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Activities / Nirmal Art / Nirmal Bird and Flower Panel

Nirmal Bird and Flower Panel

Nirmal-Style Bird and Flower Panel with Gold Detail

Level
Beginner
Duration
1.5 - 2.5 hours
Budget
₹1,000 – ₹1,400
Age
10+
State
Telangana

Materials

  • Thick paper for acrylics (300 gsm or more)
  • Acrylic paint set (green, blue, brown, orange, pink, white, black)
  • Gold paint marker, fine tip
  • Round paint brushes, sizes 0, 2 and 4
  • Masking tape, 24 mm
  • Photo frame, 5 x 7 in
  • White or yellow colour pencil, plate for mixing, chopping board or card, water jar, tissue

Steps

  1. Cut thick paper to 13 x 18 cm and tape it to a board
    Cut a sheet of thick paper to 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in), which fits a standard 5 x 7 inch frame. Tape all four edges to a chopping board or a piece of card with masking tape, leaving a 5 mm strip of tape over the paper's edge. The tape keeps the paper from curling when wet and leaves a clean white border when you peel it off. Common mistake: using thin copy paper, which buckles under wet paint.
    Tip: Press the tape down firmly with a fingernail so paint cannot creep under it.
  2. Paint the whole panel dark green or deep blue
    Squeeze a blob of dark green (or blue) onto a plate and mix in a pinch of black to make it deeper. With the size 4 or the biggest brush, paint the entire panel in smooth strokes, going in one direction. Let it dry for 30 minutes, then add a second coat so no paper shows. Nirmal paintings glow because of their dark backgrounds. Common mistake: a thin patchy coat, when two coats give a rich, even colour.
  3. Sketch a bird on a branch with a light colour pencil
    Graphite does not show on dark paint, so use a white or yellow colour pencil. Draw a branch curving from the left edge across to the middle, then a bird about 5 cm long perched on it, facing left, with a round body, a small head and a tail pointing down. Add 3 flowers and 5 leaves around the branch. Keep a margin of 1 cm around the edge. Draw with light, thin lines, and erase mistakes with a soft tissue.
    Tip: Draw the bird as an egg shape first, then add the head, beak and tail.
  4. Paint the branch brown and the leaves in two greens
    With the size 2 brush, paint the branch in brown using a steady stroke along its length. Paint each leaf in a mid green, then dab a lighter green on one half of each leaf to add depth. Leave 20 minutes between colours so they do not mix. The dark base will mute your colours at first, so apply a second coat of the lighter greens if they look thin. Common mistake: watery paint, which turns grey over a dark base.
  5. Paint the bird in flat colours
    Paint the bird's body in blue and its breast in orange, and add a darker blue stripe on the wing. Use thick, creamy paint, which covers the dark base best. Paint the tail in the same blue and the beak in yellow. Let it dry for 20 minutes, then add a second coat of any colour that looks transparent. Keep the edges neat by turning the brush so its tip follows the outline.
  6. Paint the flowers in pink or white
    Paint each flower in white first, with five rounded petals about 1.5 cm across. When dry, paint a layer of pink over the white, leaving a thin white edge, so the colour looks bright and not dull. Add a dab of yellow in each centre. White under pink is the trick that stops the dark base from muddying the colour. Wash the brush between colours so your pink stays clean.
    Tip: Dry the white under-coat for 20 minutes before adding pink on top.
  7. Add fine details with the size 0 brush
    Use the thinnest brush and a little paint to add details: a black dot for the bird's eye with a white speck in it, thin lines for feathers on the wing and tail, veins down each leaf, and tiny lines across each petal. Rest the side of your hand on the table to keep it steady. Work slowly, because small marks make the painting look finished. Common mistake: details that are too thick, which look clumsy.
  8. Outline the bird, flowers and leaves with the gold pen
    Shake the gold pen, press the tip on scrap paper until the paint flows, then trace around the edges of the bird, each flower and each leaf in one steady line. Draw a thin gold border about 5 mm inside the paper's edge. Gold outlines are the main feature of Nirmal art, so let them dry for 20 minutes before touching. Common mistake: lifting the pen mid-line, which leaves gaps, so overlap the pieces slightly instead.
    Tip: Turn the board as you draw, so you always pull the pen toward you.
  9. Let it dry for 1 hour, peel off the tape and frame it
    Leave the painting flat for a full hour so all layers are dry. Peel the tape away slowly, pulling it back on itself at a low angle to avoid tearing the paper. This leaves a neat white border. Place the panel in a 5 x 7 inch frame, close the back and hang or stand it. Keep it away from damp walls and direct sun, which fades paint.

Sustainability

Medium - paper-based; gold paint pen is plastic-based

Safety

Minimal; paint stains; take eye breaks during fine detail work