|
Traditionally Thangkas (locally "paubha") are paintings of scared and ceremonial subjects to be hung in temples and Private Shrines and to be carried while travelling for worship and teaching.
The material used for thang-ka is linen cloth or coarse woolen fabric, silk cloth is also used for important subjects. Before painting begins, the material is stitched along the edges with flax thread wooden frame. Then a paste made of animal glue mixed with talcum powder is spread over its surface to block up the holes in it. When the paste is scraped off and the cloth gets thoroughly dried, the material is ready for painting. The drawing usually begins from the center and then goes to the surrounding deities or landscape. Coloring comes last. Important thang-kas are embroided on transferred outlines, some of them use a great variety of stitch patterns such as flat and piled stitches to give them a three dimensional effect.The best thanka uses precious powdered stone pigments for vivid colors. Silver and gold dusts are other importants ingredients. Before the introduction of anilin paints in the 19th Century, Natural Minerals and Organic Colors were used. Like ARSENIC for yellow, INDIGO or LAPIS LAZULI for Blue and COCHINEAL FOR Red. Moreover GOLD DUST is an important element of a good quality Thangka. Traditionally the completed Thangka was enclosed in cloth preferably precious Tibetan Brocade with Two Stripes in contrasting colors called rainbow sewn around the Thangka. The pictorial subjects of thang-kas include portraits of Buddha`s, stories from the lives of saints, and great masters. A few thang-kas reveal the everyday life of the ordinary people. Thus we can say that the thang-kas are in three categories. Mandala ( Buddhist Philosophy) , Wheel of Life and Life of Buddha The various sizes of Thang-kas are 50 x 40, 39 x 33, 60 x 47, 84 x 62, 140 x 100 centimeters. The most popular size is 50 cm x 40 cm. |