhile Pakistan. Pahari rulers who were mainly Rajputs were great connoisseur of art and had maintained their own ateliers. This school has lots of influence of Mughal paintings and arts.
Pahari paintings developed in two phases. Early paintings of this school were distinguished by fish – shaped elongated eyes, oval faces , receding foreheads, round chins and prominent noses. Bold figures are carefully laid against monochrome backgrounds of red ,yellow, green or brown colours. Decorative pigmy trees suggest the feeling of perspective while the sky is indicated only by a narrow strip on the horizon.
On the basis of geography and style, Pahari paintings are grouped into following schools:

Schools of Pahari paintings

Basohli Paintings
Basohli is renowned for producing paintings of Devi series who was supreme Goddess. The Devi series painting was executed in bold designs. Iridescent beetles were used in the illustrations as jewels. Another famous illustration that was created was the romantic text of Rasamanjari, painted by artist Devidasa under the patronage of Raja Kirpal Pal. Basohli artists also painted portraits paintings.

The chief features of the Basohli paintings were geometrical patterns, and use of bold colors to infuse vitality in the paintings. Sometimes the artists also used lustrous enamel like colors. Basohli paintings were influenced by the painting schools of Mughal, Deccan school and Gujarat school of painting. By the end of the 17th century, influence of Basohli style became evident however it was lost out to the Guler painting tradition, which became dominant in the region. Dashavatara, attributed to the mid 18th century, executed by artist Mahesh was a significant work from this school. The illustration work based on the on the life of Krishna and the story of Usha and Annirudha from the Bhagavata Purana were other notable works of art.

Guler Kangra Style
In the 18th century, new school of Pahari painting came into existence. Slowly and gradually the paintings of this school surpassed other established painting styles. The decorative and stylized treatment of various motifs in flat, and cut out forms became more naturalistic in the new style. Eyes and the modeling of the face began to be treated differently. This painting style introduced naturalistic landscapes.
The illustration of Gita Govinda, showed landscapes, and used shading. The shading device appeared all over the grassy plains of the several paintings of the series. However, this feature was absent in the earlier Pahari paintings.

The lines in the paintings assumed a lyrical character. The line now seem to be flowing in a rhythmic way. Color scheme became slightly cooler and fresh colors were used and executed delicately on the cloth. The paintings of this school exhibit more vegetation and green expanses . Besides , the brooks and the rivulets became common elements of printings done in Kangra valley. The refined style of Guler Kangra is distinguished by its graceful female facial types .Female were depicted with sharp features. In the total scheme of the painting the feminine beauty is highly idealized in the Guler – Kangra style. Young female figures seen in these pictures are at once coy and endowed with exceptional beauty.

Garhwal
Garhwal painting and the artist Moluram are synonyms. The earlier work of Molu Ram reflected the influence of Mughal style while his later work can be interpreted as cruder version of Kangra traditions. Moluram was also a noted poets hence his paintings often carried his own verses and exact dates. One of the splendid works of this region was the work of art based on Shiva-Parvati.

Kangra
In the later half of the 18th century, Kangra style characterized with the lyrical and refined qualities developed. The painting flourished under Maharaja Sansar Chand whose patronage made Kangra style the main center of Pahari Painting. Artists produced beautiful works based on Bhagavata Purana, Gita Govinda, Nala Damayanti, Ragamala, and Satsai (Seven Hundred verses).

Kulu
Many portraits of the Kulu rulers have been executed outside Kulu. Shangri Ramayana dated 1690 –1710 ascribed to Kulu, exhibited four distinct styles. However, new scholastic research indicates that this work was not produced in Kulu but at Jammu. The other notable works of art were a Bhagavata Purana and two Madhumalati manuscripts.

Phad painting

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Phad painting is a painting, that is beautifully executed on the cloth in the region of Rajasthan. It is basically a folk painting on cloth, which commemorates the deeds of a hero. It also depicts the local deities and their stories, and legends of erstwhile local rulers. Phad is a type of scroll painting.

