Art as a tool
Superbly painted in rich colors and exquisite details, from the long tradition
of Himalayan region, the "Thangka painting" depicts the blissful
worlds of Tibetan Buddhism. The world of the peaceful deities with the
gaze of compassion and a gentle smile, or the wrathful deities with ferocious
expression who spread their multiple arms amidst a mass of primordial wisdom
fire. Thangka painting is not just an ornamental art as a decoration but
a tool to convey deep iconographic information to assist the meditation
of Buddhist practitioners.
Karma Gardri Style
Under the influence of ancient India, Nepal and China, many prominent artists
in the history of Tibet have developed unique traditions of Tibetan Thangka
painting. "Karma Gardri style" or "Encampment style"
is one of these traditions developed in eastern Tibet in the 16th century.
This style efficiently uses the contrast between pastel transparent background
and the deities in rich strong colors. Together with another contrast,
"space" and "detail", the traditional Thangkas of Karma
Gardri style creates magnificent meditative images.
Technique and Materials
Creation of the smooth and fine canvas which doesn't prevent the precise
brush stroke, tiny depiction of the deities according to the Ancient Buddhist
texts with the suitable landscape and offerings for the peaceful, wrathful
and semi-wrathful deities. To paint these celestial images, the colors
used in the traditional Thangka painting come from many different natural
sources. Mild and warm colors of earth, translucent and pure dyestuff,
deep and luminous colors from semi-precious minerals and pure gold.
Thangka Painter
Besides the actual painting technique, Thangka painters are required to
have a certain level of knowledge about Buddhist teachings as the details
of the deities such as the proportions, stance, colors, facial expressions
and attributes and so forth are compiled in the Buddhist texts. A Thangka
painter depicts the deities strictly following the texts descriptions and
creates the celestial world using his experience and imagination wherever
he found his freedom is allowed to bring sublimity as best he can.
