NIGHT 303 – THE STORY OF ABU MUHAMMAD THE SLUGGARD

I started a Miniature Painting Forum – free, let’s talk!

I created this public group so everyone can share info and resources about anything miniature painting-related (literally anything!)

Public FB group for chat MINIATURE PAINTING FORUM

Longer posts at http://www.miniaturepaintingforum.com

CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS:

A FREE FORUM FOR MINIATURE PAINTING

FREE INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND DISCUSSION HUB FOR ALL THINGS MINIATURE PAINTING-RELATED

Like Farid ud-Din Attar’s eponymous poem, this forum is a flocking place for seekers of knowledge. Here is a site for resources and conversation, questions and answers, illumination and communication all done in the spirit of camaraderie and fellow-feeling. Like the birds, we are all on this journey together and this gathering of like-minded souls serves to strengthen existing connections and forge new ones. Beginners and seasoned travellers are equally welcome. There is no question too small or silly – all have a home here. The information and inspiration on this platform is free and open to all wanderers who are in love with the world of Islamic, Indian, Mughal and Persian miniature painting and find themselves on a similar path.

It is also a marketplace of ideas; a social seat of learning; a city centre of exchange where surprises and spontaneous thoughts arise and create their own opportunities. I’ve always wanted to host miniature painting art salons in real life. A wide open space and an intimate parlour room all in one, this forum is my online – and global – version of the same. The structured forum format lends itself to meaningful conversations online. These can initiate spontaneous interaction across the globe which can in turn take flight to continue the conversation offline. Depending on interest, there will be follow-up monthly Zoom meets online, seminar-style, to discuss 1-2 topics or ideas generated from the forum. These may be practical (materials, tools, techniques), contextual (historic tradition, contemporary art, content and style) spiritual or anything else, inflected through the sovereign focus lens of the miniature painting we all love. And, when it’s safe to do so, a real-life conference on miniature painting in London, UK.

In Attar’s 12th century Sufi wisdom poem منطق الطیر Mantiq al-Tayr, 30 birds go on a spiritual quest in order to find their leader and king, only to realise at heart – through consensus with each other, akin to a forum – that they indeed have their answer embedded within themselves. Through dialogue and synergy, we find the answers we seek.

Seek knowledge, even unto China – Hadith

A person’s a person, no matter how small – Horton the kind elephant, Dr Seuss

#forum #miniaturepaintingforum #conferenceofthebirds #miniature #miniatures #minyatür #schooloftraditionalarts #contemporaryminiatures #traditionalminiatures #miniaturepaintings #miniaturepainting #miniaturepainter #vaishaliprazmari #persianminiature #indianminiature #persianminiatures #indianminiatures #mughalminiature #mughalminiatures #persianminiaturepainting #indianminiaturepainting #mughalminiaturepainting #free #open #painting

NIGHT 302 – THE STORY OF ABU MUHAMMAD THE SLUGGARD

Zal and the Simurgh

Being part mammal, this kind bird not only rescues the abandoned baby, she also breastfeeds, nurtures and raises him as one of her own children. Wow! Imagine being adopted by a phoenix! Imagine being bonded forever with a magical bird through drinking her magical milk! He would be immune to literally everything (He lived for around 300 years apparently)

She raises him until he’s ready to ‘fly the nest’, at which point she donates him one of her magical feathers: “Burn this if ever you have need of me, and may your heart never forget your nurse, whose heart breaks for love of you.”

Excited about demonstrating miniature painting through one of my favourite story cycles!

#vaishaliprazmari #vaishaliprazmariteaching #phoenix #rebirth #simurgh #psta #schooloftraditionalarts #nursing #breastfeeding #feather #zal #rostam #sam #shahnameh #shahnama #supernatural #helpfromabove #giantbirds #adoption #magicbird #mother #persianminiatures #persianminiaturepainting #mughalminiatures #miniaturepainting #livedemo

NIGHT 301 – THE STORY OF ABU MUHAMMAD THE SLUGGARD

Teaching

Me and him!

No 1 is ‘I’

‘Him’ is no 2, his brother the baby!

So when baby is older… maybe it will be reversed, and then I’ll need another magic water scroll as they grow so fast!

Then he added magnets for 我 和 他, 哥哥和弟弟big brother little brother entirely self-initiated (yep I’m proud!) I forget how kids love to place things on top of other things. Hands-on!

