What pigments are used to paint thangkas?

Pigments are traditionally all gold, silver, pearl, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, vermilion and other precious mineral stones and saffron, rhubarb, indigo and other plants as pigments to show their sacredness.

Tangka painting is a unique form of painting art in Tibetan culture, and the pigments it uses are also unique. Thangka painters categorize all the pigments needed for thangka painting into nine categories, namely earth, stone, water, fire, wood, grass, flowers, bone and precious stones. These natural raw materials are carefully collected, processed and mixed to make a variety of pigments with different colors and effects in thangka painting.

Among them, earth is the white pigment commonly used in thangka paintings, which has the advantages of high whiteness, high covering power, sunlight resistance and durability. Stones, on the other hand, are gemstone pigments such as lapis lazuli, turquoise and coral stone, which are commonly used in thangka painting, and they are capable of presenting rich colors and luster. Water-color pigments are made from natural minerals, including red, yellow, green and blue colors, with high transparency and low viscosity.

Tangka introduction

Tangka (Thang-ga), also known as Thang-ga, Thangka, is the phonetic translation of the Tibetan language, refers to the use of colored satin framed after the hanging of the religious scroll paintings for worship. Thangka is a unique painting art form in Tibetan culture, the content of the subject involves Tibetan history, politics, culture and social life and many other areas, most of the heirloom thangka is Tibetan Buddhism and the work of this religion.

Thangka is a unique form of painting art in Tibetan culture. With distinctive national characteristics, rich religious colors and unique artistic style, it depicts the sacred world of Buddha in bright colors; the pigments are traditionally all gold, silver, pearl, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, vermilion, and other precious minerals such as precious stones and saffron, rhubarb, indigo, and other plants for the pigments to show their sanctity.

These natural raw materials ensure that the painted thangkas are brightly colored and radiant, and despite hundreds of years of age, they are still colorful and bright. Therefore, it is known as the treasures of China's national painting art, known as the Tibetan "encyclopedia" is also a precious intangible cultural heritage of the Chinese folk art.