History of Crafts in India

The history of Indian handicrafts goes back to thousands of years.The first evidence of Indian handicrafts was found in the Indus Valley.
The craft tradition in India revolved around religious beliefs, local needs of the people and the desires of the royalty, along with an eye for foreign and domestic markets. Indian textiles and their permanent dyes were appreciated throughout the world. Many Roman trade documents refer to the export of silk from India to Europe in the 6th century AD. There are references to Arab sailors who brought silver and gold from their countries and took back shiploads of handicrafts from India to the middle east. In the north, caravans carried woven textiles along the Silk Route and went right up to Moscow by the Fur Route.

Folk Art Paintings of Patachitra

Patachitra

Orissa craftsmen, generally create paintings on cloth, in the form of scrolls. These paintings are known as Patachitra and mainly depict stories pertaining to Jagannath temple of Puri. Mainly cotton or tussar silk is used and coated with a mixture of chalk, tamarind seed and gum to give the surface of the cloth a leathery texture. These paintings are created in the form of scrolls. These painted scrolls depict mythology and stories relating to various gods and goddesses. These paintings are known for bright vibrant colors and distinct lines.

FolkArt Painting From India

Asian Art Miniatures India Folk Paintings are practiced in Jaipur and Bikaner regions of Rajasthan. Miniatures paintings are intricate, colorful handmade illuminations or paintings, small in size, executed meticulously with delicate brushwork. The colors used in the Asian art miniatures are derived from minerals, vegetables, precious stones, indigo, conch shells, pure gold and silver. These Asian art miniatures recreate historical episodes or tales of mythology in Schools that have come to be identified with the different kingdoms that merged in Rajasthan. Fine brush strokes signify miniatures from Jaipur and Udaipur. The colorful illuminations, which captured the fancy of the royalty and aristocracy, emerged in the medieval period. The illustrated manuscripts of Jains and Buddhists, and the flowering of the Mughal, Rajput, and Deccan Miniatures are noted for their meticulous execution and artistic skills. The fine stroke of brushes conveyed the themes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagvata Purana, Rasikpriya, Rasamanjiri, etc.These masterpieces of yore have a universal appeal which still touches the right chord of the audience. The irony of history never ceases to amaze. The mighty Himalayas nurtured in its western valleys, a School of Paintings known as the “Miniature”.

Batik art- Batik art of India Asian paintings come from Bengal. Batik art refers to the art of dyeing fabric by making use of resist techniques, covering areas of cloth with a dye resistant substance to prevent them from absorbing colors. The technique of Batik art dates back a thousand years and can be traced to India. Batik art is created in several ways like splash method, screen printing method, and hand painting one is by a Kalamkari pen. As patterns are applied by actual drawing rather than by weaving with thread, the artists can put forth their best in terms of creativity and imagination. The Batik art fabric is in high demand as dress materials, designer home decor and also as forming an important part of contemporary fashion accessory.
Gond paintings- Tribal art of India Gond paintings of Madhya Pradesh, specially the wall paintings of Bundelkhand, Gondwana, Nimar and Malwa are living expressions of the village people, deeply linked with their day to day lives. They are not mere decorations but also instant expressions of their religious sentiments and devotions. The tribal art Gond paintings, based on local festivals of India.
Kalamkari painting- Folk art of India Kalamkari painting is pen drawings on cloth. Andhra Pradesh are famed for Kalamkari paintings. This folk art form derives its name from kalam or pen, which is used to trace outlines patterns and images. The Kalamkari technique involves drawing outlines with burnt tamarind twigs dipped in molasses and iron fillings.
Madhubani Paintings- Rare Indian Art and Crafts From a Village in India Madhubani Paintings From North India. Madhubani is a small village in Bihar, in India. This undistinguished little village is the heartland of the internationally acclaimed school of folk art painting called 'Madhubani' or 'Mithila' painting.

Folk Arts of India, Madhubani Paintings

Seven years back I visited Madhubani in Bihar, a state in eastern part of India. Madhubani had already built a name for itself as a major centre for folk arts of India. I met about ten artists there, mostly women. I was amazed by the quality of their workmanship. Some of these artists had already made their name, winning coveted national awards. Some had even visited US, Europe and Japan to showcase their skills.

I learnt that this form of Folk Art started by decorating earthen walls in homes. Women would express their social and cultural life in their paintings on the walls.

Gradually, they began to practise this art form on handmade paper. In order to provide strength to paper, the artists would first treat the paper with cowdung. After that they would draw imageries in pencil drawings. Finally they would fill in color that were actually extracts of locally grown vegetables and flowers.

Themes used in Madhubani paintings are real life situations, ranging from birth, growing up, marriage, child's birth, to eventual death. Some of the paintings are quite poignant.

I was however disturbed by one aspect. Creating folk art was the only means of livelihood for several families here. In India, there are not enough buyers of folk art, even though many rich people spend fortune on some shoddy works of modern art. Consequently most families in Madhubani remain quite poor, despite their high skill level in art and painting.

Shalini Verma, a woman entrepreneur and a native of Bihar, sells Madhubani Painting online though amazon.com. Browse through Madhubani paintings at amazon. You might just fall in love with folk arts of India.