Mural Painting- Making Red Colour

Shown in the video is the making of red colour for mural painting. The colour is made by grinding a kind of red coloured stone. Other colours commonly used include green, red, white, blue, black, golden yellow, saffron and saffron yellow.

Mural painters in Kerala follow traditional practices for the making of colours. A notable feature is that all the colours are derived from nature and no artificial colour is used. The raw materials include leaves, fruits, stones, ores, elements etc.

Mural art in Kerala is believed to have started in the 9th century. This is a living tradition here, thanks to the efforts of a few institutions. The video is shot from Vasthuvidya Gurukulam, a premier centre for training and research in mural painting.