INDIAN PAINTING
‘TECHNIQUES’
24-11-2020
B.F.A 5TH SEM
AMAN 18BFA1029
MANPREET KAUR










BHIMBETKA CAVE PAINTING
Bhimbetka artist used to paint the paintings in 3 major techniques as first comes
transparent technique in which they use lots of water to mix the colour for it to be thin.
This technique was common in early phase.
Then there is a second technique where they used to mix pigment, possibly of several
colours with water known as opaque technique.
The third one is crayon technique which means applying the colour directly on the wall as
with a crayon. The paintings at bhimbetka shelters are so fresh after such a long time. As
their colours are not faded away these colours were a
combination of manganese, hematite, limestone, wooden
coal, soft red stone, plant, leaves and animal fats. The stone
named hematite, is easily accessible on the site. While
painting when a bond is established between limestone and
hematite it becomes inerasable. They used to mix powdered
colour with oil that extracted from animal skin, tree and
seeds also.
AJANTA CAVE
Wall painting done on dry wall called Fresco Secco. No
clue for preparing of wall technique. But in some text
written their in Ajanta explain the process of base of the
wall also finish coating called 'vajralepa'.
Base plaster consist of powered brick, mud, burnt
conches mixed with molasses and drops of Phaseolus
munga. Later own mashed ripe banana added with pulp
of bilva fruit. After drying added molasses and water
until it become soften. Use of buffalo skin for finishing
BAGH CAVE
One of the most notable features of the Bagh Caves is
mural painting made in tempera technique.
At the time of painting, walls and ceilings to be painted
were covered up with a thick mud plaster brown in
colour.
Lime-priming is done and then paintings were made
over them.
PHAD ART
 are created on hand-woven coarse cotton cloth, which is
soaked overnight to thicken the threads. It is then stiffened
with starch from rice or wheat flour, stretched, dried in the sun
and rubbed with a moonstone to smoothen the surface and
give it a sheen.
 The entire process of making a Phad painting is completely
natural, with the use of natural fibres, and natural paints
sourced from stones, flowers, plants and herbs.
The paints are handmade by the artists, and mixed with gum and water before applying
to cloth.
WARLI ART
Only paint with a white pigment made from a mixture of rice flour and water, with gum
as a binder.
PAINTINGS TECHNIQUES
2






A bamboo stick is chewed at the end to give it the texture of a paintbrush.
PATTACHITRA
When painted on cloth follows a traditional
process of preparation of the canvas.
First the base is prepared by coating the
cloth with the soft, white, stone powder of
chalk and glue made from tamarind seeds.
This gives the cloth tensile strength and a
smooth, semi-absorbent surface, allowing it
to accept the paint.
The artist does not use a pencil or charcoal
for the preliminary drawings. It is a tradition to complete the borders of the painting first.
The painter then starts making a rough sketch directly with the brush using light red and
yellow.
The main flat colors are applied next; the colors used are normally white, red, yellow,
and black. The painter then finishes the painting with fine stokes of black brush lines,
giving the effect of pen work.
When the painting is completed it is held over a charcoal fire and lacquer is applied to the
surface. This makes the painting water resistant and durable, besides giving it a shining
finish.

The materials used in the paint are from vegetable, earth,
and mineral sources. Black is made out of lampblack, yellow from
haritali stone, and red from hingal stone. White is prepared from
crushed, boiled, and filtered shells.
KALIGHAT PAINTING

Medium by the use of watercolors (instead of gouache),
and in technique by the appearance of linear perspective and
shading.
BENGAL SCHOOL OF ART

The paintings were Simple and standard paintings with
attractive colour scheme technique. Bright colours were not used
in such paintings.

The Bengal painters have made best possible efforts to
bring in the rhythm, linear gracefulness and poise of Ajanta in
their painting. Influence of Mughal and Rajasthan School can
also be seen.
REFERANCE
WIKIPEDIA
HISTORY OF INDIAN AND WESTERN ART BOOK
CONCISE HISTORY OF INDIAN ART
OUTLOOK INDIA MAGAZINE
PAINTINGS TECHNIQUES
3