How Thangka are Made? – Ritual Thangka

WHAT ARE THANGKAS?

Thangka paintings are Tibetan traditional paintings embroidered or painted with colors on silk or cotton canvas. Thangka is a Tibetan-derived word: Thang means unfolding and the word thangka means painting scrolls.

Anyone examining this religious scroll painting cannot help being driven by the exquisite materials and the divine beauty it holds. They vary in size and design. Thangka paintings can be made in a variety of designs such as embroidery, painting, brocade, pearl thangka, and so on.

SHORT HISTORY

Thangka paintings were originated around the 7th century in Tibet and by the 12th century, it was already widely practiced all over Nepal. The main reason behind the origination of Thangka is the depiction of Tibetan deities.

Tibetan monks used to travel all around the world for the purpose of sharing Buddha’s teachings and Buddhism cultures.  It wasn’t possible for them to carry the heavy copper statues of Buddha and other deities during their journey. That’s when thangka paintings were created to portray Buddha and other deities. It made the monks easy to worship and pray during their travels.

The thangka paintings hold great religious values and are tools for worshiping even till date. Thangkas are used in monasteries, religious gatherings for worshiping in Tibetan culture. They are sacred artifacts that radiate great sources of energy. They are one of the most beautiful artifacts of Tibetan Buddhism that have been handed down over generations and generations.

Later, it was adopted by many countries and religions. Since then thangka paintings have been used to portray the various religious culture, gods, and goddesses but the main significance of thangka paintings still holds ground with Tibetan Buddhism and its divine forms.

SIGNIFICANCE

The focus of thangka painting is not just for the pursuit of creativity. It’s not just an art form, the main focus and original reason for the creation of thangka paintings is to represent the deities and their divineness.

It’s merely important to conserve this art form and its originality for the undeniable religious, spiritual, historical, and meditational benefits that it holds. The lamas and artists who perform this art hand over their knowledge and techniques to next-generation for keeping this art form alive.

THANGKA MAKING PROCESS

 MEDITATION RITUAL

Meditation rituals are performed and mantras are chanted for calmness and purity of mind before starting the painting process.

A pure and devoted mindset must be made while making a thangka painting. By doing this the thangka is believed to absorb the positive, aura, and energy and emit it throughout its life. They are beneficial for meditational purposes as well.

Thangka paintings have their own process and requirement of working materials. The uniqueness in the technique of making a religious thangka needs practice and precise craftsmanship.

They are traditionally very fine painted and it’s a long process to reach the end when started. The time span to complete a thangka painting can be from 2 months to 2 years on average. More time can be needed in case of detailed art structures. The sizes can be available in large, ordinary, or small formats.

PREPARING CLOTH FOR CANVAS

Since they are made in cotton and silk cloth canvases, the clothes are washed and dried. All end corners of the cloth are sewed making space for rope strands. The space must be hollow enough for the rope to run through the inside of the edges of the canvas.

STRETCHING OF CANVAS

The cloth is then laid flat on wooden frames followed by tying the ends with the rims of wooden frames. The cloth is attached to the stretch frame. All sides are stretched equally and tightly.

POLISHING OF CANVAS

A mixture of white fine calcite powder and yaks skin solution (resin) is polished on the surface of the canvas. The polishing should be done equally all over the surface. This process is repeated for multiple times, the canvas needs to dry in between every coating done. This is done to seal the tiny pores of the cotton cloth.

When the solution is completely absorbed and dried within the canvas, a fine stone is used to rub over the canvas to make a smooth surface for painting.

With this done, now the canvas is ready to be painted.

POSITIONING

Canvas is positioned horizontally or vertically on easels or painting stands.

DRAFT SKETCHING

The most important part of making a thangka painting is to create a draft sketch on the canvas.

They are made with prior visualization of the themes to constitute in the painting. They can reflect historical cultures, deities, social lives, and so on. It is not only rich in its iconography, religious content and stylistic development but also in terms of materials and skills that the painters and their patrons lavish upon it.

Thangka paintings are strictly governed by iconographic rules and techniques. You can use charcoals for sketching Buddha which is called white painting and you can use inks or pencils to draw the lines which is called black painting.

Traditionally with thangkas, the work is done from outside to inside. That means you begin with landscape and the final detailings are done on Buddha. It helps to build up concentration and create a real connection with the energy of that Buddha.

COLORING

When the sketching portion is completed coloring is done by using natural colors. The paint consists of pigments in a water saliva medium of animal glue. Both minerals and organic pigments are used for painting.

Some organic pigments are made from natural elements like plants for example: cochineal-red from cinnabar, vivid yellow from saffron, bright red color from madder, orange or brown from ocher, pink to red from rhubarb, and so on.

Traditionally, the pigments for thangka painting were made by using natural elements in a time-consuming way. The natural elements, herbs are boiled with water to get a thick solution and such solution was used for pigmentation. In today’s date also there are few of the painters, craftsmen who exercise this traditional technique.

For coloring, a certain pattern or step-wise technique needs to be followed. Sky, hills, water, clouds, temple roofs, temple walls, and so on are painted one after another. Brush with thin tips is used to apply small strokes on the outline areas. Color linings are done to make the details of the picture intact and distinguishable such as water waves, roof patterns, tree leaves, clouds, jewelry of deities, and so on. The painting begins from background scenes. Light colors are painted first followed by dark ones.

The shadowing process is another incredibly fine procedure done with small stripes and dots. While painting, colors are applied in layers as well for better visuals and the long life of the painting. Colors are only reapplied after drying the first coat. Therefore, thangka painting requires a lot of patience and dedication to complete it as a whole. Even one single lotus flower painting in a thangka can take up to 1 week to complete.

Painting of facial features: eyes, nose, lips, and body parts: hands, feet, nails are the last things to do while painting in thangkas.

While making the eyes of Buddha, Buddha’s eyes opening ritual needs to be performed. Not forgetting the fact that you’ll see a lot of gold used in thangka paintings. Gold paints are used for the body of Buddha, his throne, and other highlighting significance structures. Real gold is used to make gold pigments. It takes several days for a tiny piece of gold to be processed for paint use.

Oil coating is done at the end for the finishing of the thangka painting and for the longevity of the painting’s life.

FINISHING

After the completion of thangka paintings, painters tend to write mantras and prayers on the back of the thangka as its blessing powers. Other rituals also can be performed by Buddhist lamas and monks to bless the thangka painting.

The painting is slowly unstitched or untied from the stretch wooden frame.

The completely done thangka painting requires brocade to be fitted. It acts as an attractive decoration part of the painting also as an extra protective layer for the four sides of the painting. It prevents tearing and helps with the handling of thangkas.

The thangka is then attached by leather rims, wooden rolled dowels at the top and bottom, and wooden or metal decorative strands at the bottom. When not in use thangka paintings must be stored by rolling in silk or any other soft fabric covers. Moisture must be prevented on the painting which may disfigure the details and paints of it.

Its brilliant colors and forms awaken the mind and energize consciousness. Thangka paintings can be learned from skilled masters, lamas, and monks in Nepal. All you need to master a thangka painting art is deep interest, concentration, and discipline. Making thangka is itself a meditational process and many artists, healers practice thangka paintings all around the world. Your concentration level gets refined during the process of making a thangka painting.

Thangka paintings are hanged on walls of temples, monasteries, religious gathering places, homes, and offices. Thangka tends to draw positive energy and rejuvenating powers in the area it stands. When a person gazes at a thangka painting, it can inspire him/her on their spiritual paths.