Oil painting exists since the 13th century. Today, this medium is become so popular that a student must learn and appreciate this wonderful technique of art. Oil paints do not dry easily as water paints do with the help of evaporation. They dry with the help of a process called oxidative reaction. The blend of colors and the natural sheen that oil painting gives makes this medium a beautiful way to express yourself! 

Oil Painting is yet another fascinating journey in visual art medium. Oil paints are oil based and are usually prepared by blending colored pigments into linseed oil, poppy seed oil or walnut oil.  Oil paints are yellowish and take a considerable time to dry. To paint with oil paints is indeed a thrill and a joy especially for people who are amateurs. The effect that oil painting gives you is something that entices all art lovers!  To do an oil painting the following are the tools that are required: 

Depending on your subject of drawing you can buy the number of different colored oil paint tubes that you want. Usually these tubes are available in 20ml, 30 ml and 60 ml tubes. 50 ml bottle of Linseed oil, poppy seed oil or walnut oil is also required. However, the most commonly used oil is the linseed oil. A 250 or 500 ml. bottle of Turpentine which is used to mixed along with the paint to thin it. Paint brushes of various numbers (which includes thick and thin brushes). A palette and a dipper holder, canvas board and other materials will include pencil, eraser, cotton cloth, brush holders, jars and tracing paper.

There are no set categories and types of oil painting but it is said that oil paintings that are used to portray scenery are very appealing. You can explore the media just as you like. You can even paint surreal and imaginary paintings with this medium. Whether to use a thin based oil painting or a dense oil painting will depend on the picture you paint and the paint style you use.

Oil paints dry very slowly. Hence once your painting is done; make sure you keep it at a safe place where they can be kept for drying. Also, if you want to clean a layer of your oil paint, you can use alcohol. This will clean your layer of paint because alcohol is a powerful solvent! 

India has a rich and vast culture of handicrafts. The handicraft work in India has remained in existence since ancient times. One of the most appreciated handicraft types is of Coastal handicrafts. Thanks to India’s enormous coastal line, huge variety of handicrafts has flourished all along these coastal plains. The thing to be noted here is that, culture of coastal handicrafts is a not a new phenomenon. There is a rich tradition of coastal handicrafts that has been passed on from generation to generation. Coastal handicrafts are made using raw materials available at the shores and seas. Elements of modern aesthetics and sensibility have further helped in enhancing the beauty of coastal handicrafts.

The main hubs of Indian coastal handicrafts are Orissa and West Bengal. Orissa is known for its beautiful beaches, historical temples, famous sculptures and colorful appliqué works. The art works of Orissa like Patachitra, Pipili and Saura tribal paintings have always exuded class and elegance. The state is also known for vibrant fabrics. Puri is one place in Orissa that every religious person likes to visit at least once in his lifetime. Puri houses mesmerizing brass statues that have amazing finery. Other famous specialties of the state are carved sculptures, stoneware, detachable wooden toys and wooden masks.

Those looking for coastal art and craft works, better have a look at assortment of appliquéd wall hangings, garments, handbags, decorative hangings, papier-mache masks and linen.

Talking about coastal handicrafts of Bengal, conch shell art occupies the place of the pride. Created by artists known as ‘Shankharis’, this is a centuries old tradition. One can also find shell jewelry like pendants, bangles, bracelets that are made after slicing conch shells with hand tolls. You can also find other shell articles and beautiful objects made form pearls. The place is full of mesmerizing costal handicraft works. One has to visit coastal plains of Orissa and Bengal to truly experience this beautiful art form.

Watercolor painting technique is extremely old. It has been here since ages. Watercolors were used to paint the cave walls! When art flourished during the Renaissance period, watercolor panting as a technique became famous too!

It is the paper that can make or break your painting because different watercolors will have different effect on your paper. You can also try watercolor painting on light colored papers such as light pink and yellow! There are three types of papers that are used for watercolor painting: Hot pressed, moderate and rough. Hot pressed has a very smooth texture and can be used for painting with a lot of detailing. Moderate just as the name suggest, has a moderate texture and this is recommended for beginners whereas rough paper has a coarse texture and is used for specific effects. Thickness is also important while selecting paper for watercolor painting. However, as a beginner, you may use a usual 300gsm paper.

There are a lot of techniques that artists use in watercolor painting. Art is something where you can let lose yourself and explore. The most common technique is the flat wash technique. It is done by first wetting the area of paper to be covered by the wash, then mixing sufficient colors to fill the entire area. Most of the amateur painters fear this medium simply because it is difficult to make changes or correction once you have put your brush stroke on the canvas. However, practice is what will make you perfect here.

Some of these basic techniques are: The Simple Wash: Just mix up a lot of water with watercolor paint and with a thick brush, wash your canvas. Another technique is using the tip of your paint brush to dip it slightly in the water and then dipping it in the color you want to paint in and using strokes to paint on the canvas. This is especially used to paint branches of a tree. Erasing the paint is yet another technique used commonly in watercolor painting and this is achieved by using a thick hard brush, dipping it only in water and then slowing applying it to the canvas. Tinting is also another technique that is very easy to do but difficult to control. For example you want your painting to have more yellow in it, to be brighter. What you do is take some very thin yellow paint by using a lot of water, and carefully going over the dried portion of the painting that you wish to tint. However, there is no stopping from inventing your own technique of watercolor painting.

