Tanjore Painting Materials: The Complete List and What Each One Does
Written by
Vibha Raj
The complete list of Tanjore painting materials from a master studio: what each one does, the order they go in, how to judge quality, and the kit our students paint with.
By Vibha Raj, Founder and Tanjore Artist at Tanjore Collective. Vibha learned the art from her mother, master artist Vani Bhaskar, and chooses the materials our students paint with.
A Tanjore painting is made from eight core materials: a prepared plywood board, chalk powder and Arabic gum (for the canvas and the raised gesso relief), kundan stones, 24 karat gold sheets, poster paints, fine brushes, and Swarovski crystals. Each one has a specific job, and they go into the painting in a set order. Here is every material we use, what it does, and how to tell good quality from poor.
A Tanjore painting glows because of what goes into it. Get the materials right and the finished piece has depth, sparkle and staying power. Get them wrong and even good technique falls flat. These are the same materials that make up our Essentials Material Kit, handpicked and tested over four decades of teaching so that nothing lets the finished painting down.
What materials are used in Tanjore painting?
- Plywood board. The rigid foundation that every layer is built on.
- Chalk powder. The main ingredient of the canvas preparation and of the gesso relief.
- Arabic gum crystals. The binder for the gesso, and the adhesive that holds the gold.
- Kundan stones. Set into the relief as the deity's jewels.
- 24 karat gold sheets. Laid over the raised relief for the signature shine.
- Poster paints. The colours we teach with, painted around and beneath the gold.
- Fine brushes. For the detailed work, above all the face.
- Swarovski crystals. Added last, for a final sparkle.
Tanjore painting materials at a glance
| Material | What it does | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood board | The foundation for every layer | 1. Canvas preparation |
| Chalk powder and Arabic gum | Prepare the canvas, then become the gesso for the raised relief | 1. Canvas preparation and 2. Embossing |
| Kundan stones | The jewelled ornaments, set into the relief | 3. Stones |
| 24 karat gold sheets | The shine, laid over the relief with Arabic gum | 4. Gold |
| Poster paints and brushes | The colour, from the lotus to the face | 5. Painting |
| Swarovski crystals | The final sparkle | 6. Finishing |
How a traditional Thanjavur painting comes together: relief, stones and gold.
The board and canvas preparation
The base of a Tanjore painting is a prepared board, typically plywood. A Tanjore painting isn't flat. It carries raised relief, set stones and real gold, so it needs a firm foundation. The board's surface is prepared with chalk powder and Arabic gum to make it smooth and sound, and then the deity's outline is transferred onto it.
We ship our kit boards already prepared and sketched with the deity's outline, and this is a deliberate kindness to beginners. Drawing the deity accurately, with correct proportion, is the single biggest hurdle that stops people before they even begin. The pre-sketched board lets you focus on the techniques that make Tanjore painting distinctive. You're not skipping a skill so much as starting where the real craft begins. More in our guide to preparing the Tanjore painting board.
Gesso: chalk powder and Arabic gum
Gesso is the embossing paste that builds the raised relief under the gold. Chalk powder is the main ingredient, and Arabic gum crystals act as the binder that holds it together (the same gum later helps stick the gold foil). This raised base gives a Tanjore painting its three-dimensional depth, so that the crown and jewellery physically stand off the surface. In our courses, the embossing takes two to three sessions, because good gesso work has to be even and crisp. See how to make gesso for Tanjore painting for the full step-by-step.
Kundan stones and Swarovski crystals
Kundan stones are an integral part of Tanjore paintings, set into the relief for jewelled ornamentation. They're positioned along the crown and the jewellery, where they catch and throw light so the deity looks regally adorned. In our courses, you stick the kundan stones and then build the relief and gold around them, so each one sits in its own little golden setting.
Original Swarovski crystals come at the very end. Where the kundan stones do the traditional jewelled ornamentation, the crystals add the final, brilliant sparkle, the kind you can see from across a room. Read more about both in kundan stones and Swarovski crystals.
24 karat gold foil
Real gold leaf is the heart of a Tanjore painting, laid over the raised areas such as the crown, the arch and the jewellery. We use 24 karat because purity is what decides both the shine and the longevity of your painting. Lower karat foils are mixed with other metals, which makes them cheaper but also duller. Because the gold is the most visible element of the painting, and because these pieces are meant to be heirlooms, this is not a material to economise on. When you look at a well-made Tanjore painting years after it was finished, the gold still glows. That's the purity doing its quiet, lasting work. Our guide to 22K vs 24K gold foil goes deeper.
