What materials do you need to draw Thangka?

Thangka painters divide all the pigments needed for Thangka painting into nine categories: earth, stone, water, fire, wood, grass, flowers, bones and precious stones.

These natural raw materials are carefully collected, processed and mixed to make pigments with different colors and effects in Thangka paintings. Among them, soil is a commonly used white pigment in Thangka paintings, which has the advantages of high whiteness, high hiding power, sun resistance and durability. Stone commonly used in Thangka paintings, such as lapis lazuli, turquoise, coral stone and other gem pigments, can present rich colors and luster.

Water-based pigments are made of natural minerals, including red, yellow, green and blue colors, with high transparency and low viscosity. Fire pigments are made of natural organic materials, including orange, red and purple, with high saturation and high brightness.

Wood pigments are made of natural wood, including light yellow, yellow, brown and other colors, with high transparency and low hiding power. Grass pigment is made of natural plants, including green, turquoise and other colors, with high brightness and low hiding power.

Color pigments are made of natural flowers, including red, orange, purple and other colors, with high transparency and low hiding power. Bone pigments are made from animal bones, including white and gray colors, with high whiteness and low hiding power. Finally, gem pigments, including high-grade pigments made of various precious gem powders, are bright in color and have strong hiding power.

Classification by material:

(1) Embroidered Thangka. Embroidered with various colors of silk thread, this Thangka is tough and durable, and it is not easy to be destroyed.

② Thangka. With the method of "letting warp pass and breaking weft", all kinds of weft yarns are intertwined with warp yarns where patterns need to be woven, and stones and wood are carved, which has a three-dimensional effect.

(3) Brocade Thangka. The texture is mostly satin, and the weft is composed of various silk threads, which are woven into the required patterns, images and scenery in staggered jacquard weaving.

④ Pile embroidery, also known as decal Thangka. First, cut various colors of satin into figures (figures, birds and animals, trees, pavilions, flowers and plants, etc.). ) and paste it on the Thangka base material.

(5) draw thangka. Most of them are painted on paper, cloth, cowhide and sheepskin. , and then made into thangka. Its basic painting form is the same as mural painting. In the later period, Thangka paintings developed, and some of them were carved into printed boards for printing, which could become "printed Thangka".