About
Every sentient being is born with the seed of Buddhahood within. To truly realize this potential, one must nurture this seed. The lotus flower, a key motif in Buddhist art, symbolizes this profound state.
During this online course, students will not only learn how to draw different kinds of lotuses, but they will also learn to paint and shade them based on the traditional Newar Buddhist painting tradition, Paubha, and understand the symbolism and philosophy behind it.
Students will have an opportunity to work in tandem with the tutor in creating many different kinds of lotuses and enjoy the process of painting and shading.
Key Information
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for all levels. You must be aged 18 or over to participate in our programmes.
What days/times do I attend?
Tuesdays, 9 September – 4 November 2025, 10:00 – 13:00 UK GMT.
Please note, there is no class on 30 September.
How do I attend?
This class will take place on Zoom, an online meeting platform. A link for joining the Zoom meeting will be sent before the start date.
What materials do I need?
Students will need:
- HB pencil, eraser, sharpener and ruler
- a wooden board slightly larger than A4; this can be a drawing board or sheet of MDF
- 1 x roll of gum tape; if you cannot find gum tape, you can also use masking tape – several A4 sheets of tracing paper
- several A4 sheets of wax free transfer paper, preferrably grey. If transfer paper cannot be found, carbon paper can be used, but you must be careful not to press to hard when using carbon. Please buy wax free grey transfer paper as wax paper will cause problems when painting.
- Pointed round, watercolour brushes, suggested sizes: 00000, 000, 00, 1, 3 and 6
- A wide, flat brush, size 4 and 2
- A palette with wells
- A clean jam jar for washing your brush
- Kitchen roll to dry your brushes
- A set of artist quality gouache or watercolours; If you cannot find gouache or watercolour, you can substitute with postercolours. Useful colours to have include: ivory black, white (any), cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, primary blue, indigo, cerulean blue, green (any), sap green, burnt sienna, burnt umber, cadmium red, and primary red. If you have any difficulty getting a particular colour, your tutor can guide you in mixing with what you have to hand.
Paper:
- A4 cotton hot press watercolour paper 300gsm, the tutor recommends Arches or Fabriano. You are more than welcome to use size A3 if you are comfortable to do so.
- If you have access to Nepalese handmade paper, you may like to use this instead; this is optional and not required.
FAQs
Do you offer concessions?
Yes, we offer concessions for Seniors/60+, full-time students and people who are unemployed/in receipt of benefits.
Concessions cannot be applied in retrospect. To receive a concession, please apply via our online form. We will then send you a discount code to use when booking your space.
Terms & Conditions
The School reserves the right to discontinue or suspend a Course up to fourteen (14) calendar days before the advertised start date of the Course. This course requires a minimum number of enrollments to run.
Our normal terms and conditions apply.
Tutor Biography
Renuka Gurung, PhD, learned Paubha painting from one of the Chitrakar Masters and Vajracharya priests of Nepal and has established herself as one of the leading masters of traditional Paubha painting. Following the completion of her doctoral studies at the School, Renuka continues her work of preserving Paubha painting by researching and documenting this traditional painting method. She travels internationally exhibiting her works, conducting workshops and lectures with the aim of introducing and promoting Paubha. She recently gave presentations and workshops on Paubha at the University of Oxford and in Hong Kong, and her paintings are in various private collections in Nepal, Russia, Italy, the USA and Britain.
