Page 104 - Tibetan Thangka Painting Methodsand Mat, Jackson

resting their hands on the painting surface, allowing
only a small area on the outer edge of the little finger to
touch it. l..egdrup Gyatsho used to place a small piece
of clean cloth or paper under his little finger and then
slide his hand on this over the painting while working.
Such a procedure is especially helpful now for painters
working in the hotter climates of South Asia, since it
helps prevent smudging caused by a sweaty hand. For
work on rougher surfaces, as during mural painting, a
small leather covering was sometimes devised to protect
the little fmger and the edge of the painting hand. For
many experienced artists, however, such protection was
not necessary since they had long ago built up a heavy
callous on the part of the little finger that was in
constant contact with the painting.

Adjusting the Paint on the Brush Tip

When working, the painters commonly held the brush in
the right hand and the dish of paint in the palm of the
left. At the same time many of them also commonly
employed the left hand as a sort of palette or testing
surface. Just before applying the paint, some artists
would stroke the loaded brush against the back of the
left hand, between the thumb and index finger. This
helped both to shape the brush tip and to distribute the
Wangdu with canvas on his lap and resting his painting paint load properly. It also allowed the artist to check
hand on the canvas. for excess moisture in the paint. Some artists preferred
to do the same thing by stroking the brush on the left
top portion of the painting, the artists usually placed thumbnail instead. For similar reasons others licked the
the bottom of the stretcher on the seat before them. tips of their loaded brushes or rolled them between their
But when working on the lower portion they commonly lips to point them. Painters who licked the brushes with
lifted the stretcher and placed its base on their legs or their tongues not only shaped the loaded brush tips in
laps. Often the top of the stretcher was held up by a this way, but also added a little saliva to the paint while
cord that was tied at its other end to a nail or rafter doing so. As one painter pointed out, saliva was
somewhere above. Alternatively, some painters worked excellei1t for thinning paint during the painting of
with the bottom of the stretcher on their laps but with delicately shaded areas. Painters who licked their
the top resting against a wall, pillar or any handy brushes, however, had to know which paints were
support. A few painters also found it comfortable to poisonous and thus not to be ingested. This use of
work for periods while supporting the back of the tongue and saliva by Tibetan painters was in fact quite
"canvas" with the free hand, for instance while sketch- widespread, judging from the funny stories circulating
ing. But even then they commonly left a loose among Tibetans that allude to the technique. 4 These
supporting cord tied to the top of the stretcher, so that stories also reveal a somewhat disapproving attitude on
if they let go it would be caught by the cord and would the part of ordinary Tibetans towards this practice. S
not fall to the floor.
To ensure maximum control the painters also Work Duration and Routines
supported their painting hands on or above the painting
surface in special ways. A steady hand was of course It took the artist from a few hours to a few days or even
important during many stages of painting, but it was weeks to complete the application of the first coats of
crucial for any detailed work. For this purpose some colour. This depended on the size of the project (the·
painters - especially, we are told, the painters of the number and size of the thangkas being painted together)
Shigatse school - traditionally worked while resting and the complexity of the compositions. Painters
the painting hand on a small board that spanned the normally worked only during daylight hours, and while
sides of the wooden stretcher. By using this "hand painting they usually sat near a sunny window.
support" (lag rten) these artists could paint with great Nowadays the older artists still typically prefer not to .
control without having to touch the painting surface work at night under electric lights. Working in direct
with their hands, thus helping to avoid any accidental sunlight was also avoided for, as one painter pointed
smearing of the wet paint. out, the hot sunshine made the paints dry too quickly.
Artists from lhasa and other parts of Central A painter usually ended his day's work at the
Tibet (Dbus), however, were more apt to paint while conclusion of a particular step, for instance when he

100 TECHNIQUES OF PAINT PREPARATION AND APPLICATION