Classification of Thangka

The most commonly see Thangka is in strip shape,with large part of blank on the bottom. The size of this Thangka is 75cm in length and 50cm in width. Except strip shape Thangka, you also can see the banner shape Thangka, the length of this Thangka is 1.1 meters and width is 3.5 meters.

Base on materials, Thangka can be divided into two categories. One category is named Gul-Thang which is made up of silk. The other is "Zhi-Thang" which is draw by paint.

Classification of Thangka – Gul-Thang (Silk Thangka)

Base on the difference of silk, "Gul-Thang" also can be divided into five kinds:

Embroidered "Gul-Thang": it is a kind of Thangka which is made up of several kinds of silk, embroidered by handwork.

Silk "Gul-Thang": this kind of Thangka is made up by cutting various colors silk into different shapes; then, use needle to combine these clothes which can be organized into picture together.

Sticking Silk "Gul-Thang": it is similar with the second kind. But these cut colorful clothes stick on the canvas by glue.

Handmade "Gul-Thang": it is a kind of Thangka which is weaved by hand.

Print "Gul-Thang": this kind of Thangka is using ink or vermilion as paint to print the template on silk. The template often use wooden template, sometimes also use bronze template or iron template.

The largest "Gul-Thang" is named "Gul-Gu". Because it is too large, it only used in some special situations; it is hanging on the outside wall of monastery, or hanging on the Buddha exhibition platform which was built to exhibit "Gul-Gu". The largest "Gul-Gu" in Potala Palace is 55.8 meters high, 46.81 meters wide. This Thangka is made after the fifth Dalai passed away. It describes the Amitabha.

Classification of Thangka – "Zhi-Thang" (Painting Thangka)

As there are many ways to draw Thangka, so there are many kinds of "Zhi-Thang". People distinguish "Zhi-Thang" by the color of background.

Colorful Thangka: it is a kind of Thangka with colorful background.

Golden Thangka: it is a kind of Thangka with gold background.

Vermilion Thangka: it is a kind of Thangka with vermilion background.

Black Thangka: it is a kind of Thangka only uses ink to draw background.

Printed "Zhi-Thang": the way to make this kind of Thangka is same as printed "Gul-Thang". The only difference is that "Gul-Thang" is printed on silk canvas, while "Zhi-Thang" is printed on cotton canvas.

The largest "Zhi-Thang" is 3 meters long and 2 meters wide; the smallest is 30cm long and 20cm wide.

You should not simply say which kind of Thangka is more expensive. For colorful Thangka, one can use gold, silver, coral, pearl or turquoise as main materials; also can use ocher, vermillion, graphite or some other common paints. For golden Thangka, it can use gold or golden mineral paint. The range of price will be great. You should be more careful about high price Thangka; you should completely know its texture, brushwork and some other aspects.