Tibetan Thangka Painting: Methods & Materials

Tibetan Thangka Painting is the only detailed description of the techniques and principles of the sacred art of Tibetan scroll painting. It is the distillation of research carried out over a period of ten years, collected during five journeys to Nepal and India, and compiled from some twenty traditional painters. This book presents, step-by-step, the techniques used to make a thangka from the preparation of the canvas to the final application of the sacred syllables behind each completed figure. Separate chapters introduce the reader to the basic principles of composition, color, and figure proportions. Included are descriptions of the pigments and how they are mixed and applied. A wealth of drawings and photographs illustrates each step and the many line drawings of symbols and motifs drawn by Robert Beer will greatly aid artists and serve as unique resource for designers. Robert Beer has also contributed a section which includes valuable guidelines for those who wish to paint thangkas using modern techniques and commercially available materials.

Finally back in print — the only book available that gives detailed descriptions of the techniques and principles of the art of Tibetan scroll painting. Explores in detail the background, themes, methods, and materials used to create these wonderful symbolic works.

David Jackson is Professor of Tibetan Studies at Hamburg University. He is the author of A Saint in Seattle and A History of Tibetan Painting. He lives in Hamburg, Germany.