After three rounds of line drawing, the draft outline of the Thangka is completed. At this point, the artist must carefully inspect the proportions and aesthetics of all parts of the painting. If no issues are found, coloring can begin. Coloring is a crucial step in the Thangka painting process, requiring the artist to possess sufficient skill and precise techniques.
Coloring Pigments
Traditional Thangka pigments are mostly mineral-based, extracted from various precious ores such as coral, pearls, agate, and gemstones. There are also pigments derived from plants and animals, such as deer antler powder, saffron, madder, and rhubarb, as well as pure gold and silver powder. Statistics show that traditional Thangka painting uses more than 20 types of mineral pigments alone. Generally, pigments are divided into primary and secondary colors: there are 5 primary colors (white, yellow, red, blue, green) and 9 secondary colors formed by mixing primary colors (withered yellow, flesh color, light rouge, black, smoky gray, earth yellow, dark shade, turquoise green, and bone white). These 9 secondary colors can be further blended into 32 recognized color combinations, offering a wide variety of tonal possibilities. Additionally, the precipitated color collected from the brush-washing bucket—known as "ran cheng se" (precipitated pigment)—is a unique hue that is difficult to replicate artificially.
Notably, many mineral pigments are handcrafted through slow and complex processes, resulting in high purity, stable quality, and strong coverage. Among all pigment materials, the use of gold is regarded as a masterful technique in Thangka art. After grinding and processing, gold can not only create intricate lines and patterns but also produce more than ten different shades. Furthermore, gemstones can be polished to create multiple layers on gold-painted areas—a technique unparalleled in other painting forms.
Coloring Steps
First, the artist prepares a large set of brushes—one for each color to avoid cross-contamination. Typically, the background and base colors are applied first to establish the overall tonal foundation. Next, landscape elements such as lakes, rocks, hills, and clouds are colored. Only one color is applied at a time, starting with lighter shades and progressing to darker ones, in a layered rendering process. After completing the landscape, the Buddha figures are colored: beginning with the lotus throne, followed by the robes, and finally the Buddha's body. Warm colors are generally used for figures, Buddha's light, architecture, and flowers, while cool colors are employed for mountains, trees, sky, earth, and sea. The interweaving of warm and cool tones creates striking contrasts, resulting in a layered, bright, and fresh composition.
Specific Pigment Production Methods
All pigments used in Thangka painting are hand-prepared by grinding and blending precious minerals, plants, pure gold, or pure silver to create the desired hues.
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Color
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Production Method
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Yellow
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Grind orpiment into powder in a stone trough, then wet-grind in a stone mortar for 3-4 days. Rinse repeatedly with clean water to remove impurities.
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Red
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Grind red ore into powder and wet-grind in a stone mortar for 5 days. Carmine red is obtained by boiling a type of yellow bark with herbs.
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Blue
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Grind ore into powder, place in a clay pot, add one drop of vegetable oil, and simmer with water. The sediment at the bottom is indigo. Re-wet-grind the indigo in a stone mortar for 5-6 days—the bottom layer yields the purest blue. Special note: Blue and green pigments require gentle grinding; excessive force must be avoided.
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Color Characteristics of Thangka Paintings
The two images above are excerpts from Amitabha Buddha and Thousand-Armed Vajrapani. The former is a "Chi Tang" (vermilion-based Thangka), painted with colors and gold lines on a dense cinnabar background. The latter is a "Jin Tang" (gold-based Thangka), created with a golden background.
Related Techniques
The process of dipping the brush into pigment bowls is called "zhan bi" (dip-pen technique). Though seemingly simple, this action follows strict guidelines, summarized in a popular rhyme:
"White, orpiment, and realgar—dip as if taking from snow-capped peaks;
Crimson, orange-red, secondary pink, gold, and silver powder—must be dipped from the bowl's edge;
Blue and green hues—dip from the bottom like retrieving from the sea."
Indeed, the dip-pen technique directly impacts the final color effect of the painting.
Extended Reading
When outlining, the artist typically starts with the main Buddha, followed by Bodhisattvas, masters, and Dharma protectors. Next come landscapes, sun, moon, colored clouds, blue sky, auspicious clouds, flowers, plants, animals, architecture, and offerings.