Paints and brushes
Alongside the gold and the stones, colour gives a Tanjore painting its warmth and life. We teach with poster paints, and every one of our DIY courses has a lesson devoted to them. The tradition favours rich, saturated tones that sit beautifully against the gold, built up in layers rather than in flat single coats.
The brushes matter more than people expect. Our kit includes four premium, professional-grade brushes for a reason: the fine, controlled work of a Tanjore painting, above all the face, simply can't be done well with coarse or worn brushes. A good fine-tipped brush holds its point, carries paint evenly, and lets you make the small, precise strokes that give the deity a serene expression. Skimping on brushes is a false economy that shows up exactly where it matters most. Our guide to Tanjore painting colours and brushes walks through the full painting order.
How the materials work together
No single material makes a Tanjore painting. The gesso builds a raised relief that gives the ornaments physical depth. The gold, laid over that relief with the help of the same Arabic gum, wraps the raised form so the crown and jewellery genuinely catch the light. The kundan stones add jewelled points of colour, and the crystals lift the whole piece with a final brilliance. The colour, painted around and beneath the gold, gives the deity its warmth, and good brushes make the fine work possible. Seen this way, the materials aren't a random shopping list but a sequence, each one entering the painting at the moment it's needed.
How to tell good materials from poor ones
Quality is hard to judge when you're buying these things for the first time. Keep this checklist handy:
- Gold: is it real gold foil, and is it 24 karat? Ask the seller directly.
- Stones: are they kundan, and are the crystals genuine Swarovski?
- Board: is it a sturdy board, prepared and ready, ideally pre-sketched if you're a beginner?
- Brushes: are they fine enough to hold a sharp point for the face?
- Completeness: do you have enough chalk powder and Arabic gum for both the canvas and the gesso?
The same checks help when you're buying a finished painting. For a buyer's version, see how to spot an authentic Tanjore painting.
Buy a kit or source your own?
You can gather these materials yourself if you already know what you're looking for, but two things tend to catch beginners out. The first is quality: gold that isn't truly 24 karat, or brushes too coarse for fine work, will limit the painting no matter how good your technique. The second is completeness: it's frustrating to be partway through and discover you're short of chalk powder or Arabic gum.
A kit solves both at once. Our Essentials Material Kit contains a pre-sketched canvas, 24 karat gold sheets, Arabic gum crystals, chalk powder, kundan stones, original Swarovski crystals and four premium brushes, all handpicked and tested. It's what lets our students abroad paint with exactly the right materials instead of hunting each item down. If you're weighing up the total budget, our post on what it costs to make your own Tanjore painting lays it out.
If you're outside India
Many of our students paint from the USA, the UK, Canada, Germany and beyond, and finding genuine Tanjore materials locally can be hard. Real 24 karat gold sheets and kundan stones aren't things you'll find at a typical art shop. That's a big part of why we put the kit together: you get the same handpicked materials our studio students use, shipped to your door. Within India the kit usually arrives in about 5 to 7 days, and internationally in about 3 to 4 weeks, so if you're joining a course, it's worth ordering early.
Caring for your materials
A few simple habits protect both your materials and your finished painting. Gold foil is delicate and light, so handle it in a still space away from draughts, with clean, dry hands. Keep your chalk powder and Arabic gum dry and sealed, since damp is the enemy of good gesso. Rinse and reshape your brushes after each session and store them tip up. Leftover kundan stones and crystals keep well, and cared for this way, leftover materials give many students a head start on their next painting. Once your painting is framed, keep it out of direct sunlight and damp and dust it gently, and it will hold its glow for generations.
Frequently asked questions
What materials are needed for Tanjore painting?
A plywood board, chalk powder, Arabic gum, kundan stones, 24 karat gold sheets, poster paints, fine brushes and Swarovski crystals. The board is prepared first, then the gesso relief, stones, gold, colour and crystals go on in that order.
Is the gold in Tanjore paintings real?
Yes, we use 24 karat gold foil. Purity matters for both the shine and how long the painting lasts.
What is gesso made of?
Chalk powder bound with Arabic gum. It forms the raised embossing base under the gold and stones.
Which paints are used in Tanjore painting?
We teach with poster paints, applied with fine brushes after the relief, stones and gold are in place.
What is the difference between kundan stones and Swarovski crystals?
Kundan stones do the traditional jewelled ornamentation set into the relief. Swarovski crystals are a premium finishing sparkle added at the end.
How long does the kit take to arrive?
Usually about 5 to 7 days within India, and about 3 to 4 weeks internationally.
Can I buy just the materials without a class?
Yes. Our Essentials Material Kit is available on its own, with the board pre-sketched, so you have everything in the right quality to paint.
To see how these materials come together in practice, read how a Tanjore painting is made, or start from what is Tanjore painting.
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