Most of the Phad paintings available belong to the late 19th century or early 20th century. The paintings generally portrayed the life and the events of great rulers like Goga Chauhan, Prithaviraj Chauhan, Amar Singh Rathor, Tejaji, and so on. In the modern Phad paintings, apart from the life event of these kings, the stories from the life of Papuji, and Narayandevji are also depicted.

How Paintings are Made?
Phada paintings are made by the painters belonging to chhipa caste, also known as Joshis. These paintings are considered sacrosanct, and are begun only after certain ceremonies. Phadas do not do paintings during the monsoon season, as they believe that the folk hero deities are asleep during this period.

Chhipa draws the initial sketch (chakna dena) on a coarse and starched white cloth with a non-permanent yellow color. After that, the faces and the figures are painted with a saffron color (munda banana). Colors are applied in the following sequence-green, brown, vermilion, sky blue, and finally black. These colors are used for outlining the figures. Traditionally, colors derived from vegetables and minerals are used but today synthetic colors have also become popular.

The brushes used by Chhipa are prepared from the hair of the squirrel tail or goat. The most interesting thing about the making of this painting is that the artist does not paint the eyes of the main character till the time he does not hand over the cloth painting to the bhopa (a person from the bhopa caste who specializes in singing different tales). At this time he adds the name of the bhopa and the date on the painting.

The central portion of the paintings depicts the main story while the puranic tales are illustrated on the border areas. Today, phadas have become an important item in the commercial market for their unique appeal.
Materials used Materials used for making this painting include: khadi silk, Cotton cloth and canvas, Mercury based stone colors, vegetable colors and sometimes synthetic colors. The paintings are shaped in all sizes : miniature / middle and large.

Themes of the Paintings
Besides, mythological depiction, the school of painting also depicts historical events like invasion of Mahmud Gajnavi on Somnath Temple, Johar of Rani Padmini of Mewar the battle of Haldighati between Rana Pratap of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Jaipur , elopement of Sanyogita with Prithvi Raj etc.

Where it can be used
Phad paintings are beautiful paintings that can be used for the following:

Interior decoration
Govt. Offices
Secretariats
Public Libraries
Town Halls
Educational institutions
Foreign Embassies
Museums and Five Star hotels

Tanjore Painting

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Tanjore painting is a classical art form that has been practiced by the people in Southern Tamil Nadu for the past two centuries. The art flourished in Tanjavur, pronounced Tanjore, the capital city of the Chola dynasty. Beauty is the chief characteristics of this painting. Tanjore painting is truly a reflection of the beautiful, rich and full bodied colours. The theme of this painting is religious and it mainly depicts Gods and Goddesses. The paintings of Tanjore today adorn the living rooms, drawing rooms, corporate office corridors, pooja rooms etc and are zealously guarded by those who have them.

Tanjore painting is sacred and dedicated. In the past, they were patronized by Maratha princes, Nayaks of Vijaynagar dynasty, Rajus communities of Tanjore and Trichi and Naidus of Madurai.

The notable feature of these paintings is the richness in which they are adorned. Tanjore paintings were adorned by semi-precious stones, pearls, glass pieces and gold. The rich vibrant colors, dashes of gold, semi-precious stones and fine artistic work are characteristics of these paintings. The paintings can add new character and definition to the place where they are installed.

The paintings of Tanjore are unique in the sense that the basic drawings were embellished with precious and semi-precious stones. Apart from the basic designs, the relief work which gives them a three dimensional effect were also decorated. The pictures on the paintings are of various sizes, ranging from huge works spanning whole walls to small miniatures no longer than 6-inch square.

How Paintings Were Made?
Tanjore paintings were made in different stages. In the first stage the preliminary sketch of the image on the base was drawn. The base consists of a cloth pasted over a wooden base. Later, on the base, chalk powder or zinc oxide mixed with water-soluble adhesive are applied. The base is made smoother by using mild abrasive. On the completion of drawing, decoration of the jewellery and the apparels in the image is done with semi-precious stones. Laces or threads are also used to decorate the jewellery. On top of this, the gold foils are pasted. Finally, dyes are used to add colors to the figures in the paintings.

