Join us on Wednesday December 9th at 2 p.m. for a fun filled session of Art Exploration where we will learn even more about traditional art from India and make our own artwork!

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. There are many styles of art in India, join us in learning a few.

Forms of Art 

One of Ross’s landscape paintings.

Folk Painting

Every region in India has its own style and pattern of art, which is known as folk art. 

There is yet another form of traditional art practiced by several tribes or rural populations, which is classified as tribal art.

Some of the most famous folk paintings of India are the Madhubani paintings of Bihar, Patachitra 

paintings from the state of Odisha, and the Nirmal paintings of Andhra Pradesh.

Kamal Dancer Nirmal Painting on Wood 

Bhimbetka Petroglyphs

The oldest Indian paintings are rock art in caves which are around 30,000 years old, such as the Bhimbetka cave paintings.

Bhimbetka Petroglyphs

Mandalas

Mandalas are a symbol in Buddhism and Hinduism representing the universe.The word mandala comes from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language meaning “circle.” The circle is seen as a magical form, without beginning and end, just as the universe is believed to have no end. It is said that a wander may have brought the first mandalas to Tibet in about the eighth century. Mandalas have been found across the Far East. Mandalas are considered to be of Eastern origin, but it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find any civilization without some awareness of the circle’s importance.

Thangka painting of Manjuvajra mandala 

was created between 1400 and 1500.

What are Mandalas used for?

The mandala is used as an object to focus your attention on while meditating.

Fun Fact

Babies as young as 1 week old prefer to look at circles over other shapes, which indicates that humans have an inborn desire to look at circular shapes. When children learn to draw, the circle is the first shape they make after random scribbling

Mandalas can be in architecture or paintings and come in a variety of materials.  Above a monk uses ancient techniques to get the perfect circle using colored sand.

Mandala of Vishnu

Madhubani Paintings

Also known as Mithila painting this is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state of India. Paintings are done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, and have eye-catching geometrical patterns and bright colors.

Resources

If you enjoyed learning about the Art of India and would like to know more, join us December 9, at 2pm. You will have the opportunity  to follow along with a fun Indian Art inspired project.

Checkout these fun titles about the Art of India:

India by Sylvia McNair

Ancient India by Ali Daud

Where is the Taj Mahal? By Dorothy Hoobler

Resource List: