As in any Tibetan artistic productions thangka achieves and remains mostly anonymous, borrowing precision and delicacy, but devoid of creativity. The painter does not seek to demonstrate originality, but rather to illustrate the emanation of Buddha and deities according cannons very precise. Several painters, aides and apprentices sometimes work together on a single canvas. In this case, some are dedicated solely to the portraits, while others illustrate the landscape.

To prepare for a thangka painting, the artist imbues a mixture of animal glue or gum plant, and powdered chalk and then left to dry. Once dry, the fabric is polished with a shell or a polished stone to give it a smooth surface. The grid and axes of symmetry, the contour of the characters or subjects are designed to represent the charcoal or China ink on the back of the canvas, according to dimensions codified by the religious tradition. The painter sometimes also uses layers or pontiff provided by the printings of the monasteries. The decal figures by a light sifting of charcoal and determine the composition of the ink.

The painter then determines the color of each element. The colors come from minerals or organic compounds such as arsenic for yellow, indigo or lapis lazuli for blue, cochineal for the red chalk on white, for malachite green. Gold is used for the retail clothing or emblems of deities. These materials are crushed and mixed with water, glue and lime to confer resistance to the greatest paintings.

Since the nineteenth century, colors chemical import additional or alternative to natural products. These colors, much more vivid, easily recognize and identify which thangka recent vintage. The colors are applied starting with landscapes and ending in the face of deities.

An astrologer sets all stages of carrying out the work until its completion, known as “opening eyes”, phase during which the painter trace the pupil of the eye of the central deity, thus the thangka which that moment becomes an object of veneration.

Finally, the inclusion of a mantra on the back of the canvas provides the finishing touches to the sacralization of painting as an object invested with a religious power.

After his consecration, the thangka is surrounded by a montage of two strips of silk brocade or the contrasting colors yellow, red or blue called “rainbow”. A lightweight fabric is sewn on the stick best to protect the painting when it is rolled.

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