Name: Kerala Mural Course
Price: 10000 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Introduction to the Art and the artist

Let's get started

PK Sadaanandan is an unconventional artist, infusing traditional Kerala Mural painting techniques with contemporary themes to create elaborate sceneries. World-renowned for creating, reviving, and restoring mural paintings in Kerala, his works are filled with Indian mythological characters inspired by literary sources. Besides being a distinguished muralist, he is also a well-known cartoonist.

Materials

Introduction

Talking about the various natural dyes, sources of the colours and coconuts - the artist ventures down nostalgic lanes recounting his days in his hometown, collecting grass and making his own brushes.

Colour Making

Let's make colours

In this section, you will learn about how the five primary colours used in these murals are derived from mineral pigments and vegetables, such as leaves, fruits, stones, and ores.

Brush making

Let's make a brush

Hear the artist talk about the process of making pointed, fine brushes made from arrow grass used by traditional artists.

Let's talk about brushes

The artist talks about the various kinds of brushes used to make Kerala Murals.

Basic Sketching

Let's start sketching

Hear the artist explaining about various patterns and designs that are featured in the paintings. He sketches a design of natural elements to demonstrate the same.

Motif

As we learnt the frequently employed designs, let’s begin sketching a pattern of petals inside an arc, the preliminary of a flower design by the artist.

Pen Outline

In this section, the artist utilises a CD writing pen to outline the previously sketched flower design and elaborates that this pattern is often used for adornment of deities like a flower chain.

Basic Colouring

Step II - Colouring

Here, the artist talks about the colour palette employed for paintings with white as the preferred background colour. The paintings are outlined in black. The artist gives a light, first coat of paint which is followed by shading with a small brush. Once the previous layer dries, only then he advises us to begin shading the next layer for better results.

Basic Outline

Step III Outline

The artist employs a professional calligraphy pen for outlining the design in black colour. He discusses how other tools could be utilised instead with practice for outlining.

Intermediate Composition Sketching

Step I Sketching

The artist walks us through the step by step process of sketching a peacock motif. Kerala murals have a centuries long tradition of using natural pigments of yellow, ochre, red, blue. Black pigment is obtained from lamp soot and the lime coat yields the white colour. However, with the changing times, the artist has adapted to acrylic colours on the canvas. Using a long hair brush, the artist sketches with the yellow paint, adding decorative elements along the way. A permanent marker is then used to sketch on it.

Final sketch

A permanent marker is used to carve out the final outline

Intermediate Detailing

Step III Detailing

Let us dive into the stippling technique employed in Kerala Murals! The goal is to achieve more density of colour to create texture. Want to know the difference between using acrylic colours and natural pigments? Start this section!

Intermediate Outline

Let's begin

A small long haired brush is used to outline the painting in black. Adding a few finishing touches and we're done!

Advanced Sketching Composition

Step I Sketching

Learn advanced sketching with the artist - from centralised marking to discussion about ornamentation for men and women. Artist utilises a thin brush to sketch Krishna in his child form, and sketches an ornament in detail with a brush and pencil.

Advanced Outline Composition

Description

Advanced Composition

Base colours

Using a medium brush, the artist demonstrates how to apply the first layer with yellow colour. A light, water based layer is to be applied.

Second layer

Add a second layer of colour in the shades of yellow with a medium-sized brush. The artist advises to apply the next layer only when the previous layer is dry.

Blue colour

Let's paint the body contours in blue for the base layer.

Green

The artist advises to apply the next layer only when the previous layer is dry. With naturally made gum mixed with yellow we obtain a green colour.

Red

Adding the naturally made gum in the red colour, the artist guides us to paint the outlines of the ornamental motifs. The artist paints a more intense layer of red for the background and finishing details.

Certification

Submitting your artwork for review by maestro artists provides an opportunity for critique, validation and detailed feedback. With the added bonus of receiving a certificate, you can showcase your creativity and potentially turn your artwork into a masterpiece!

Kerala Mural Course