Almost every country in the world boasts of a proud tradition of folk art paintings so how could India remain an exception. Folk painting tradition in India goes a long way to the roots of Indian civilization. Like India, Europe has a highly valued and well respected folk painting culture. In fact, folk painting has its origins in 13th Century Europe. This was the time when folk paintings were used to decorate furniture that commanded huge premium in the market. As we are living in an era of retro-fashion, folk paintings have also re-emerged strongly. People with an eye on aesthetics are willing to pay good prices for painted wooden objects like plates, cabinets and decorative cutting boards. Antique art objects are being redecorated with folk paintings and sold at commendable prices.

The redecoration of wooden objects starts with restoring process where original varnish is first stripped off and then painted with a solution. Some of the rich traditional colors used for folk paintings are yellow, green, red and brown. Blue and some shades of white are also used to get the required effect. Folk paintings look best on dark wooden objects. Artists use quick drying wood stain for bringing dark wood effects.

The painting process can be completed with either water based works or oil based paint. Folk art paintings thrive on blending of colors. Pattern is another important factor in these paintings. There are plenty of reading materials available on folk art painting techniques on furniture. These paintings are a wonderful way to decorate your house or even to be used as a gift for special occasions. This art can be learned by anyone who is interested in paintings. This is a highly appreciated skill that will do great favors to your reputations.

Collecting art and craft work has become a strong hobby of quite a number of people. On one hand, it works as an investment opportunity and secondly, it helps in spicing up one’s living room. So, if someone is looking to add some finesse and rich color to his home then he need not look further than ha-painted furniture from Rajasthan. This desert state is home to myriad crafts. Rajasthan has always excelled in producing hand painted wooden furniture. If one is looking for distinctive style of furniture then Jodhpur and Kisanganh in Rajasthan are the places to be in.

The woods usually favored by Rajasthani artists are rose, mango and acacia Arabica etc. The process begins with making the furniture first. Thereafter, the end product is given finishing touches. Painting is the last step in the process. A coat of varnish is applied over the finished piece. As far as range of products are concerned, stools, wine racks, small chairs, paneled screens, trunks, doors, decorative carved windows and cupboards etc are the furniture items one can get his hands on. While decorating these items, wide range of bright colors are used over them.

Talking about wooden furniture from Jodhpur, they are generally made using ethnic color combinations. These items have unique antique charm associated with them. Decorative wooden wall pieces are highlight of Jodhpur school of art. They have richly carved borders and paintings of Rajput kings and queens and Hindu Gods.

Kishangarh School of Art is very rich in terms of its symmetrical floral motifs which will remind you of Mughal influence. Painted designs and embossed features are shining aspects of Kisangarh furniture. Painted furniture of Rajasthan are true reflections of state’s glorious past and rich culture. These pieces can add value to one’s living room and act as style statements.

In our previous posts, we have shared about what Madhubani paintings are and where do they emerge from and what are the common themes in such paintings. Also, off late I have been reading a lot about Madhubani paintings and thought I too should try my hand at it too. To do a Madhubani painting here is all that you would need:

• Cloth/Handmade paper
• Trace paper
• Fabric colours(for cloth)
• Poster colours (for paper)
• Black outliner
• Carbon sheet
• Indian inks (green, blue, red, orange, black)
• Madhubani Pen or a Black ball point pen

Decide on a theme. Trace the design of Madhubani using a carbon sheet on the handmade paper. If you do not trace it well, then later while outlining the painting you may face trouble. In case you want to make changes, you can make improvements in designs. Draw the outline using the Madhubani pen, dipping the pen in black Indian ink and removing the excess ink and drawing thin outline on the entire painting, or using a black ball point pen and outlining the design. People who are comfortable can also use a 000 point brush.

Now fill in the designs with Indian inks that come in various colors. Most people use green and red in Madhubani. However, you can use other colours too. Now allow it to dry and frame it. Madhubani paintings can be done on fabric too, however you then need to use fabric paints instead of Indian ink.

Indian art and craft has always been admired, appreciated and imitated. It comes as a sheer delight to notice that despite the presence of diverse cultures, diverse customs, diverse languages and habits, Indian art and craft as a whole has always shone by its sheer cultural richness. One of the siblings of rich Indian art and handicraft is patchwork that has always remained in shadows. Patchwork is all about combining together the pieces of fabric into a larger, beautiful design. It is also known as piecing in many parts of Indian subcontinent.

Patchwork can also said to be one of the primary construction techniques. Usually, patches of numerous colors and designs are formed together to make a larger design. The final design is normally based on repeat patterns. Appliqué and patchwork often go together. Patchwork is a detailed and precise craft and needs lots of practice and expertise. The joining of clothes must be precise. Most often than not, basic geometric shapes are used in these designs.

