Paintings of India & Technique: Mural and Miniature Paintings for PAR

Paintings of India

Lepakshi paintings
Flourished during Vijayanagara kingdom
Theme not religious but secular
Complete absence of primary colours
Bad quality
Decline in paintings
Some of the wall paintings of this declining period in the reign of Prince of Travancore in Kerala
In the palaces of Jaipur in Rajasthan and in the Rangmahal of the Chamba palace in Himachal Pradesh are worth mentioning.

Paintings were executed in the traditional tempera technique.
After mixing colors in water along with a binding medium, they were applied on the drawing.
First, the sketch was freely drawn in red or black over which white priming was given.
The surface was thoroughly burnished till the outline showed clearly through it.
Then a second outline was drawn with a fine brush.
First, the background was colored and then the sky, buildings and trees, etc.
Figures were painted last of all after which a final outline was drawn.
When copies were made from perforated sketches by rubbing charcoal powder, the dotted outline took the place of the first drawing.
Colors used in paintings were obtained from minerals and ochers.
Indigo was the vegetable color.
Lac-dye and red carmine were obtained from insects.

Miniature painting’s size should not greater than inch square
The subject must not be painted greater than one sixth of its original size
Paintings are not merely about size but also the level of detail that differentiates it from small paintings
Miniature is derived from latin word minium meaning red led paint used in illuminated manuscript during renaissance
It has nothing to do with size.