Colours
Colours used were natural. Artists mainly used bright luminous colours because the paintings were originally meant to be kept in poorly lighted rooms, temple, mutts and homes for worshipping. Apart from canvas, Tanjore style paintings are also drawn on glass by using different techniques. The beauty of the Tanjore paintings lies in their brilliant colour scheme, decorative jewellery with stones and cut-glasses & their chubby larger-than-life figures.

Tanjore Paintings in Modern Times
The painting tradition of Tanjore is still kept alive by the modern painters and artists. However nowadays painters are experimenting with many new things some which are as follows:
For the base of the painting, nowadays ply-board is used. Earlier the base of this painting was from jackfruit tree

Earlier natural colors were used, now chemicals colors are frequently used

Earlier deities were painted with well rounded body and almond shaped eyes. Today this rule is not followed strictly. However the figures so painted are still plump having chubby cheeks .The presiding deities of various temples are also being depicted today.

Earlier paintings were embedded with real diamonds, rubies & precious stones. Now the gem stones are replaced with semiprecious and artificial stones like jaipur glass stones

Rajasthani Paintings

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Paintings of Rajasthan also popularly known as Rajasthani paintings or Rajput paintings are known for its magnificence and grandeur. Rajasthan has been the prime center of art and crafts since many centuries. Especially in the Rajput era, in the medieval period arts and crafts flourished due to the patronage of the ruling houses. There is a certain richness in the art, from this region that can be attributed to the favor it found with the royal families of the state.

Influenced by the surroundings Rajasthani paintings depicted themes like the hills and valleys, deserts, places and forts, gardens, court scenes, religious processions and those highlighting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna were the recurrent themes of these paintings. The Raagamala paintings and those based on Geeta Govinda are treasures of Rajasthan.

The most important thing about the Rajasthani painting is that, it does not flourished in a single place. All over Rajasthan, painters use to make paintings with distinctive features which were determined by local customs and followings. It is because of this fact one can easily explain the presence of diverse influences in the Rajasthani school of painting.

Colors
The artists of Rajasthan used natural colors for their paintings derived from the natural sources like minerals, vegetables, precious stones, indigo, conch shells, pure gold and silver. Preparation and the mixing of colors was an elaborate process and it took weeks, sometimes months, to get the desired results. Very fine brushes were made for different kinds of paintings.

Amber and Jaipur Schools
Portrait paintings are the characteristic feature of Amber and Jaipur school. The portrait were executed in a markedly Mughal style. The center of Amber school shifted to Jaipur in 1728 when Raja Jai Singh shifted his capital here. Jaipur paintings flourished under the Patronage of Jai Singh and his successor. The paintings clearly showed inheritance from the Mughal source but the bold compositions and use of abstractions were distinctly regional.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Jaipur school produced many classical paintings based on the episode of lord Krishna' s life. The other popular themes of the paintings were ragamala and devotional subjects. These found patronage outside the Jaipur court as well.

Bikaner School
Bikaner paintings of Rajasthan was very close to the Mughal tradition. This resulted in the fineness and delicacies in the painting. Bikaner paintings were also influenced by the Deccani paintings. During the late 18th century, Bikaner paintings started showing conservative Rajput influence.

Hadauti Painting School
These are the paintings that hail from the regions of Kota and Bundi, in south-western Rajasthan.

Bundi
Earliest Bundi painting was Chunar Ragamala painted in 1561. The Bundi paintings started to flourish in the 17th century under the reigns of Rao Chattar Sal (1631-58) and Bhao Singh (1658-81). The main theme of the Bundi painting include court scenes, themes from the life of nobles, lovers, and ladies, flowing rivers, dense forests, lush green fields etc. . Colors used on these paintings were bold that were typical of the Rajasthani style. Yet, they retained the delicacy of the Mughal style.

