Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface (support base). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is also used outside of art as a common trade among craftsmen and builders. Paintings may have for their support such surfaces walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay, leaf, copper or concrete, and may incorporate multiple other materials including sand, clay, paper, gold leaf as well as objects.

Painting is a mode of creative expression, and the forms are numerous. Drawing, composition or abstraction and other aesthetics may serve to manifest the expressive and conceptual intention of the practitioner. Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in a still life or landscape painting), photographic, abstract, be loaded with narrative content, symbolism, emotion or be political in nature.

The Indian Style

Being extremely diverse in culture, you can expect Indian painting tradition to be diverse as well. Indian painting is mostly a direct result of traditions and changing life styles over the years. You would even find Indian rock paintings dating back to as early as 5500 BC. The caves of Ajanta and Elloraare famous for its mural paintings.

During the reign of Mughal empire, Indian painting tradition took a new turn. A new form of painting called Mughal painting came up. ‘Hamzanama’ is one of the first and most famous Mughal paintings known today. Rulers of that time, Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan were all keen in promoting the art of painting. However, Aurangzeb showed little interest in arts and this probably led to downfall of art painting afterwards.

Next major era of painting started during the Rajput Empire and is called Rajput Paintings. The artists preferred creation of miniatures, but the subjects of the paintings were diverse. You would find paintings illustrating events from great Indian epics, landscapes and human life. Rajput Paintings are famous for its rich use of colors. An interesting fact about the colors used for these paintings is that some of the colors used were made from precious stones, silver and even gold! It took weeks to prepare the colors needed for these paintings.

Mysore paintings are famous for the level of detailing given to the subjects and for the use of gentle colors. Like any other classical South Indian painting, Gods and scenes from Hindu mythologies found its place reserved in Mysore paintings.

The creation of a perfect Mysore Painting has many stages. It starts with a rough sketch of the image. The base on which this sketch is made is just a paper pasted on a wooden board. First the throne or anything of that importance are painted.  Even gold foils were used for a better output. Then, watercolor is used to complete the painting, but only gentle tones.

Tanjore painting is perhaps the most important and old classical painting of south India. Use of rich colors, attention given to every minute detail and, most importantly, elegance, are some specialties of Tanjore paintings. The artists used precious stones and threads to make paintings look better. Dyes were used for giving color to the paintings.