The steps of Thangka

The steps of Thangka

*data and research by harshkamal

Canvas Preperation

Objective: To prepare a smooth, durable, and receptive surface for drawing and painting.

Framing the Canvas

Sizing the Surface

A mixture of animal-skin glue (often from yak or rabbit) and calcium carbonate powder (distemper) mixture is applied to the fabric called gesso. This serves to stiffen the canvas and create a sealed surface.

Tibetan artists traditionally made their own hide glue from animal skins, but modern artists often use store-bought glue.

Gesso is applied properly on both sides of the canvas and let to dry in the sunlight.

Smoothing and Polishing

Once dry, the surface is scraped gently with a flat tool (smooth stone or rim of glass tumbler) to remove irregularities and is then polished with a smooth stone or glass implement until it achieves a fine texture.

Colour Preperation

Objective: To produce durable, vibrant, and symbolically appropriate colors using natural pigments.

Grating stone colours

Drawing the Composition

Objective: To accurately layout the visual structure based on sacred geometry and iconography.

Establishing a Grid: Using a compass, ruler, and string, a geometrical grid is drawn to define the layout and scale of the

composition.

Black lining using a thin fine brush.

Colouring

Layer by layer we fill from skies to figures.

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If you have any questions and things to share in this, please write to us.

If you have any questions and things to share in this, please write to us.

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