THANGKAS PAINTED
ON COMMISSION
SERVICES
BY LAMA TSONDRU SANGPO
AND THE MONKS OF GONJANG MONASTERY
1.
Professional Qualifications
2.
Thangka Samples
3. Courses Available
4.
Painting Steps
5.
Gonjang Monastery
6.
Photos with Other Lamas
The following system is used as a guideline to help
prospective thangka buyers determine what is best
for them. There are three grades of thangka, A,
B and C.
An A grade thangka is the best quality available.
It is prepared in the traditional way using a 13
step process which is rarely used by others
these days. It contains lots of gold, minerals and
vegetable pigments. The brocade used to frame the
thangka is of the best quality silk and workmanship
available in the Himalayas. These A grade thangkas
begin at $2,000 and rise in cost based on size and
how many figures are drawn into them.
B grade thangkas are prepared in the traditional
way, but use less gold, minerals and pigments. The
quality of the drawing is the same as an A grade
thangka, but some of the colors are mixed with modern
paints and the brocade and tailoring work is of
lesser quality. These B Grade thangkas begin at
$1,000 and again rise in cost based upon size and
how many figures are drawn.
C grade thangkas are produced in the traditional
way and are mainly for people who have a limited
budget, yet are in need of a devotional object that
contains all the sacred qualities needed for practice.
The workmanship and materials in these thangkas
is very basic. C thangkas begin at $700 and rise
in price based upon size and number of figures.
In
general thangkas can take approximately 3 to 5 months
to produce. Regarding size, the smaller the thangka
the more difficult it is to draw, thus it costs
more to make. Naturally there would be less gold
applied, however the cost remains the same due to
the fact that it is more labor intensive to create
smaller images.
These top quality thangkas are made by monks in
the only monastery in India dedicated to preserving
the precious traditional art form of thangka painting.
This not only includes the art work, but the religious
rites conducted in order to make each of these thangkas
into a sacred object of devotion and practice.
For
further discussion of your specific needs please
contact the Center.
1.
Professional Qualifications
2.
Thangka Samples
3. Courses Available
4.
Painting Steps
5.
Gonjang Monastery
6.
Photos with Other Lamas
