The use of Natural Pigments in traditional miniature art is age-old. Most of the traditional artists use these in their paintings. The colors are derived from various natural sources, the process of obtaining these is cumbersome and laborious and passed down from the Guru to Shishya. Here we are going to discuss the process of making Shyam Varna or black color which in itself is quite unique and fascinating.
Material required -
Diya Plate
Bhimseni Kapoor or Camphor
Gum from the Acacia tree, Arabic gum
Process -
Burn Bhimseni camphor in the diya
Hold the plate above the flame to obtain the carbon black kajal
Mix the diluted, soaked, and filtered Arabic gum with the kajal
Mix it with your index finger until smooth
Store the prepared color in a shell or container