There are some of the masterpieces that were produced by the artists of this school. These paintings were painted in the second half of the 17th century and include:

Painting of a couple watching pigeons
Couple in a pavilion
Lovers viewing a crescent moon

Kota
The state of Kota was created in the first of the seventeenth century from the established kingdom of Bundi. The painting style developed here retained primarily all the Rajasthani influence. However there was one contrast that make it different from other prevalent school styles. This difference was that

Kota paintings were spontaneous and calligraphic in execution. Kota painters laid more emphasis on
the double lidded eye, and are characterized by remarkable shading. The figures of women painted here are graceful, with well proportioned bodies and sharp features.

The portrait painting of the Kota school employed vibrant colors and bold lines. In the first half of the 18thy century, Kota painters began to depict male with a long hooked nose. In Kota paintings, the major themes that were depicted are:

Hunting scenes
Ragamalas
Portraits
Scenes of worship
Court Scene and processions
Natural Scenes

Kishengarh school
The Kishengarh school is best known for its Bani Thani paintings. Long necks, large, almond shaped eyes, long fingers and the use of subdued colors are the features peculiar to this school. The school flourished under the patronage of Raja Sawant Singh, better known as Nagari Das. The usual court scenes have also been painted here but it was Nagari Das and his love for the singer-poet Bani Thani that gave this tiny state the most refined and delicate paintings.

Madhubani paintings

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Madhubani paintings, also referred as Godhna, Maithili and Chitra figure paintings are renowned worldwide for their beauty and simplicity. The art is originated from the small region of Bihar in Madhubani. The exact beginning of the painting is still unknown. According to the traditions, the painting originated in the Ramayana period when King Janaka invited the painters to paint the marriage of Lord Rama and Sita.

Initially the people of Maithil region do painting only for the decorative purpose and this art was not commercialized. However after 1960s, the famine and flood led to the commercialization of this art.

The painting now began to be executed on cloth, satin, sarees etc instead of walls. However the original theme which was chiefly religious was never abandoned.

How it is done?
Cow dung paste and mud is applied on the walls and floors to give a perfect black background on which pictures are drawn with white rice paste; bright vegetable colors are then applied on the figures making them more vibrant. A great number of Madhubani painters still apply a thin layer of cow dung and mud paste on their canvases to give a more authentic look and also because it helps in proper absorption of color.
Madhubani is a style of painting that employs natural colors and the most popular one include deep red derived from Kusuma flower, green from Bel trees, black from burnt jowar, light yellow from turmeric mixed with banyan leaf milk and orange from Palasa flower. The brush for painting is unusual and is handmade.

It is a Feminine Art
Madhubani painting is the work of women folk of Madhubani. This art has been practiced since many centuries. After getting respite from daily chores, the women of Madhubani portray figures from nature and myth on the fabrics. Nowadays this art is now not limited to women only as lots of men are also undertaking this practice.

Themes of Madhubani painting
The themes of Madhubani paintings mainly revolve around religion and mythology. These themes can be grouped into two- little tradition and great tradition. The little tradition painting includes Gods like Raja Salesh, Buddheshwar, Jutki Malini, Reshma, whereas the Great tradition is a tribute to the Hindu Gods like Krishna-Radha, Shiva-Parvati, Ganesha, Maa Durga, and the likes. Apart from this the artist also extract the theme from the nature and the village surroundings.
Other themes of the Madhubani paintings are celestial subjects like Sun and Moon. The holy Tulsi plant is also regularly featured in these paintings. These paintings also beautifully depicts court scenes, wedding scenes and social happenings. Intricate floral, animal and bird motifs, and symmetrical geometric designs fill up the gaps.

Features of Madhubani Paintings
The main features of Madhubani paintings are:

Colors used are bold, natural and artificial colors.

Border is double lined having simple geometric designs or with ornate floral patterns on it

The main theme is supported by symbols, lines and patterns

The painting also sometimes shows abstract-like figures, of deities or human

The faces of the figures depicted on the canvas have large bulging eyes and a jolting nose emerging out of the forehead.

Tribal paintings of India

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Tribal paintings of India though simple, are yet stupendous in outlook which successfully reflects the natural lifestyle of the Indian tribes featuring their day to day experience amidst unexploited nature along with their varied forms of art & activity.