Magic water paper and brush is literally my favourite children’s toy. It’s even portable as quite light. Perhaps it’s my favourite adult toy too, ok 🙂 I can’t think of a better toy actually, every family should have one. If I had to choose one children’s toy I think this would be it! Even for non-Chinese learning families – just use it for painting! No mess as is just plain water too = perfect for any room

#magicwaterpaper #magicbrush #我 #他 #我 和 他 #哥哥 #弟弟 #哥哥和弟弟 #小弟弟 #大哥哥 #teachingkids #homeschool #funwithkids #handson #artistmom #learningchinese

NIGHT 300 – THE STORY OF ABU MUHAMMAD THE SLUGGARD

The feather meets the weave

2 of humanity’s oldest technologies

The feather as brush pen and weaving

The Fire brush comes with a quill ferrule for the adept or a metal ferrule for easier handling

(This weaving is from my piece Elysian)

http://www.vaishaliprazmaribrushes.com
http://www.theperfectbrush.co.uk

#Rocksbrush #Cloudsbrush #Waterbrush #Firebrush #vaishaliprazmaribrushes #theperfectbrush #vaishaliprazmari #elementals #fourelements #4elements #miniaturepainting #persianminiature #mughalminiature #indianminiature #watercolour #collectibles #brushes #paintbrushes #handmade #featherbrush #quill #weaving #tapestry #elysian

NIGHT 299 – THE STORY OF THE GENEROSITY OF JAFAR THE BARMECIDE TO THE BEAN SELLER

My own little devil burnishes paper for my own little devil

And kindly demonstrates the polar opposite of what we should do with burnishers, ie bashes them around. Don’t try this at home 😂

http://www.vaishaliprazmariteaching.com

http://www.vaishaliprazmaribrushes.com

#burnishing #homeschool #teachingthetrade #teachingkids #funwithkids #parenting #theperfectbrush #vaishaliprazmariteaching #online #vaishaliprazmari #lockdown #onlineminiaturepainting #onlineminiaturepaintingcourses #onlinelearning #miniaturepainting #persianminiature #mughalminiature #learnpainting #learnpaintingonline

NIGHT 298 – THE STORY OF KHALID IBN ABD ALLAH AL QUSHAIRI AND FHE LOVER WHO CONFESSED TO THEFT

Earth Wind and Fire

Ok, Earth, Air, Water and Fire

Ok, Earth (Rocks), Air (Clouds), Water and Fire

http://www.vaishaliprazmaribrushes.com
http://www.theperfectbrush.co.uk

#Rocksbrush #Cloudsbrush #Waterbrush #Firebrush #vaishaliprazmaribrushes #theperfectbrush #vaishaliprazmari #elementals #fourelements #4elements #miniaturepainting #persianminiature #mughalminiature #indianminiature #watercolour #collectibles #brushes #paintbrushes #handmade #featherbrush #quill

NIGHT 296 – THE STORY OF ALI THE PERSIAN

Paint and paint again – colour fill and colour spill

(Note the empty washed off cloud in the middle)

Equanimity – wash off the hard work with equal energy as continuing the hard work. It’s ok, and it all evens out in the end

1 step backwards, 2 steps forwards

Like clouds forming, raining, droplets rising and reforming. It all comes around again anyway ☁️

Study sketches for students

http://www.vaishaliprazmariteaching.com
http://www.vaishaliprazmaribrushes.com

#equanimity #clouds #cloudscourse #zoom #zoomin #tracing #transferring # #rendering #shading #siyahqalam #sketching #pardaxt #pardakht #theperfectbrush #vaishaliprazmariteaching #online #vaishaliprazmari #lockdown #onlineminiaturepainting #onlineminiaturepaintingcourses #onlinelearning #miniaturepainting #persianminiature #mughalminiature #booknow #available #learnpainting #learnpaintingonline

NIGHT 295 – THE STORY OF ALI THE PERSIAN

The Buddha of Emei Shan finally finds a dwelling place next to the fireplace.

I believe in genius loci, household gods, specific creative energies that linger in a place and can, if invited, come to dwell there. You can think of this as a metaphor for part of the artistic process or as literal energy dispersal. It doesn’t matter, I like both.

Make energy flow, but don’t make it go. Don’t disturb them.

Be definitely hygienic and absolutely wash your hands, often, especially in these times. Make sure your dirt is only your dirt, not someone else’s.

Don’t tidy up too much.

#fengshui #kondo #notkondo #creativity #energy #thiswillpissoffalotofpeople #idontcare #artistsmethods #vaishaliprazmari #letitgo #enjoyyourlife

NIGHT 294 – THE STORY OF HARUN AL RASHID AND THE SECOND CALIPH

Preparing to revisit a painting I started ages ago (pre-baby)

FAQ

Q. “How many works do you work on at the same time?”

A. (Facetious) 1001

A. (Truth) Unknown, and varies. Definitely more than one. Working on several at the same time allows for series. Depends on energy levels – not my own, but the paintings’. Sense the different energies of the works and work on them when they require it. Listen to each painting’s requirements. Some need cooking, some need marinating overnight, some need baking in the back of the brain face to the wall for days, some are in a deep freeze for months (this one) and only come out to thaw when the stars align and the time is right…

#cookingpainting #painting #energysensing #series #dome #inxanadu #innxanadu #waterbasedpainting #watercolour #vaishaliprazmari