Warli Craft

Origin of the craft

Warli painting is an ancient tribal craft of India that is said to date back to 10th century A.D. or earlier. The Warli paintings bear a striking resemblance to the pre-historic cave paintings, especially those in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh.

Traditionally, Warli paintings were done on special occasions/rituals by women on the walls of their home. Until the 1970s, the Warli craft was not much known outside the villages where it is practiced. In the ‘70s, the Indian Government and a prominent tribal artist- Jivya Soma Mashe brought the craft to the fore in the national and international markets.  Today, for commercial purpose these paintings are also done on cloth, paper and wood in newer colours by both, men and women.

State(s) it is practiced in

Maharashtra, Gujarat

About the artisans

The Warlis are a tribal farming community settled in the Western Ghats. Despite their proximity to the bustling city of Mumbai, they maintain their tribal lifestyle and shy away from modern influences.

About the craft

Compared to the colorful and intricate designs seen in other Indian paintings, the tribal Warli paintings are rather simple yet vibrant. The simplicity of the art is observed in the predominant use of circles, triangles and squares, which are inspired from the surroundings – circles from the sun/moon, triangles from mountain tops and the square perhaps from a piece of land. The traditional Warli art uses only white color to paint over a brown background.

Warli painting themes are centred primarily on nature, folklore, farming, hunting, festivals, weddings and celebrations. These paintings clearly reflect the Warli peoples’ deep relationship with nature. The paintings are adorned by rustic landscapes and include rivers, trees, hills, farms, birds and animals. Squirrels, snakes, tigers and peacocks are commonly sighted in this art. Some artists now also incorporate modern elements such as bicycles, trains, factories etc.

Below is a traditional Warli painting done on a wall on the occasion of a marriage. At the center of this sacred painting, enshrined in a square is Palghat Devi, their marriage god.

Input materials

Cloth/paper/wood, Cow dung, Mud, Fevicol/glue, Poster paint or acrylic paint Traditionally, bamboo sticks were sharpened and used as brushes. Now, many artists use the common painting brush.

Process
For traditional Warli paintings, the wall surface is first smeared with cow dung and then a layer of red mud is applied. This is then painted upon with rice paste for the white colour.

For commercial purpose, painting on cloth and paper was introduced in the 1970s. To suit these new materials, the rice paste was substituted by poster paints (rice paste dries up and flakes off cloth surface).
First the background colour is prepared – for different background colours, different inputs are mixed with glue. Mud is used for a reddish background, charcoal powder for a black background, and cow dung for a brown background. Interestingly, the mix using cow dung gives varied shades depending on the seasons. During summer, the grass is dry and hence the cow dung color obtained is light brown.

Once the background colour dries, the artist lets his Warli figurines, landscapes and imagination run wild across the piece of paper or cloth.

Warli paintings are also done on wooden products such as pen stands and coasters. For this, the wood is first cut out in the shape of the product.

 

Then, a layer of acrylic paint is applied as the background colour. Wooden Warli artists don’t usually adhere to traditional colours and play with newer and brighter colours. Once this dries, white poster paint is used to draw the Warli designs. Later, a coat of varnish is applied and the product is left to dry.
  

Caring for the Product

Frame your painting to protect it from damage. In case of wooden Warli products, avoid prolonged exposure to water.

Problems plaguing artisans

Fakes/replicas of Warli paintings and products sold at a cheaper rate are affecting the Warli artists along with the demand for genuine tribal crafts.