In embossing, sheets of soft, malleable metals, such as gold, silver, lead, or copper, are hammered over designed forms (matrices) of wood and other materials, heated for malleability (tempered), and hammered again until they assume the intended form. Large, complex sculptures are created in parts and later assembled with the help of fasteners (rivets) and soldering, or by fusing them together. Some small parts can be cast as well. Artists employ chiseling and sometimes chemically coat the surface with gold, or gilding.
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Casting and Shaping Metal
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Materials and Technologies
Creating in Clay
Creating in Clay
Unfired clay remains the most commonly used material for sculpture in the Himalayas, from large statues to small tsatsas.
Carving in Stone and Wood
Carving in Stone and Wood
Stone and wood are used by artisans to create three-dimensional images in Himalayan cultural regions.
Woodblock Printing
Woodblock Printing
The invention of printing can be directly connected to Buddhism and the need to reproduce religious texts and simple pictures of the Buddha.
Using Paper
Using Paper
Paper was used widely as a media for copying Buddhist texts and image making.
Painting on Cloth
Painting on Cloth
Painting is the primary two-dimensional form for image making, but different media, such as woodblock prints and woven textiles, are also used to create similar compositions.
