Thangka paintings, restoration and gilding
Gallery of Thangkas painted in the traditional Karma Gardri style. All the paintings are painted using natural pigments and materials. Depending on the size and complexity of the Thangkas, it can take upto a few weeks to several months to complete a Thangka.
Due to the water based colors and pigments used in Thangka painting and gilding of statues, it is vulnerable to humidity and direct sunlight. Eventhough restoration was rarely done on Thangkas, thanks to new techniques and materials it is becoming more prevalent in our times.
Gilding faces is one of the disciplines that every student studies during his or her training to become a Thangka painter. Although most bronze and copper statues can be acquired with the faces already gilded, this knowledge can be applied to statues made from clay or restoration purposes.