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At Ajanta, and other caves, the colours most freely used were white, red and brown in various tints, a dull green and blue. For white colour, sulphate of lime was used. Red and brown tints were obtained from compound of iron. Blue colour was obtained by grinding calcined lapislazuli - a costly semiprecious mineral which is usually imported. For yellow, the ancient painters used orpiment, a natural arsenic sulphide. In fresco paintings the pigments should be capable of resisting the decomposing action of lime and hence extra attention had to be bestowed upon selection of proper pigments. The fresco paintings testify to the knowledge and skill of the painters in preparing permanent colours out of vegetable and mineral sources. On the domestic front, homes, doorsteps of houses, entrances were decorated, with paste of haridra (turmeric). The art of decorating home fronts with colored powders called Rangoli, which continues till date, saw the use of red ochre, chalk powder, charcoal, green powder of dried leaves of plants, haridra, neeli etc. Varahamihira has referred to the art of painting as Chitrakarma (चित्रकर्म) and painters were known as citrakara, citrajna, alekhajna, etc (Brh. S. LVII.14; V.74; IX.30; X.IO; XVLI2)

At Ajanta, and other caves, the colours most freely used were white, red and brown in various tints, a dull green and blue. For white colour, sulphate of lime was used. Red and brown tints were obtained from compound of iron. Blue colour was obtained by grinding calcined lapislazuli - a costly semiprecious mineral which is usually imported. For yellow, the ancient painters used orpiment, a natural arsenic sulphide. In fresco paintings the pigments should be capable of resisting the decomposing action of lime and hence extra attention had to be bestowed upon selection of proper pigments. The fresco paintings testify to the knowledge and skill of the painters in preparing permanent colours out of vegetable and mineral sources. On the domestic front, homes, doorsteps of houses, entrances were decorated, with paste of haridra (turmeric). The art of decorating home fronts with colored powders called Rangoli, which continues till date, saw the use of red ochre, chalk powder, charcoal, green powder of dried leaves of plants, haridra, neeli etc. Varahamihira has referred to the art of painting as Chitrakarma (चित्रकर्म) and painters were known as citrakara, citrajna, alekhajna, etc (Brh. S. LVII.14; V.74; IX.30; X.IO; XVLI2)

[[Category:Shastras]]

[[Category:Shastras]]