Dhokra Art

The traditional lost wax technique is simple and ideal for use in tribal settings. The craftsman begins by winding a slim thread of wax over the contours of a clay core . It is then thickly coated with fine clay obtained from termite bills, and baked on drying leaving a narrow vent to melt away the wax. The vacuum created between the core and the clay layer is filled with molten metal, which is then allowed to cool down and solidify. The moment that follows is loaded with anticipation, for it is then that the outer clay mould is cracked open, revealing the beauty of the final sculpture. Simple as this whole process seems, it requires great precision and skill. The metal must be able to flow uniformly and freely through the narrow spaces, and replace the wax without forming any bubbles or gaps.

Cow dung, paddy busk and red soil are also used in the manufacture of DHOKRA artifacts. However, of all the raw materials used by the GHADWAS, the most important is beeswax. Besides the essential contouring, wax wires and pieces are also used because of its extraordinary high plastic content and pliability, generating a rudimentary but powerful stimulus for the intensive design and faculties of the artisans.

Examples of the lost wax casting (also known as 'cire perdue') are found across the globe, but the coiled thread technique is unique to Bastar, Chhattisgarh. A glance at the traditional baskets provides a clue to its origin. The basket makers would wind grass around a rope, which was then coiled into shape. The same technique was translated into metal only much later, which forest dwellers being dependent on natural products like Nandi, Horse, Elephant, Ganesha, Candle holder, Candle stand long before they began to use metal. Metal anklets with basket weave motifs, and beautiful containers reminiscent of wicker baskets also point towards such a transition.

Process:-

1. Woman of the household powder and sieve the black clay or kali maati	2. The clay is kneaded with rice husk

3. A composite mould is made by applying  layers of soil soil mixes and drying it in the sun.	4. Thin strands of bees wax are extruded through a PICHKI with the help of a THASSA

5. The strands of bees wax emerging from the PICHKI	6. The mould is coated with the sticky juice of the leaves of green beans called SEM.

7. The clay mould is wrapped completely with wax strands.	8. Thick and thin strands are used to create embellishments. A wooden spatula is used to flatten the strands so as to smoothen the background and highlights the decoration.

9. The mould is covered with a layer of clay, sawdust and charcoal. On drying a second layer of clay is applied and then a final layer of DENGUR clay and rice husk	10. The mould is baked at 1100 Degrees Celsius. This melts the wax and creates a fine cavity between the layers of clay

11. Metal is melted and pored into the cavity. The molten metal flows through the space and takes on the impression of the walls of the clay mould	12. The mould is allowed to cool for two to three hours and is frequently sprinkled to with water, This hastens the cooling process and softens the mould for breaking.
13. The mould is broken, followed by filling and brushing of the artifact.	14. Finished product after polishing and buffing is ready to display.

Mysore Painting

Mysore painting  is an important form of classical South Indian painting that originated in the town of Mysore in Karnataka. Painting in Karnataka has a long and illustrious history, tracing it’s origins back to the Ajanta times (2nd century B.C. to 7th century A.D.) The distinct school of Mysore painting emerged from this legacy around the time of the reign of the Vijayanagar Kings 1336-1565 A.D. The rulers of Vijayanagar and their feudatories encouraged literature, art, architecture, religious and philosophical discussions and thus the Vijayanagar School of Painting of which both Mysore and Tanjore traditional painting are off-shoots, made a great historical contribution to the art of India. Mysore paintings are known for their elegance, muted colours, and attention to detail. The themes for most of these paintings are Hindu gods and goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology.

The ancient painters in Mysore prepared their own materials. The colours were from natural sources and were of vegetable, mineral or even organic origin such as leaves, stones and flowers. Brushes were made with squirrel hairs for delicate work but for drawing superfine lines a brush made of pointed blades of a special variety of grass had to be used. Due to the long-lasting quality of the earth and vegetable colours used, the original Mysore paintings still retain their freshness and lustre even today.

Gesso work was the hallmark of all traditional paintings of Karnataka. Gesso refers to the paste mixture of white lead powder, gambose and glue which is used as an embossing material and covered with gold foil. The gesso work in Mysore paintings is low in relief and intricate as compared to the thick gold relief work of the Tanjore School. Gesso was used in Mysore painting for depicting intricate designs of clothes, jewellery and architectural details on pillars and arches that usually framed the deities. The work was taken up in the morning when the base of the gold work on the painting was still moist so as to hold the gold foil firmly. After allowing the painting to dry, glazing was carried out by covering the painting with thin paper and rubbing over it with a soft glazing stone known as kaslupada kallu. When the thin paper was removed the painting shone brightly and looked resplendent with the combination of gold and a variety of colours

Madhubani Art

 Madhubani painting or Mithila painting is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state, India and the adjoining parts of Terai in Nepal. Painting is done with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks, using natural dyes and pigments, and are characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns. There are paintings for each occasion and festival such as birth, marriage, holi, surya shasti, kali puja, Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony), and durga puja.

The origins of Madhubani painting or Mithala Painting are shrouded in antiquity and mythology.

 

Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey). The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now it is also done on cloth, hand-made paper and canvas. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice. Madhubani paintings also use two dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively. 

Madhubani paintings mostly depict nature and Hindu religious motifs, and the themes generally revolve around Hindu deities like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings. Generally no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. Objects depicted in the walls of kohabar ghar (where newly wed couple see each other in the first night) are symbols of sexual pleasure and procreation.