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What are thangka?
     Thangkas are scroll paintings; literally ‘something which can be rolled up’. Originally they were used for teaching or ritual purposes by itinerant or travelling monks and pilgrims. Thangkas can be used as an aid to meditation by concentrating on and identifying with the central deity or saint. Increasingly, the aesthetic element has come to the fore, particularly in Nepalese thangka, and it is now possible to buy thangkas which are both authentic and of incredible artistic merit, often taking months and sometimes years of work by individuals or groups of artists. Traditionally, thangka painters do not sign their pieces, but we have tried where possible to let you know the artist’s name, both to give credit where credit is due and to allow you to request more work by artists whose work you value.

How do I judge a good quality thangka?
     The higher quality the thangka, the higher the price. But how to judge quality? There are many factors which are relevant to quality and price, including:

• Originality of work: most thangkas are based on pre-existing designs, modified to some extent by the artist. But when a thangka has been made to a completely new design, much more work is involved. An example of a very unique thangka is the Buddha Birth Thangka in our Buddha Thangkas section.
• Level of line detail: If minute detail is involved, much, much more work is required on the artist’s part. An example of a thangka with truly stunning attention to detail is the Kagyupa Refuge Tree in the Other Thangkas section.
• Shading: The shading on the coloured areas of a thangka can be done in various ways. The most intricate method is to apply the shading dot-by-dot, which takes an incredibly long time. In the Japanese Vairochana Buddha thangka on our Buddha Thangkas page, the black background has been applied one dot at a time. If it had been done otherwise, it just wouldn’t have the same subtlety.
• Size: Obviously, if a thangka is both big and well-detailed, it will generally be a lot more expensive than a small thangka with a similar level of detail. The Wheel of Life thangka by Kesab Lama on our Other Thangkas page is over a metre tall and at the same time very detailed.
• Fame of the artist: Many of the artists whose work we represent are considered among the best thangka artists practising today, and command high prices for their work: people like Kesab Lama, Chandra Lama, Krishna Dong Tamang Lama and Man Bahadur Lama.
• Materials used: 24-carat gold is incredibly expensive, and the gold used in thangka painting is even more expensive than the gold used in jewellery making. Gold thangkas of medium size may contain around 5 or 6 grams of gold and this adds to the price. At other times, a thick granular canvas may be very difficult to do line work on. Also, certain paints dry very quickly and require great skill from the artist.
  
  

How are thangkas made?
     Thangkas are generally painted on canvas using a variety of paints. Traditionally stone colours were used to make the paint, but this is increasingly rare, despite what many unscrupulous thangka shop owners may claim!! Nowadays all kinds of paints are being experimented with, sometimes to great effect. However, if we tell you that a painting is done with stone colours, you can be sure that it is.

Can I make requests for certain thangkas?
     Should you have a request for a particular kind of thangka which you do not see on our site, please contact us, as we can obtain a full range of thangkas in all styles and to suit any budget. Thangkas can also be commissioned as per your requirements of size, style, artist and subject.

What if I want a brocade for my thangka?
     We can arrange for your thangka to be brocaded – just ask – but all the thangkas here are without brocades so that you have a choice between brocading and framing. With high quality thangkas most people prefer to frame rather than brocade, either for aesthetic reasons or to better protect the artwork. Once a thangka has been brocaded, it has to stay brocaded, or the canvas will have stitch marks and won’t look good framed.

How much do I pay for shipping:
     See our Postage section for details. Currently (December 07), postage is completely free worldwide!

     Do you have any more questions? Just contact us through the ways given in the Contact page.