The paintings proudly announce the belief, taboo and culture of the tribal people. Having the glimpse of the painting can give the idea of the intricacies of their lifestyle merely through their art & crafts. The tribal art differ from the region to region and so is the painting. But one thing is common and that is the excellent craftsmanship displayed by these people. The old art forms function as an eye opener to exhibit the rich artistic culture of India to the rest of the world. Some of the popular Tribal Paintings of India are:

Worli Paintings by the Worli Tribes of Maharashtra

Worli tribe of Maharastra is known for their beautiful and symbolical paintings exhibiting their firm beliefs in the varied aspects of life & customs. These paintings are mainly executed on the mud wall by using white color to depict the varied human scenes engaged in distinct activities.

Gond Paintings
Gonds are the tribal people of Madhya Pradesh. The credit for making the Gond painting global rests with late Jangar Singh Shyam and his family thus, making the legacy of the art inevitably successful globally. The Gonds mainly painted their dieties in a unique style & figures on paper.

Pithora Paintings by Bhil Tribes
These paintings are mainly executed by the Bhil tribes of Madhya Pradesh in India. The tribe generally projects a marriage procession of a pithora & pithori, which are as per their mythology attended by gods and other beings.
The paintings are found in brown shades where most use of colors prepared from leaf extracts, vermilion, lime, lampblack and other natural extracts are made. A pithora painting is distinguished from other types due to the four white pithora horses painted facing each other & being treated as the stamp of fulfillment of one's wishes.

Bell metal craft

2008-01-29T06:15:00.000-08:00

Bell metal craft in India has always attracted the art lovers with their breathtaking designs & beautifully captured the lost patterns. Bell metal is an alloy and has been used for carving artistic products since time immemorial. The metal resembles a lot with bronze in many ways and are molded artistically to produce distinguished art work bringing forward the ethereal beauty & sophistication of the creatively rich tribal art.
The origin of this craft can be traced to Kerala, “God's own country”. However this craft is also popular in Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal & Assam. Bell metal craft is applied extensively for producing items meant for both utility & aesthetic purposes. The metal is extensively used for shaping tribal deities. Apart from this the metal is transformed into appealing designs to other vital stuffs such as ornaments, utensils, home furnishing materials easily shaped in unimaginable shapes & sizes.

Raw Materials
Bell Metal alloy consists of 77% copper and 23% tin. For creating bell metal handcrafted items, the basic raw materials required are Charcoal, Lac, Clay, Jute fibers, Rice bran, Mustard oil and lac.

Process of Making Bell Metal Craft
Bell metal crafts are manufactured using ancient method popularly called as cire-procedure process or "lost wax", process which utilizes the use of fuel, brass, wood, wax, and clay.
The process involves the shaping of the into certain figures & thin wax threads are laid. Either hammer beating on an ergot or steel metal while heating or pouring the molten metal into clay for ordinary ware are two of the procedures applied generally for shaping of an object. Beating makes the bell metal article more durable whereas further heating & subsequent cold water dipping of the object finally yields the finest bell metal article. The turning process which lightens the blackness of the object post heating includes the vital role of a string done on the lathe. The gum is used to glue the object to the outer end of the lathe which, as it rotates, exposes the object to be lightened to the constant application of the chisel. Unwanted bulk is removed whereas the article is smoothened through brushing, painting & polishing. Through this procedure, every bell metal artifact has to undergo the daunting task to deliver the finest art piece.

Bell Metal Artifacts
Bell metal artifacts are of different nature. Figurines & abstract images mostly figure in these lists. Bell metal artifacts are produced taking maximum 4-5 days of production mostly indulged in producing household utensils, idols, jewelery and decorative pieces with religious motifs. Bellmetal artifact like Kasargod has the global recognition. Some of the artefacts of Bellmetal that are widely demanded worldwide are:

Lamps

Lamp Shades

Bells

Musical Instruments

Bottle Openers

Boxes

Tribal figurines

Lanterns

Tribal Animals

Flower Basket

Photo frames

Paper Weight

Pen Stand

Masks