Mastering miniature art in 10 days

Crash course brings together art enthusiasts with pros.

ISLAMABAD:

A crash course workshop on miniature art and techniques came to its conclusion on Monday at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA).

The students from local government colleges and other universities got to learn the basics of the art and additional techniques like rendering, wasli-making and self-portraiture were also taught at this course. The Mughal miniature art workshop was conducted by COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) Associate Professor in Architecture Farah M Adnan. She has previously conducted a 10-day workshop on the subject. “Miniature paintings are a very intricate art form, small in size and rich in detail. This art form requires the utmost patience and concentration,” said Adnan.

Chief guests, husband and wife duo Mansoor Rahi and Hajra Mansoor and PNCA Director General Tauqir Nasir greeted the students who sat on the floor with their work on display before them. Each student sketched a self portrait of themselves and a watercolour painting of a Mughal royal decked in fine jewellery and clothing complete with a handmade border ornamentation. Many were complete newcomers to the art who had never picked up a brush before like Nazo Baber, who was extremely hesitant during the initial stages. “This was my first experience, I kept going on until I got it right,” she said of her early reluctance.

Mrs Ghazi, 83, braved the PNCA stairs for 10 days to learn the art and received a standing ovation during the certificate distribution ceremony. Apart from fine arts students, architecture students also participated in the workshop with the purpose of creating more finesse in their work.

The calibre of the work displayed by students was impressive compounded by the fact that the pieces were a result of 10 days of painstaking sketching and painting with a single-hair brush. “I see a lot of upcoming artists in this room today and I’m happy to see such amazing work in such a short span of time,” said Mansoor Rahi. Nasir added that the PNCA aims to continuously promote and cultivate the future talent of the country.

At event’s end, certificates were distributed to all participants by the chief guests.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2012.