Science and Art of Calligraphy and Painting

Author(s): S Andhare
Publisher: Indian National Science Academy

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background. It should be noted at the outset, that the procedure of obtaining colours and making them usable for different purposes is a closely guarded secret of the artist families who are very reluctant to reveal their processes. When questioned, they some times recite dohas or couplets which furnish some hints and names of ingradiants used in colour making such as;
काजल कत्था बीजा बोल, उसमे पडे गूंद का झोल
बांगरिया भी जल पडे, अक्षर अक्षर मोती जडे This is a general recipe of making black ink for writing on paper. It, briefly indicates the following ingradinents like Kajal i.e. lamp black; Katha i.e. catechu, Bija-bol i.e. a nut like fruit called bol. A few drops of natural gum (in water) are added to this solution. The above ingradients are first ground, then heated and allowed to dry. When in use, few drops of nim gum are added. It is said that writing done in this kind of ink is insect proof and letters stand out prominently.
In the medieval period pigments were largely obtained from minerals and ochres. Occasionally, some vegetable colours were also used for particular paintings), such as indigo, lac-dye and carmine. By and large they fall in to two categories : 1 Natural pigments, chemical compounds and vegetable extracts and 2, artificial pigments made from salts and pigments owing
9. ibid