If we talk specifically about Indian states then, this craft flourishes in western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Indian patchwork has one unique feature of highlighting jazzy shades on the patches. The stitches are usually, not hidden. This helps in adding a bit extra to entire artistic flavor. States like Orissa and Punjab also practice this craft and one has to see these beautiful patchworks.

It is believed that patchwork came to India from Arab and Europe and today, it is a widely prevalent and practiced craft inside Indian Territory. Patch works thrive on artists’ creativity and imagination. Western Indian art and craft consider patchwork as an integral part of its culture. Some patchworks are made using ornaments with motifs. Colors are bold and often mixed with aesthetic motifs of animals, birds and trees. The beauty of patchwork can be witnessed in quilts, cushion covers, wall hangings, bed covers and even decorative items.

Working with a variety of mediums such as watercolours, oils, and pastels, Amitava has painted his thoughts yet camouflaging something which makes the spectator want to dig deeper in the canvas.

Amitava’s earlier works saw gentleness and acquiescence however; his recent paintings depict the violence and apathy of modern times. He has portrayed his thoughts and feelings evoked by his observations of the life around him. The artist feels that his paintings are a way that he gets a chance to express his thoughts. He says “The basic concept of my work is life around me. Throughout my life, I have been an urbanite and have reacted to anything that has happened - either political or cultural. But obviously, my paintings are my thoughts and I think through them. Painting to me has become a kind of a language.”

Born in 1947 in Delhi, Amitava graduated from the Delhi College of Art. He experimented with a few styles of painting and sketching. What is remarkable is the fact that through all his paintings, there is one common striking quality that comes through – stress on background and the layers of colours laid on the surface through which the images emerge. Amitava feels that it is through details that he defines his space in the painting. His work is based on situations where man is both the creator and the destroyer. Amitava creates a world that is natural and man made at the same time. It is way he uses different elements to create an environment that intrigues the spectators. With keen observation and sympathetic approach, Amitava highlights the inner struggle of humans. Off late, his work portrays aggression as Amitava feels how man has been isolating himself in this materialistic world. 

Those deeply interested in art and crafts must have heard of Stained glass art. It is a very colorful medium of expression for amateurs as well as professional artists. Many people are indulged in stained glass art as a serious hobby. This art from has several interesting aspects. One needs to be aware of those aspects that open a completely new dimension of stained glass art. Elements like how to cut the glass, foiling heavily textured glass, grinding, soldering (flux application and filling gaps, burnishing, etc.), and finishing (application of patina) etc very rudimentary to the whole craft form. One will also need to be aware of zinc farming and lamp photography to understand the true significance of this unique art. Many artists have reached to the level where they can decide the price of the finished works.

Large sheets of glasses are cut in the beginning steps. Curves are made with tapping techniques and serious practitioners of the craft even learn to cut inside a deep curve. This is a thorough process and takes discipline and patience. Grinding glass is another useful thing to learn here. One also needs to smooth up the rough edges of the glass. Then, there is soldering process that is actually very brief in nature. Then glass is centered where spaces are created between the glass pieces.

One of the crucial steps is Patina application that is relatively easy. One can witness stained glass art in products such as boxes, lamps, and other decorative objects. When it comes of lamps, one can see beautiful pieces of Panel lamps, Styrofoam mold lamps; fiberglass mold lamps etc. stained glass art is a process where one needs to be very patient. Things might not turn out as expected initially but sooner than later, with due practice, artist will surely master it.

Goud has a rustic charm of his own. He is versatile and experiments with a lot of different mediums in which he has been successful. Goud has used various mediums such as watercolours, pastels, gouache, glass painting, and even sculpturing in bronze and terracotta. Laxma Goud, using the simple art of sketching also creates wonders. He feels that possibilities are immense once you know the correct use of a particular medium.

Looking at Goud’s work, one feels that it is highly raw and rustic. Each portrait be it a man or a woman has a strong expression on their face. Also, his work has a strong Indian base that represents Indian ethos. Each character be it a sculpture or a painting has a powerful individual existence and the aspect of male and female sexuality is also highlighted. Goud’s strokes are highly casual and rough. This gives the canvas a very raw appeal which is quite exuberant in its own way. Goud’s work demonstrates the south Indian rural element of the country especially the way the woman is wearing her bindi. Sometimes it feels that Goud is recreating paintings from his childhood as if they are frozen in his mind.

Born in 1940 in Nizampur, Andhra Pradesh, K. Laxma Goud completed his diploma in drawing and painting from the Government School of Art and Architecture, Hyderabad, in 1963. He then went on to study Mural Painting and Printmaking at the Faculty of Fine Arts at M.S. University, Baroda, from 1963 to 1965. Today, the artist lives and works on his own in Hyderabad. Recently, Goud has worked on a series of landscapes in vivid colors with the theme of his youth spent in rural Andhra Pradesh. Like most of the artist’s work, these are generally executed in a miniature format this is probably because the viewer can connect directly with the work.